Hasegawa

The hot spring water felt thick and left my skin so smooth that I didn’t need lotion, and I went for a soak several times. I loved the food too, every dish was delicious and felt luxurious, and I had quite a bit of the free sake with dinner. The building is old, but it was clean and cared for. There were Showa-era decorations, a fireplace, games, and a raised nook with picture books. With free drinks, I could unwind by the lobby and look out at the courtyard. Nakai-san and the other staff were helpful and warm. I left very satisfied and would like to visit again.

The thin walls were the biggest problem. I could hear ordinary conversations from the next room clearly, even though nobody was being especially loud. I never expected a ryokan stay to be noisier than my own room at home. I thought this was a reasonably priced four-star hotel, but for the quality, I don’t think it deserves that rating. Next time I’d pay a little more for somewhere else, or choose a business hotel, so I could sleep more peacefully.

The hot spring was a lovely temperature, and the staff explained everything carefully. I only stayed overnight this time, but I’ve heard the food is good, so I’d like to come back with my family and include meals. From the photos I expected the building to look old, but it’s been renovated beautifully. The rooms and changing areas felt brand new, with a few nice retro touches. I’d worried the room might be cold, but it was warm and I slept well.

The room was really clean and pleasant, and it seemed to have been renovated. We had crab in every dish, which left me very satisfied. They showed us how to eat it, though I didn’t like the way one staff member used rubber gloves to pick the meat straight out of the shell and put it on the plate. Of course, not all the staff did that.