OYO Ryokan Hatago Ichiban Chichibu

At first, the exterior made me think I'd chosen the wrong place, but inside the room was spacious, clean, and very nice. The dining area had a calming feel, with large lattice windows and restful colors. It consisted of four small Japanese-style rooms with their shoji screens removed and floors put in, though some old electrical wires were still there. It was the night festival, perhaps because it was the eve of it, but we were the only guests. That was great: I could spread my shop all over the table. The room was a little cold, but having an open-air bath made it very comfortable. They kindly served dinner early so I could go to the night festival, and they quickly understood what I needed. I'd eaten too much the day before and had indigestion, then lunch was late. The chicken portion was quite large, and that may have been the only heavy part. You need a car to get there, but it's right in front of the first temple, so I hope to stay again. I'd also like to try the private bath. I didn't take any photos. It was a typical winter day, and with so few streetlights, the stars looked beautiful.

I visited in January 2025 and had a really relaxing, enjoyable stay. The food was delicious, the service attentive, and the dining room had a comfortable, nostalgic atmosphere. The staff's drink recommendations helped, and the tasting was really good. The vases around the property were lovely and tasteful. All the baths were private, so I expected a long wait, but luckily I could get in right away. The room was called Hana. There was an air purifier, which helped me get through the mold smell by telling myself it was probably just my imagination, but I wish they'd properly address it. The building is very old, and gaps showed where my door and its frame didn't line up. That felt a bit unsettling. I also found two different kinds of cockroaches in the bathroom and got rid of them. People who are afraid of them would remember that. Maybe they're around because the bath stays warm even in January. Even with those concerns, I was very satisfied.

We came as a couple at the end of the year. There are three private baths, one in the annex and two in the main building. The annex bath has both an indoor and an outdoor section, and it was very comfortable for the two of us. With dinner, we ordered blueberry liquor with soda. It was tasty and had blueberry pulp, but it was quite strong and not sweet like the sour drink I expected. It might be best to ask what sort of drink it is when ordering alcohol.

Dinner was delicious, but there was a lot of it. We had a whole potato stew, which was very sweet and tasty, plus fried chicken and whole shiitake mushrooms. Udon and rice with toppings came at the end. Even big eaters should be satisfied. I thought bringing a container for leftovers might be a good idea. The drink list had local sake and Ichiro's Malt, which is great for tourists. Still, with “Enjoy Sake and Food” displayed everywhere, I expected dinner to work well as drinking snacks, and that was a bit of a challenge. The room was spacious and clean. The in-room open-air bath was a little hot, but just right for the chilly season, and I warmed up well at night and again in the morning. I also went straight to the private bath after checking in. It felt like we had the indoor bath with its washing area and the open-air bath all to ourselves. That was great. They provide a razor and toothbrush, and there's a hair dryer by the bathroom sink in the room. The indoor wear comes separately, with pants for the bottoms, which was comfortable. There's free parking beside the main building. I was confused by the flag saying the parking was shared with the nearby temple, but it turned out to be fine. The annex, where the private baths are, has a drink vending machine, but no alcohol or snacks. There aren't any convenience stores nearby either, so bring something along if you'd like a quick drink after dinner. The room refrigerator was large!!