Daigo Onsen Yamizo

The thing that stood out most was the contrast between a full parking lot and a nearly empty hot spring. A big group of elderly people seemed to be playing ground golf in the courtyard, so perhaps they bring in revenue from events and other activities. I stopped by for a day visit after lunch, expecting to take my time, and had the whole large bath to myself for an hour and a half. It really was an unpopular hot spring! 😄😄😄 Admission was 600 yen, fairly cheap for an indoor bath and sauna. Maybe it’s quiet because the water is completely neutral and doesn’t feel like a typical hot spring. Apparently the autumn apple bath is popular, though it costs 200 yen more. The sauna is set above 90°C. With nobody there, the humidity was low and it felt even hotter than the setting. The floor was hot too, so I used a mat to protect my feet. It was quite steamy, but not having a cold plunge pool was a real drawback. More pressure in the cold showers would be nice. Since the main business is a hotel, amenities were well stocked, with plenty of hair dryers.

My husband and I love this hotel and feel proud of it. The manager, assistant manager, and staff from every department greet us with friendly smiles, and we aim to come back every month. This time we brought our two grandchildren and their wives. It was our first time playing grand golf, and we got hooked. We’re already looking forward to the next visit. We’ll do our best starting tomorrow!

We visited the hot springs on a weekday. Admission was 800 yen for adults, and children below elementary school age were free. My child and I had fun trying the apple bath, and we could use the large public bath and sauna too. The valuables lockers were convenient because they didn’t require 100-yen coins. The changing lockers don’t have locks.

I stayed on Friday, November 28, 2025, and took the bus from Hitachi-Daigo Station. I got off at Center Yamizo, with the facility right in front. The young person at reception was very helpful. I’d read good reviews about the food, but honestly, I wasn’t sure it lived up to them. I arrived at the restaurant at the assigned time and sat down expecting the Hitachi beef sukiyaki plan. The burner was never lit, so I left without eating. I can’t comment on the taste. The other guests that night made it impossible to sleep, with karaoke and room conversations carrying on late. It felt very Showa-era. Maybe the karaoke amplified the sound. Some older guests were also noisy in the hallway, though that wasn’t the facility’s responsibility. Breakfast was in the restaurant. I appreciated the free drinks, but the iced coffee listed on the menu wasn’t available. Maybe that was seasonal, but I would’ve felt better if they’d simply said it was unavailable. I didn’t think the stay was worth the money. Even though I booked a plan where I chose the main dish, it hadn’t been prepared when they welcomed me, and there was no consideration for the guest. At checkout the next morning, I was waiting at the front desk while two older employees talked to each other instead of helping. I had to call over another, younger person to settle the bill. Thanks to them, but I won’t go back.