Sansuiso

Our first stay at Sansuiso was comfortable overall, and the staff were consistently polite and friendly. Check-in at 3 p.m. went smoothly. There wasn’t much English spoken, but the foreign staff member EIMT was especially helpful, as were the Japanese staff. The spacious ryokan has a pleasant interior, a viewing window with koi, and a reception lobby where you can help yourself to tasty snacks and very good free coffee. There’s only one slow coffee machine, though, so expect a wait when it’s busy. We were happy with our clean, spacious Kachoen room. Its 12.5 tatami mats gave the two of us plenty of room. The main disappointment was the lack of toiletries. The room only had shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, and there were no amenities in the lobby or private onsen either. I understand wanting to avoid waste, but asking guests on a short stay to pack everything is inconvenient. Since the private bath costs extra, it would be helpful to have shower caps or hair ties there, especially so women can keep their hair out of the water for hygiene. Even a small facial cleansing set with a cotton pad and hair tie for arriving guests would make a difference. I hope Sansuiso reconsiders this policy. It’s a shame to see a nice ryokan remove these basics when even business hotels and many other ryokans provide them. Guest comfort and convenience should be balanced with the SDGs agenda 2030 or cost cutting. The dining room was comfortable and roomy for both meals. We enjoyed the kaiseki dinners, with appetizers and main courses served at the table. Fukushima beef was very tender: grilled sirloin on night one, sukiyaki on night two, then beef shabu shabu on night three, when we also ordered extra Fukushima steak. Some steamed and vinegared dishes were repeated that last evening. The help yourself dessert counter had fresh, sweet persimmon, melon, and apple, plus little mousse cups and cakes. Rayhan, the Indonesian restaurant staff member, was professional and delivered the high standard of Japanese service we expected throughout all three dinners. Breakfast was adequate, with fresh onsen eggs, porridge, salad, buttery croissants, soft buns, omelette, fried egg, fresh tempura, and other Asian options. The bacon and sausages were a bit too salty, and there was coffee but no English tea. We stayed for three nights beginning October 28, 2025. The leaves hadn’t really reached full autumn color yet.

The room was spotless, even though some of the building’s exterior looked a little worn. We visited in summer, when the hotel was nearly empty and there were only a few people in most baths. You can reserve one of several private baths for JPY 1000 per hour. The outdoor baths had lovely waterfall views, and the food service was good. They also offer a free shuttle from Fukushima train station.

The place was wonderfully peaceful, and we had a great dinner. I stayed here during a weeklong trip around Tohoku, and the beautiful setting and onsen made it a really enjoyable stop.

The onsens were the best part, with cold, warm, and hot baths to choose from, and such great views. They were mostly empty, so I could even take pictures. Dinner was really good and filling, and I got to try a range of Japanese food. The hotel is well kept, though the rooms look old, even if they’re clean and tidy. Mine smelled like green tea for some reason, and I couldn’t figure out why. It kind of annoyed me. The traditional rooms also get very bright in the morning, so bring a sleep mask if you can’t sleep when it’s light.