Gero Onsen Kissenkan Chikusuitei

The only thing I'd change is making the open-air bath a little bigger. That's just my own suggestion, though. I stayed one night and had no complaints otherwise: the food was delicious and the hospitality was excellent.

Gero Onsen's water felt wonderfully soft, and there were lots of spots around town to soak your feet. We also enjoyed relaxing by the river in the evening. At the inn, they were incredibly kind, even brewing and serving tea while showing us to our room. Both dinner and breakfast came in generous portions and tasted quite good.

The first thing that caught my eye was the red carpet. It covered the ground and looked beautiful, just my style. I settled into the lovely room they showed me, as a committed believer in the heliocentric theory, then worked up an appetite and headed to dinner. Eating is an important ritual for keeping the body going. I started with the appetizer and ate quickly, then waited for the Hida beef to cook with hoba miso. It was so good, honestly, I nearly went through the ceiling. Everything tasted amazing from the very beginning. I couldn't even look at the door. Afterward, I soaked in the hot spring and talked to myself while watching the rain and the nighttime city view. “I'm glad to be alive.” The dark town and mountains seemed to be telling me something about Japan's history. Do you like hot springs? I do. They make me feel warm, happy, relaxed, and healed, so I came here after hearing rumors about an amazing one in Gero.

The staff made this a really good trip, and I’m genuinely grateful for that. The place itself was good, and my wife was satisfied. The only reason I took off a star was the behavior of two elderly people; everything else was excellent. Most of the staff were almost perfect, and the foreign staff were clearly working hard to give good service. What bothered me was how some tables got greetings and others didn't, right in front of everyone. The woman who seemed to be the head proprietress was greeting other tables while the dinner server, who was a little rushed, attended to us. It felt unpleasant and made me think she shouldn't come out if she was going to greet several tables so visibly but unevenly. If she's in a senior position, I hope she gets trained. Either do it properly or don't put someone in front of guests when they're doing it half-heartedly. It wastes the staff's hard work.