Bourou NOGUCHI Hakodate Ryokan

The lounge was a nice place to unwind with a drink and some ice cream, and the public bath is huge. Our two-level suite was great, though it can get hot upstairs where the bath is. Most tourist spots are a little farther away, but the tram stop is just a block away, so getting around was easy.

We spent two nights here in mid-May 2025, and both the kaiseki dinner and breakfast were delicious. Each day's menu was different, and meals were served in a private room looking out over the zen garden, with wonderful service. Our luxurious room had an onsen bath with a view, plus plenty of amenities, snacks, tea, and coffee. The ryokan is a bit farther from downtown Hakodate, but we had an amazing stay.

The public onsen bath is massive, and there's a lounge with unlimited soft serve, beer, highballs, and champagne. Rooms are huge, and there's always a hot tub full of water waiting. The place may look old, and some parts do feel that way, plus it's not close to downtown. Still, it offers a lot. Check-in feels very luxurious, as does the dining experience. The price is a bit high, but I still think it's worth it.

The food was outstanding, with fresh, delicious ingredients and a generous range of kaiseki dishes. I'd say skipping the meals would be a mistake. We spent one night in a Wamodern Room with meals included. It was roomy, carefully decorated, comfortable, and relaxing. The hot spring tub was enormous, around 2m x 2m, with water flowing continuously. It was easy to set the temperature, and I could open the window and look at the night sky while bathing. The main drawback is getting there from Hakodate station. There seemed to be a shuttle from the nearby airport, though I didn't use it. There's not much to do nearby, but that wasn't an issue for us since we spent all our time in the beautiful hotel.