Pension Wonderland

We were traveling with a four-legged companion and came across this place. The food and amenities were first rate. They also offer a natural onsen for day use at ¥500 and run a nature school focused on foraging and outdoor camping. Highly recommend it for a visit to or hike on Mount Iwaki.

The meal felt like it carried everyone's way of life and thoughts, and seeing the family work together was wonderful. The food was excellent, a kind of luxury quite different from eating at a high-end restaurant. I hope the owner makes the most of life at his age, and that you keep going with the tea house, even though I know it must be hard to run. Thank you for your hospitality last September, and for taking my reservation at such short notice. I had a thoroughly enjoyable stay and appreciated your company. How are your sisters doing? Work has been busy, and Aomori is far away, so I haven't had time to visit since then. This sudden trip came about through my connection to Iwaki-san Shrine. I also finally set foot, briefly, in the Shirakami Mountains, a place I've long wanted to see. Of course, I always carry bear spray, ready to draw quickly like in a Spaghetti Western. I visited Hirosaki Castle and the Neputa Museum too, and came away wanting to see the cherry blossoms. Spring in Hirosaki has long been a dream of mine. It was my first time in the area, but I felt a strong connection, almost as if I'd lived here in a distant past life, with clay figurines, back when this was the center of Japan. Sorry this thank-you is so late. It was a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. See you again.

The food is the highlight, and the smell while they were cooking it was incredibly tempting. Definitely worth going at least once.

We were a family group of four adults with a 28kg Goldendoodle, and finding somewhere in Aomori Prefecture with natural hot springs that accepts large dogs is very unusual. It's not a pet-friendly hotel, so you need to come prepared with dog diapers, a lint roller, dog towels, pet wipes, and pads. The owner's family were very kind and welcoming. Both dinner and breakfast were delicious, and I was surprised the holiday-weekend price was only ¥9,000 including tax. Prices may change. The toilets and sinks are shared, but very clean. Towels were supplied in the room, and there were extra face towels in baskets in the hallway by the sink and bath. That came in handy when I left the room without a small towel. A few stink bugs got inside, but didn't smell while flying. When they landed on the floor or bed, the provided masking tape let me catch and gently fold them up, then toss them without trouble. We went during Golden Week in May and enjoyed some soup and the much-talked-about sliced corn. Given the location, it might be even better during harvest season, including apple season. I heard the baths are being renovated, so I imagine they'll become a bit larger. They seemed to be limiting reservations: of the seven rooms, there were two families the first day and three the next. We didn't have to coordinate bath times and could relax. I'd contact the inn directly rather than use a travel booking site. If you like very hot springs, try the water undiluted.