Nibukawa Onsen Hotel

The standout for me was the onsen. The water in the large public bath feels incredibly smooth against your skin, and even afterward it leaves you feeling warm and moisturized. I’d read a little about the area beforehand and learned that Ehime Donkawa Onsen is known among those in the know for its beauty baths. The water really is soft and silky. Minrakuso has only 10 rooms and isn’t a big place, but it feels like a fine, long-established inn at Donkawa Onsen. It sits among quiet mountains by the Donkawa Valley, with the sound of the clear stream making it easy to relax. The atmosphere is unpretentious, and the building is a little old, but the lobby and rooms are clean and well kept. Some rooms look out over the Nibukawa Valley, and hearing the river at night is soothing. We booked through a member travel magazine and got a one-night, two-meal package for 9,900 yen per person, tax included. It included a luxurious Iyo, Ehime mountain and sea kaiseki dinner, a room with a hot spring bath, and a free Great Up Plan. I was excited but a bit anxious about the price until we arrived. Dinner was the standard plan, but the dishes came out at a good pace and there was almost too much to finish. Breakfast and dinner were both delicious. I think it’s a good place to take a break and unwind, and I definitely recommend it.

Donkawa is a bath I’d want to return to again and again. For me, one visit to Dogo Onsen is enough, and I almost hope this place doesn’t get too famous. Washing with the water leaves such a slippery feel that I kept wondering whether the soap had rinsed off. The shower water seems even stronger in its ingredients. My skin felt smooth as a baby’s for the rest of the day, and even my clothes felt different when I put them on. The next day I felt beautiful, and I nearly always sleep deeply after a bath here. It really seems to work.

The hot spring water is wonderfully silky. There’s no open-air bath, but just soaking in it makes me feel like I’m getting more beautiful, so I’m definitely coming back. It’s way out in the countryside, surrounded by the sound of the clear stream, trees, and mountain wildflowers, all so calming. The food was excellent in taste and portion size too, and the fish was fresh. My parents were delighted!

Day visit for a bath in February 2026. I’d heard about Nibukawa Onsen Kairakuso from a senior who loves hot springs. It’s at the far end of the same hot spring village, Nibukawa Onsenkyo, and was renovated in 2024. I learned that the area is one of Ehime’s three great hot springs, along with Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama City and Mototani Onsen in Saijo City. I love hot springs, but hadn’t known that. The largest hotel, Nibukawa Onsen Hotel, is under renovation, and I’m looking forward to seeing it reopened. It seems like the whole hot spring town may change. The men’s and women’s baths switch each day, and the women’s bath was on the second floor today. The bathroom has a sauna hut with a Halvia-shaped stone stove, room for about six people when it isn’t crowded, and a cold bath. Its thermometer showed 95°, though it felt closer to 80°. The water is a hypotonic alkaline cold spring with an amazing pH of 9.9, a real beauty bath. It was so slippery I nearly fell twice at the edge, and I was genuinely worried because I have trouble walking. There were no signs warning about the risk. Signs, non-slip mats, and regular brushing of the slippery edge and floor nearby could help prevent falls. It’s old and cozy, and for anyone who likes slippery hot springs it could be irresistible. The cleaning was thorough overall, though I found a bandage stuck over the window-side drain, blocking the water, with moss growing on it. I didn’t want to touch it, so I moved it with the handle of a toothbrush. If it happened today, I hope it wouldn’t be left like that. The shower area and other little spots should be cleaned regularly with bleach and a brush. The guest room toilets and sinks have also been renovated.