Yuyu Tei

There’s not much of a view from the windows, since the inn is out in the suburbs. Still, it was peaceful with only two groups staying each day, and the rooms were clean, with separate Japanese and Western-style spaces. I’d like to use both together next time for more room. The meals were fresh local cooking, and I left full after trout, wild boar hotpot, horse sashimi, and 100% buckwheat soba. Breakfast was delicious too.

For our retirement trip, my husband and I spent one night and two days away. I’d hardly explored Tohoku, so we chose Yuyutei by Lake Inawashiro after a friend recommended it. We wanted a quiet stay and a chance to try Aizu cooking. We got there at 5 p.m. and were welcomed warmly by the husband, wife, and her younger brother. Only two groups are accepted per day, and we were the only couple staying that night. They put us in “Kawageta,” with a Japanese-style room, bedroom, toilet, and vanity area. The samue provided as loungewear were really comfortable. The inn had a calm Japanese feel inside and out, was spotlessly clean, and the hospitality was beyond what we expected. We tried the open-air bath before dinner, though there was also an indoor one. The water was a little low, but it was a pleasant place to relax. Dinner was at a lovely counter, with several small dishes made from local ingredients. I especially liked the horse sashimi, vinegared mozuku seaweed, and handmade soba. The charcoal-grilled salted trout was delicious, as was everything else. Local sake went so well with the meal that I ended up having three sips, even though I don’t usually drink sake. Breakfast also came with several small dishes, and we enjoyed it all. The husband and wife’s younger brothers explained the food at both meals, and the service and timing felt nicely considerate without crowding us. We had a very satisfying night at welcoming Yuyutei. Thank you. I’d recommend it to anyone after a relaxing inn, good food, and a lovely bath.

The baths are reserved for one group for 24 hours. The first bath is first-come, first-served, so getting there early may help. We had a peaceful, relaxing stay at the foot of Mt. Bandai. Dinner was gently seasoned Japanese cooking, and we loved the creative soba dishes, especially soba dengaku and duck soup with soba dumplings. The takikomi gohan with nicely flaked trout was delicious too. The owner made the soba noodles by hand right in front of us; they were firm, sweet, and full of flavor with each bite. We were happy with both the taste and the amount of food. A good choice for a restful trip around Inawashiro and gently flavored food.

We booked on the inn’s official website, and were surprised to find there were no other guests, so we had the place to ourselves. The married couple who run it really looked after us. Our “Kawageta” room had both a Japanese-style room and a bedroom, and was very comfortable. There was a separate spot to put on makeup, away from the sink, and the inn provided samue work clothes instead of yukata. The sweets in the room were so good that we asked the staff which shop they came from and went to buy some. The hot spring has an indoor bath and an open-air one. In winter, the open-air bath closes at 11:00 PM because of the cold, while the indoor bath is available any time until checkout. An oil heater kept the indoor changing room warm. The stone floor in the indoor bath and the stairs to the open-air bath can be slippery, so take care. Dinner started at 6:30 PM. Small plates featuring Aizu ingredients came first, followed as we ate and drank by grilled salted fish, miso dengaku, handmade soba, and horse sashimi. We finished with seasoned rice, mushroom soup, and fruit, and were completely full. At breakfast we had newly harvested Inawashiro rice with a range of side dishes.