Iwai Onsen Iwaiya

A very good onsen ryokan, with clean facilities and attentive staff.

I'd wanted to visit for a long time and finally spent the money on the premium Matsuba crab course. The crab itself was good, but at 180,000 yen including the stay, the experience felt lukewarm and left me with a bad taste. It came across like an assembly line, with little sense of trying to make the occasion enjoyable. I wasn't expecting grand staging or lots of service, but when I opened my room window, the veranda was plainly uncleaned. I didn't get the feeling they wanted me to return. The staff seemed lackluster, as can happen at understaffed rural inns, and the rugs in the corridor to the hot spring were cheap and uninspiring, as others have mentioned. Maybe they're members of a secret hot springs association, so I imagine they'll keep drawing guests. I'll travel far for the hot springs I love, but I don't think I'll come back here.

This was my second visit to a rare hidden hot spring in the Chugoku region. Getting here takes an hour by bus from Tottori Station, and the setting is remote, but inside I could settle into a calm, grown-up kind of stay. The water was soft and gently warming. The bath was deep enough to stand chest-deep, and the old building's high ceilings added to the mood. I asked the landlady why it was built that way. She said there had once been a coal mine nearby with many workers, and having people stand in the bath made bathing more efficient. The bathhouse still keeps that style. I booked the all-inclusive plan, so I could have my favorite drinks whenever I wanted, read, relax, and enjoy looking around the inn. Both dinner and breakfast were deeply satisfying, and I could tell how carefully the food was prepared. This is a place I'd like to visit again. It's a member of the Japan Secret Hot Springs Association.

I've wanted to stay at the historic Iwaiya for ages, and finally got to make it happen. It was wonderfully quiet, the hot springs were amazing, and I stayed warm for a long time after getting out. The landlady (?) was kind and always smiling, which felt soothing. I'm grateful too for how thoughtfully they handled the fact that we don't like beef. I'd happily stay here again.