Kouragi

The landlady’s care shows in the little things, from the room keys and front desk to the hallways. The whole inn has a calm, pleasant feel. It seems they serve seafood from the Sea of Japan throughout the year, not only in winter. I stayed two days and one night at the end of December. The inn is right by Shibayama Station, and I’d recommend it to anyone who puts crab first. People expecting fancy rooms or impressive views might be a little disappointed, but for crab lovers it’s a great fit. Dinner was a full course of raw, boiled, and grilled crab, crab shabu-shabu, and crab hot pot. All of it was Shibayama Port snow crab with tags, and both the quality and quantity were impressive. I liked the boiled crab best, though the raw, grilled, and shabu-shabu were all excellent too. The rooms are Japanese-style, with beds or futons available. There’s a large public bath with an open-air bath on the third floor, and the water runs a little warm. If you prefer cooler baths, the tub in your room may suit you better. Massage chairs on every floor make it easy to relax afterward.

Shibayama station on the San'in Line is right in front, so a car isn’t necessary, though the journey takes a while. They welcome you in the lobby with roasted green tea and black bean sweets before showing you to your room. There’s a flower arrangement and an incense burner for roasting tea leaves, and the view from the window is wonderfully relaxing. The crab dinner is a full course, with more than enough food. If you make it through everything from rice porridge to dessert, you’ll be very satisfied. For a birthday or anniversary month, let them know in advance and they’ll bring a small cake while the staff sing a song. It’s really touching. This is a crab inn I’d like to visit every year.

The snowy setting and quiet air made our stay feel special, with time seeming to slow as we walked through the silvery scenery. The Kouragi has a peaceful atmosphere, Japanese touches throughout, and was comfortable wherever we were. Hospitality was warm, too. The crab was the highlight and exceeded my expectations. The sashimi was sweet and translucent, the grilled crab smelled wonderful, and the boiled crab was tender. Each dish let the ingredients shine. The food, snow, and calm surroundings made for a lovely winter stay. I’d recommend The Kouragi to someone hoping to experience Japanese winter or enjoy luxurious crab dishes.

Everything was perfect apart from one thing: I wish there had been showers in the rooms. The crab was unbelievably good, and the freshest I’ve had in Kasumi by far. I could eat it as sashimi without ever getting full. I’ve tried several restaurants, but "Kouragi" is the clear favorite.