Ozakiya

The room was clean and the seafood rice at breakfast was delicious, which is why I gave the inn three stars. I’d come hoping to try Kasumi crab because Matsuba crab was too expensive. Reviews had set my expectations high, but the crab was a letdown. We had it as sashimi, grilled, in tempura, and in hot pot, and none of it had much crab flavor. There wasn’t any crab miso, either. Even with the Go To Travel campaign making the stay cheaper, I felt I’d wasted my money and hesitated over buying crab to take home. The next day I tried some at a souvenir shop and loved the flavor, so I bought three crabs and 1kg of legs to eat at home. The shop said the seawater was unusually warm this year and crab quality wasn’t very good yet. But when I described the inn’s crab, they were surprised and said it was strange for it to have no taste. Maybe we just got a bad batch, but that’s hard to accept from an inn that specializes in crab. Within walking distance are the remains of the Amarube Railway Bridge (Amarube Viaduct) and a roadside station. Go 5km into the mountains and you’ll find Japan’s highest-altitude lighthouse.

I was glad I made the trip from far away. The rooms were clean, and having a dining area with chairs in each one was nice. The baths were pleasant, with hot water constantly flowing. The Kasumi crab was delicious, and the rice porridge at the end was amazing. They even prepared the crabs we couldn’t finish by filleting and serving them.

The food was a highlight, especially the abalone, Tajima beef, and the big, fatty blackthroat seaperch. We also had the two baths to ourselves and could soak at our own pace. They aren’t very large, but having two worked out well. The inside, rooms, toilets, and baths are simple, clean, and well kept. My husband, our two children, and I came after riding the JR West Dice Train to Yobe Station. Some renovation work was underway, so there were only two other guests. Our room looked out over the Sea of Japan, in a quiet little port town. There’s no convenience store nearby and not much to see beyond the Yobe Bridge area, which makes it a good choice for a peaceful break. It’s a nice place to stay after exploring around Yobe Station. We were given some vegetables to take home. Thank you!

We first came as a couple, and now we return with our three kids, who are 5, 2, and 5 months old. This was our fourth stay. We usually come during crab season, but tried summer for the first time, with fishing and rock-pool play by the sea off Kasumi. The food is great whatever the season, and I highly recommend it. The landlady is lovely, too. You can book a family bath, which works really well when traveling with children.