Miyagase Resort Ryokan Miharu

I hope I can visit someday. ◎ This inn appeared in the 1990 Toei children's film "Sing to the Clouds," and the photo is a screenshot from the movie. It's been well over 30 years, so I'm happy to see the inn is still operating! ＼(^o^)／ (2026/03/06)

I came in for lunch while on a motorcycle trip from Yokohama. Since it was before the rush, the dining room was quiet and had plenty of empty seats. I put my name on the waiting board and waited for someone to come over. The staff member kept looking my way, so I figured they'd seen me and were just busy, as there was only one person handling the whole dining area. Then two more parties showed up, one of three and one of two. They checked the board, and the staff member suddenly moved quickly to seat them, skipping over me. A party of three noticed my name and pointed out that I was ahead of them. The staff member finally turned to me, asked, "Huh? What should we do?" and nodded toward a corner by the entrance to ask whether that seat was okay. Meanwhile, the two later parties were seated at window tables with a nice view. I was irritated, but then noticed what seemed to be a pattern: solo diners were put toward the back or entrance, while groups got the window seats. My spot was also really dirty, with a child's chair left out and loads of fried food bits and other scraps on the floor. The way it happened was so blatant I almost laughed. Do they dislike people dining alone, or just want the place to look good from the outside? The food was average, though I was so taken aback that I could barely taste it. I regretted going in after making the trip all the way from Yokohama.

The wild boar hotpot and fried trout were both really good. They apparently specialize in dam curry, and, well, it does look a bit like a dam. I stopped here for lunch while sightseeing in Kiyokawa Village. The restaurant looked rather dark from outside, so I hesitated, wondering if it was open, but it was. Phew. Though it's a Western-style hotel, there's a subtle Japanese touch that makes it relaxing. Check-in is at the fairly early time of 3pm, which is nice. Reservations are required for two adults or more.

My mother and I came for a day-use hot spring bath after walking in the forest near Miyagase Dam. We got there at 3:30 PM and had the bath to ourselves. I'd never taken a photo of an empty bath before. It looks like the pictures. It feels old, but not dirty, and I think it's kept up well. The stone floor and tile, old lights, big potted plants, lantern (?), and old-fashioned Kerorin buckets reminded me of the bath at my grandmother's house. I felt strangely comfortable there. The water may be a bit lukewarm, and since it only trickles in through gaps in the rocks, there's no way to adjust the temperature. Some sinks don't have showers. The proprietress? was elderly. She was sitting on the sofa when we arrived, and I initially took her for another guest. They applied the website booking discount to the price right away. This is a good old-fashioned inn. If you're used to modern convenience, it may feel extremely inconvenient, though to someone who's lived in the countryside for a long time, it might be about what you'd expect. If you're expecting a typical super sento (large public bathhouse), you'll probably be disappointed and give it a low rating. I'd recommend it to people who want the feel of an old Japanese house or traditional hot spring inn.