Tsukinose Onsen Botansou

The hotel was lovely, and it’s in a really beautiful part of Japan.

We found the young manager and the staff very kind, and the inn was comfortable and well cared for, with nature all around. The renovated building looks beautiful inside and out. Its wood gives the place a warm feel, especially with the wood stove going in winter. The large public bath is a natural hot spring. Freshly baked modern bread is available in the morning. Dinner needs to be booked by the day before. From Koza Station, you can get there by Kozagawacho bus or taxi.

The clear water at Kozagawa River makes for a nice morning stroll, and it’s close to the hotel. The place has a restaurant, and if you tell them ahead that you plan to eat there, they’ll reserve a table. The recent renovation means the rooms are clean, and there’s a hot spring bath available for day use too. Breakfast is a Japanese buffet with bread baked in the hotel kitchen. I enjoyed everything. Check-in and check-out are done on a tablet with no staff at the desk. Payments are set up electronically, though you can pay cash if you ask one of the staff members who are around the property.

The large public bath was a lovely alkaline simple hot spring, with a pH of 9.7. There are free lockers for valuables. Overnight guests can use the baths from 6:00 AM-9:00 AM and 1:00 PM-midnight. Day visitors have access from 1:00 PM-7:00 PM, so for a longer soak it’s better to go after 7:00 PM or in the morning. I came with colleagues while visiting Kumano Sanzan and Ise Grand Shrine. There’s plenty of free parking, but the hotel is quite far from Koza, with no shops nearby, so it’s very quiet. It’s a good idea to stop at the nearby Okuwa supermarket before checking in. The reception is unmanned, and check-in and checkout, along with payment, are handled by tablet and automation. Credit cards are accepted, but it’s worth checking the payment steps in advance. At check-in you get a PIN to open the lockbox for your key. There’s just one key per guest. There’s no elevator, but stairs have a stairlift, which is handy for guests with mobility issues. Our room was spacious and clean, though there weren’t enough chairs or tables for everyone, which was inconvenient. We stayed overnight and saw the meals being served. They looked delicious, so next time we’ll book a meal plan.