Tango Resort Hanare Soraharuka

Taiza crab has only recently stopped being shipped to Tokyo, where it used to be available. There are few fishing boats allowed to catch it, so the total catch is small and it isn't widely distributed. The resort presents the crabs carefully before preparing them, and offers a comparison between Taiza crab and Hyogo snow crab. We enjoyed crab sashimi, heart, miso, shabu-shabu, hot pot, tempura, and rice porridge. The crab's translucent sweetness and texture came through in the whole meal. Both the food and service were a delight. The prices are high, but given how rare the crab is and how hard it is to obtain, that makes sense. Breakfast the next morning was satisfying too, with delicious rice, vegetables, dried fish, and eggs. The rooms aren't especially large, but they're clean and roomy enough for an overnight stay. Through the glass you can see the rough Sea of Japan. Every room has an open-air bath supplied directly from the hot spring; while soaking, the water seems to meet the sea in front of you. This hot spring inn in Tango, Kyoto, serves Taiza crab in winter, and its popularity is surely part of the appeal. There aren't many sights nearby, so you could experience the singing sand, visit Taiza Port, or go as far as Tateiwa Rock. Parking is available.

The staff were very good, and we appreciated being shown the live crabs just before they were cooked. They even gave us a crab tag to take home. The view over the ocean from the open-air bath was beautiful too. I hope the inn keeps improving. There were three things I wasn't happy with. First, the price felt high considering there's little around the resort, the room refrigerator had few drinks, and the amenities were limited. It only had one beer, two teas, two waters, and a small juice. I wished there had been enough juice for everyone, even the kind that costs 50 yen at a supermarket, and some ice as well. Second, meals were served in the same space as other guests beside the lobby. A group of older women were drinking and talking so loudly that it was hard to relax. A partition might have helped. Third, I wouldn't have booked if I'd known smoking was allowed on the terrace. Smoke could reach the open-air baths in other rooms, which would be awful when paying a lot for a private soak. Luckily no one smoked during our stay. I was inviting someone special, and if I'd known, I definitely wouldn't have chosen this hotel. I'd prefer a smoking area away from the inn. The location can't be changed, of course, but I hope they reconsider this.

The meal was visually lovely, with thoughtfully chosen tableware and hot pot vegetables portioned just right so we could finish them all. We asked for snacks in our room after dinner, feeling we hadn't had enough to drink, and they brought us stylish, lovely snacks. We came for the legendary Taiza crab. Before it was served, they showed us the live crab. It was so fresh that they served us raw crab miso. Trying crab hearts for the first time was a fun part of the meal. I couldn't say exactly what makes Taiza taste different, but it was certainly fresh enough to eat raw. I heard only four boats now go out to fish, and only specifically designated boats are allowed to catch it, so perhaps that's where the legend comes from. The surprising thing was that the inn didn't smell like crab at all, even after the meal. I'd thought the smell was hard to get rid of, but there was barely any, and I wondered if I'd eaten crab at all. The room looked out over the Sea of Japan, and had a hot spring bath. It's alkaline water and felt great with the window open, almost like a semi-open-air bath. With the ocean view, I recommend a morning soak. Smoking is allowed on the terrace, which makes this place smoker-friendly these days. The service was attentive, and I had a very pleasant, relaxing stay. I'm grateful for the experience.

The staff were polite and thoughtful, the room was clean and reasonably spacious, and the ocean view right in front was wonderful. The bath was comfortable and the food was good. In general, it's a nice inn, but I came away a little disappointed. I would have felt satisfied at around 60,000 yen for two people. With the seasonal price increase and another 10,000 yen for upgraded meals, it came to 80,000 yen for one night, which felt quite expensive. A few smaller points added to that feeling. The inn only has rooms and a dining space, with no lounge, library, or large public bath. We had upgraded meals, and the first day's food was as advertised, but the second day's was mediocre even though we'd paid for the upgrade again. There was a welcome drink but no small snacks in the room. There were no pajamas, which are common these days; yukatas get rumpled while sleeping and are uncomfortable. The free drinks in the room were limited. The open-air bath was small, just big enough for one person, and completely visible from the road. There was nowhere around to walk and explore. The room also seemed smaller than advertised, probably because the terrace was counted in its size. I thought a suite meant the guest room and living room would be separate, but here they were one space, which didn't feel quite right.