Tsurunoyu Onsen

I went for a day visit to the hot springs, and it felt really good. The water is brown and apparently high in iron. There were lots of amenities, including cream and lotion to use after bathing. I think the shampoo and conditioner were horse oil. My skin felt smooth afterward, and the older man working there was friendly and kind. At 600 yen, it's quite reasonable with prices rising everywhere. I'd definitely come again. Feels like I found a lovely little-known gem. ♪

The hot springs were great, which makes the lack of hospitality feel like such a waste, especially given how remote the place is. I think this is better as a day trip for the baths. At check-in, the staff spoke politely, but it felt like politeness was all there was. They gave only the bare minimum of information, and I left with an uneasy sense that something wasn't right. I wasn't furious, just unsettled. Dinner was fairly tasty, but I couldn't finish it. I arrived a little after 5 PM, after a late lunch, and wasn't hungry. The staff said they'd prefer dinner at 5:30, though the information sheet listed both 5:30 and 7:30. There were two other groups due to dine in the dining room, and neither had arrived then. I thought a later sitting would've worked. Maybe dinner should just have one fixed time instead of offering a choice.

I only make it back every 5 to 10 years, once I've mostly forgotten about the place. The water is good. The indoor bath feels somewhere between a public bath and a ryokan, but I especially like how relaxing the open-air bath is.

The water quality seemed typical for this area, so I didn't think the trip was worth it. I won't be coming back. 😵‍💫 The indoor bath felt closed-in and was too hot for me to stay in, so I got dressed and moved to the open-air bath. That was only a little hot, but the cracked stone edge around the tub looked dangerous and hadn't been repaired. The view was okay, though private houses spoiled the atmosphere. My skin was turning red, so I got out before long.