Hotel Route - Inn Misawa

It wasn't a fancy place, but it was clean and the bed was comfortable. The public bath was nice, and if you've never tried an onsen, Route Inns has kind instructions about what to do. The hotel is older, but the staff were really kind and helpful.

The public bath and on-site laundry are handy, and you can add the breakfast buffet to your room at an affordable rate. For a low-cost hotel, the room has plenty of space for one person. It's clean, well maintained, and the multilingual staff are super friendly. This place outshines most Western hotels, in my view.

This cozy, quaint hotel is near the U.S.A.F base, with a couple of restaurants and bars within walking distance. A free breakfast buffet comes with the stay, though the selection is small and changes daily. They give you tickets to drop in a basket at the restaurant entrance. The front desk staff are very helpful about calling a taxi when you need one.

The staff were incredibly helpful when I realized I'd booked a Route Inn in a city about 10km away by mistake. They quickly arranged a one-night stay here for ¥8,000, which was a huge relief. The WiFi is very hit or miss, which is why I'm giving the rooms and service four stars. Otherwise, it's close to the base, a neat dog cafe, a local roaster, Sky Plaza, and within walking distance of a Family Mart and lots of good restaurants, including Kiki Sushi, which I recommend. I came to see where my dad had been stationed 50 years ago. I imagine the area is much more built up than it was in the 70s. Breakfast was pretty good. I tried mochi for the first time. I haven't looked it up, so I'm not completely sure, but it seemed like a miniature pancake, and it was SO GOOD! If you're visiting loved ones in Misawa, I'd highly recommend staying here. There's an onsen too, if you like that. Checkout is at 10am, and I paid another ¥4,000 to stay until 1:30. Getting around without a car is hard. I'm sure there are plenty of opportunities nearby for hiking, nature photography, and other outdoor adventures.