Ikenoya

The big change since my visit 27 years ago is the cross-country skiing. Back then there were no trails nearby and people mostly did flat skiing. Now there’s a trail about a 15-minute walk from Ikenoya, which made the trip a lot more fun. I also enjoyed the deep snow, tasty food, and warm hot springs. It was my first stay here in 27 years, and ski rentals are available too.

After two nights and three days, I left feeling like we were being treated worse than the other guests, and it was really unpleasant. From the second night on, they stopped providing towels, yukata, toothbrushes, and other amenities, then said those would cost extra. There’d been no warning, and the fee was fixed, which I couldn’t understand. I couldn’t negotiate with the inn because I’m not good at communicating, so we just kept using the first day’s amenities until checkout. There was no cleaning, and our futons were left as they were. When I asked the OTA, they said it was because of SDGs. I can’t accept guests being made to put up with this unilaterally. To me, it was just cost cutting with SDGs used as an excuse. My partner also wondered on the third morning whether we weren’t allowed to bathe then, because the water was too hot to use. The temperature clearly wasn’t being managed properly. The building was old, the food was mediocre, and the hot spring was much too hot, so it wasn’t comfortable. I wouldn’t stay again or recommend it to anyone who isn’t confident communicating. Maybe people who are good at that would get on better here. This kind of homey inn just wasn’t for us.

The place has been renovated and is incredibly clean now, and the hot springs were fantastic. It’s still a long-established place where you can stay with peace of mind. I first stayed here a long time ago when it was a youth hostel. My room was above the kitchen then, and I could see the cooking and hear conversations through gaps in the floor. Such fond memories. It seems youth hostel accommodation is still offered.

They welcomed my last-minute stay so kindly. This is the same inn where Mr. Yoki Tanaka stayed. The price is reasonable, and the meals are like what you’d get at a training camp!