Fukubikiya

The dinner was great, while the room was okay. It's an average, small ryokan, and the onsen is also on the small side, though it has an open-air section. There's a little shrine at the top of a nearby hill, about a 5 minute walk away, and it's worth visiting if you're staying overnight.

Feels like my home away from home 🏡

The staff were all kind and pleasant, and the hot spring water was wonderful. But the room smelled musty, and not being able to adjust the temperature was inconvenient. Breakfast was the biggest disappointment: an onigiri (rice ball), miso soup, a tiny piece of grilled fish, a small rolled omelet, and pickles. I found it quite unbelievable.

The cleaning was thorough, and the alkaline spring water had a lotion-like feel. There's also a shuttle from Nagaoka Station. Still, the water is only weakly alkaline and low in minerals, similar to Isobe Onsen (Gunma) and Nanasawa Onsen (Kanagawa), so it didn't feel especially appealing to me. The property is showing significant age, both inside and out. The indoor bath is small, and the open-air bath has been out of order for a long time. The futons and amenities didn't match the number of guests, and the food was mediocre. Breakfast was the worst I've ever had, and the ramen restaurant was closed due to staff shortages. Many services were suspended.