Teradomarimisaki Onsen Hotel Asuka

I had to cancel because of a medical emergency, and the hotel responded by demanding cancellation fees right away, with no sign of compassion. It made a serious health crisis feel like an offense. Guests seem to be treated as reservation numbers, not people. This was a cold, heartless, unprofessional experience, and it isn't the kind of "Omotenashi" (Japanese hospitality) I was looking for. There are plenty of other hotels in Japan that seem to care about their guests, so I'd stay elsewhere. A sad experience.

The baths change between the men's and women's sides each day, so you get different views at night and in the morning. The water and temperature were excellent. We stayed one night, and the room was clean, simple, and well kept, with big windows looking out toward the ocean. You might even catch fireworks from the restaurant across the street. Dinner is an order buffet through your phone, which means the dishes arrive freshly cooked and hot. There are frozen and chilled ingredients too, but the quality is better than at an average izakaya, and it felt like good value. Seafood is the main thing here, and it was fresh and tasty. My wife loved it. One small letdown: they serve nigiri and temaki sushi without wasabi. They explained that the sushi is made by hand to prevent food poisoning with vinegar and wasabi. I appreciated the point, but eating sushi without wasabi felt a bit like having steak without salt and pepper. If you're hungry for good food and have preferences, the order buffet is worth a try. We'll be back, especially when my wife is in a bad mood (laughs).

We picked this place for an end-of-year trip because the order buffet sounded interesting. Dinner was served hot after ordering from the menu at our seats, though some dishes were already laid out. The sushi was especially good, and the Nanban shrimp and tuna were far better than what I'd expect at an all-you-can-eat buffet. The room was roomy, clean, and comfortable, and the bath was small but relaxing. Being right by the sea gave us a great view. I'd happily recommend it and would like to come back in another season. Thanks (lol).

The countryside feel was really comforting, and the weekday stay was excellent value. The hotel isn't very big, and the rooms aren't new, but they're maintained well. Ours looked out over the Sea of Japan and Sado Island near Teradomari Beach. The order buffet was the highlight, with lots of fresh seafood and nigiri sushi, plus Japanese, Chinese, and Western dishes to choose from. We could order as much as we wanted. Grilled scallops, abalone, crab shabu-shabu, local fish soup, and Yasuda yogurt were all available, which was a nice touch. Staff were friendly, and the hot spring baths were great for warming up. Yahiko Shrine, Teradomari Ameyoko, and Iwamuro Onsen are nearby too.