shojukan

The family running Shōjukan greeted us with smiles and were very kind. The large bath used to be mixed, but now every bath is private, which made going as a couple feel romantic. The garden rotenburo was wonderful.

I went during Golden Week because the private and open-air baths caught my interest. The water left my skin smooth, and I came away warm and refreshed. The large open-air bath shown as mixed-gender on the website has been private since the pandemic. Since it was built for mixed bathing, it's quite spacious, and having it to ourselves felt incredibly luxurious. I wish they advertised that private use more, as I think it would attract more people. Dinner and breakfast were both delicious. I'd like to stay again if I get the chance. Thank you for your hospitality.

The food really stood out. The chef's thoughtful cooking made for a lovely dinner. I especially liked the appetizers, fish, and duck, but the Jerusalem artichoke pickled in rice bran surprised me most. It reminded me of what my grandmother used to say: carefully made rice bran pickles taste of the maker's love. This one was delicious. Breakfast and the freshly made udon each morning were gentle in flavor and soothing to my stomach. My husband and I are cat lovers, so meeting Guu-chan, the third-generation male inn cat, immediately made us feel at ease. The innkeeper was very kind and told us she cares for several rescue cats. There was an indoor bath and four private ones. The private outdoor bath was the best, spacious and magical in the early morning. The hot spring was just the right temperature, and it felt like we had everything we could want over New Year. Our room was wonderfully spacious too. The staff were lovely, and we had a great time. I'd like to visit in another season. Thank you for looking after us.

The inn has an on-site drinking fountain, and meals lean heavily on produce from the mountains. Portions weren't especially large, but they suited us if we were drinking. The building isn't new, though it has the character of a long-established inn. It's in Shima Onsen, Gunma Prefecture. From Nakanojo Station on the JR Agatsuma Line, take the local bus to Yamaguchi. The inn has a bath attendant and is listed in JR East's "Local Hot Springs" guide. Besides the large public bath, there are several free private baths. You can reserve the large open-air bath for private use, so you get a spacious soak to yourself, which isn't common at many inns. There's also Yamazato no Yu, a separate outdoor bath farther away in the mountains, where you can feel surrounded by nature.