Yuyado Daiichi

The wildlife viewing was beyond what I expected. You can watch endangered birds from behind glass without disturbing them, and I’m not even a big bird person, but I loved it. The owls appear nearly four times a day, mostly at night, along with close to ten other local bird species. Foxes and squirrels come very close too. It made me not want to leave. I’d pick a river-view room in the new building. It’s spacious, laid out so you can see the whole view from bed over the couch, and though it isn’t new, it’s well kept and works well. The vintage design feels like last century in a good way. There’s underfloor heating all around the hotel, including in the room. The private toilet is roomy and comfortable, even though it’s not new. Dinner is amazing for a hotel. The Kichi fish was fried or grilled so well that I ate the whole head, bones and all. They were like potato chips. Breakfast was good too, though I wanted more sashimi and local ingredients. I really appreciated the local milk and dairy options. The onsen is good both in design and experience. The indoor and open-air baths have adjustable temperatures, so I could choose what suited me. The lower of the two outdoor levels is right by the river, and its water is around 37 degrees, so I could lie there enjoying the river view for a long time. Getting down there on a cold winter night takes some bravery, but it’s fine after warming up in the big upper bath. This has been my favorite stay in Hokkaido so far. The service felt warm and sincere, dinner was great, bird watching was fine, the onsen views were good, and the interior was super clean with a vintage feel. The only drawbacks were that the onsen could be better and closed at 10:50 instead of the stated 11:00. The location is great for wildlife, though a little plain if I’m being picky. I’d rate it 4.8 if I could, but the choices are only 4 or 5.