Rurikei Onsen for Rest Resort

Rrikei Onsen has been refurbished, and with the campsite, golf course, and illuminations nearby, it draws lots of families. The updated mixed-gender area lets you wear a swimsuit, or you can choose one of the separate male or female onsens where you bathe without clothes. The wristband payment system is high-tech, but once you get used to it, everything is easy to navigate. Day tickets seemed pretty reasonable, around 800 yen for adults for the basic package. If you leave the onsen after 6pm, you can also visit the 'synthesis' illuminations called 'little Aurora' for an extra 1000 yennies, with mellow melodies mixed with dance club hits.

After a long ride through the mountains on my motorcycle, I enjoyed spending time here. I first came 10 years ago, and it looks like the place has been changed and upgraded since then. There are plenty of activities outdoors and indoors. I’d like to come back!

The Illumination Synesthesia Hill beside the resort was a highlight. Guests can enter the fairy-tale-like illuminated park for free, and it made for a lovely after-dinner walk. We also spotted wild deer in the middle of the night, and the scenic surroundings offered lots of chances to take photos. Our welcome was thoughtful from the start. The receptionist was wonderfully friendly and attentive, and each woman received a gift pack. There were complimentary cakes and homemade cookies in our room. We chose half board, with a sumptuous dinner and a stunning breakfast, plus a dessert delivered to our room after each meal. The staff laid out our futons before bedtime, so we slept comfortably. This is easily one of my favorite and most unforgettable stays in Japan.

I stayed at Rurikei's Hanaakiri hotel with my partner, and it gave us the onsen experience we were hoping for. We’re both transgender students studying abroad in Japan, so ordinary onsens can be difficult for us. Here, the changing rooms are gendered, but you can wear swimsuits in the co-ed areas. My partner is too shy to swim in public even in a swimsuit, but because we stayed overnight at Hanaakiri, we could use the private onsen together. That’s why we chose this place. I was prepared to spend a lot just for that and was happy with the price, but we got much more than expected. There were lots of free extras: an incredible kaiseki dinner, drink service, cheesecake, a face mask, yukata to wear in the rooms, and an elaborate, carefully prepared Japanese breakfast the next day. We didn’t try everything on offer, including the nighttime bonfire, an illumination show, and other bathhouse features. The bathhouse has the usual gender-separated, no-clothes onsens, plus the "Bade Zone" with several co-ed swimsuit baths. I spent most of my time there. I also stopped briefly at Lantern Terrace, where there are comfortable places to read manga and relax in provided loungewear. There seem to be different rooms too, including somewhere to nap, though I didn’t check them out. Those features are free for overnight guests. I paid for a smoothie and some "fish therapy". For English speakers, I’d recommend knowing some Japanese. I’m not very good at it, but even my limited Japanese helped. When I often didn’t understand something, Google Translate helped bridge the gap. The cultural differences can be tricky too, so it’s worth reading up beforehand on kaiseki, onsen manners, rules, and medical warnings. Most signs are in Japanese only, and you can’t bring your phone into the baths to translate, so sometimes you have to read the room and make an educated guess. Good luck, fellow foreigners!