Nasu Bettei Kai

The food was delicious, especially the cutlet, which was tender and tasty without feeling greasy. I also tried rice cooked with sweetfish for the first time. I loved relaxing in the private outdoor bath in the room, and the room itself was spacious and comfortable. The one tiring part was having to climb stairs to reach the bathroom and washroom.

At Hotel Nana, both the atmosphere and the staff made for a lovely stay. The meals were thoughtfully prepared and sensibly portioned, unlike the huge servings some hotels use to make things seem luxurious. I especially loved the rice. I’m not sure whether it was Yudai or Koshihikari, but it was really good.

The snow started falling lightly on the second morning, and the view from the open-air bath became so beautiful that I stayed in for a long time. We chose a room with an indoor open-air bath, plus a sauna we could use from check-in until midnight. The bedroom, living room, tea room, and Japanese-style room were all huge, almost more space than two people needed. Breakfast was just the right size, not too heavy. We booked Nasu Bettei Kai through Ikyu after seeing so many positive comments about the food and lodging. The building had a lot of charm, and the staff were young for the most part but kind and polite throughout. We had a very pleasant stay. The dishes were all lightly seasoned to let the ingredients come through, and I enjoyed every one. The ayu was the biggest surprise. I thought it was only a summer fish, but in Tochigi Prefecture you can get roe-bearing ayu until mid-December. The one grilled carefully over an irori was superb. Other highlights included sashimi with freshly grated wasabi, which was fragrant and not too hot, and a half bottle of "Asatsuyu" white wine for 9,900 yen that we shared. Dinner was served in our room. The organic vegetable starter had plump black beans, chewy fried namafu, and yuba soup. Later came grilled sweetfish, a mixed stew, salmon marinated in vinegar, and A5 Wagyu shabu-shabu in soy milk. The beef melted in my mouth, and went perfectly with the seri rice at the end. Yuzu pudding finished the meal with a fragrant citrus flavor. The kaiseki wasn’t particularly playful or inventive, but it brought out the ingredients well, and the broth made the meal feel warm and comforting. I recommend this inn.

We had the kaiseki dinner in our room. It wasn’t especially playful or inventive, but it was comforting Japanese food that let the ingredients shine. The seasoning was elegant, and the broth felt warming. The meal began with organic vegetables, plump black beans, fried namafu, and yuba soup, followed by sashimi with freshly grated wasabi. The wasabi was fragrant without too much heat. Grilled sweetfish was a surprise, then came a mixed stew and salmon marinated in vinegar. The A5 Wagyu shabu-shabu in soy milk melted in our mouths, and the seri rice at the end went perfectly with it. Yuzu pudding was a lovely finish. There are only nine rooms across a 6,600-square-meter site. Each suite is over 70 square meters and has its own bath fed directly from the spring. The clear, colorless water comes from Daimaru Onsen at 1,300 meters, and has the same spring quality as the Emperor's Imperial Villa. It seems ideal for an anniversary or a grown-up hot spring getaway. You can book on the official website or through a lodging site.