Imadeya

Handy for going out at night since it’s right in the city center. The ski resort is a little way off.

The indoor bath is a hot spring, so I can enjoy it without going outside, and you can even make soft-boiled eggs right in front of you. The staff are kind and attentive. I come several times a year, and with such generous portions and so much variety, I can’t remember ever getting the same meal twice. Simply the best.

We had a pleasant stay in a clean room, and it’s a great value inn. Right in the heart of Nozawa Onsen, it’s a handy base for skiing and visiting the outdoor baths. There’s one hot spring at the inn, with water straight from the source, and you can reserve it for private use. There’s an outdoor bath next door, and many more nearby in Hokuen.

The inn’s bath uses free-flowing hot spring water, and it’s lukewarm, so even people who don’t like hot baths can relax in it. No need to worry about local ladies telling you off for adding cold water, like at a public bathhouse! The inn is right behind one of those bathhouses, with the town center an easy walk away and the parking lot nearby. There’s a refrigerator you can use in front of reception. The futon mattress was thin and left my body aching in the morning, but overall it was a comfortable inn.