Naruko Onsenkyo Isazen Ryokan

Everything about my stay went well. The staff were very kind.

The kitchen wasn’t the most convenient, but that’s part of the fun of cooking and eating at my own pace. Before I knew it, my little hot spring cure was over. Isazen Ryokan probably isn’t for people who want a spotless space and comfortable service. It suits those who simply love hot springs. I stayed two nights in the hot spring cure building, cooking for myself. I’d been curious about the inn for a while because it has its own source and the water looked appealing. Once I unpacked, I went straight for a bath. Isazen no Yu is a mixed bath with a carbonated spring and an iron spring. The instructions say to use the carbonated one first, then the iron spring, which is warmer and serves as the rinsing bath. The water felt great, brown in color, and smelled of oil. It flows directly from the inn’s own source. Baths 3 and 4 use the shared Higashinaruko district source and also flow freely. Men and women take turns using them at certain times. That water is a little hotter, and the bathhouse is full of love for the Hanshin Tigers.

The cats are cute. I chose this place for a room-only stay in May '26 because I was short on time but really wanted to try the hot springs. The inn was easy to find. I started with the Isazen carbonated and iron springs. The chemical analysis didn’t classify either as a carbon dioxide spring or an iron-containing spring. The carbonated bath was lukewarm and easy to enter, though I barely felt any fizz, perhaps because I wasn’t feeling well. The iron bath was hot. I tried each twice, and they felt good, but I didn’t see the other guests who were apparently there. I also tried the home and visitor baths, which felt pretty similar. I even worried unnecessarily that the visitor bath might be fully visible from the neighboring house, though the view works both ways. Since the water is basically free-flowing, I might have rated the place differently if I’d been able to stay longer.

I tried all the different baths on a day visit, but I won’t be going back. In the mixed carbonated bath, several middle-aged men and women, maybe locals, spent about an hour chatting. They didn’t seem to notice they were bothering anyone else. Adults should know better than to ignore basic manners.