Onsen Hotel Holiday Afternoon

The cottage had a high ceiling that made it feel open, and the already spacious room seemed even bigger. There was a raised nook as well as the bed area, so I could stretch out and lounge around. It was great value for a solo traveler, especially with a private natural hot spring bath with cloudy water in the room. The staff were all very hospitable, and access from Lake Biwa was good. For people who love hot springs, this place has a lot to offer in the colder months, even more than during the busy summer season.

The hot spring water in our room came straight from the source, and we were very happy with the inn overall. At 7 p.m. we went from enjoying the in-room bath to dinner in the modern dining room, where we started with draft beer. Dinner was Omi beef and vegetable shabu-shabu, with appetizers including smelt tsukudani, cucumber with miso, and chikuwa with cheese. The appetizers were a little bland. The vegetables included lettuce, spinach, green onions, daikon, king oyster mushrooms, and other mushrooms. We put in lots of vegetables first, and the lettuce turned out sweet and delicious. It was our first time having boiled lettuce, and it was easy to eat. We finished the large serving of vegetables quickly, then added the Omi beef. It had just the right amount of fat, and was tender, sweet, and delicious. We finished it without getting tired of it. Thanks for the meal.

The dinner is the reason I’d gladly come back. It costs 4300 yen per person, and the beef serving was generous and tasty. The vegetables were plated in a really cool way. I stayed three nights and regretted only having dinner once. I should have tried sukiyaki one night and shabu-shabu another. The main building rooms are traditional Japanese style, and you make your own bed. It was a bit cramped for three, about right for two. There were very few outlets, and the table blocked some of them. The owner lent us extension cords, though the first night we still didn’t have enough for three people. There’s a shared guest fridge, but it’s small and may not be enough when the place is busy. Guests can use Hira Onsen in the main building for free by reserving a one-hour slot, which can feel like having the place to yourself. If there’s availability afterward, you can stay in longer. It was comfortable, but the changing room was cold, and the bidet toilets didn’t seem suitable for washing your bottom. There are showers too if you’d rather not use the onsen. I went in January, and both separate toilets were painfully cold with no heating. Every visit meant a freezing bottom, a bit traumatic! Breakfast was tasty, with yogurt, an optional drink, bread, an omelet, and bacon, plus a plate of bread, but it was the same all three mornings and got a little tiresome. The owner seems to live in a room behind the kitchen, though I hardly ran into him. In the evenings, we’d shower, then eat supermarket groceries and use our phones. That was comfortable. Even with the drawbacks, I highly recommend the place, especially for dinner.

The hot spring is available around the clock by reservation, so I went in at night and again in the morning. My skin felt impressively smooth and clean afterward. This may suit people looking for a pleasant bath and a quiet space, though perhaps not anyone expecting the latest facilities or luxury hotel amenities. I booked a room in the main building for a business trip without meals, since I had work near Otsu City. Although the address is in Otsu City, it’s near the lake and closer to Takashima City, about 30-40 minutes from Kyoto and Otsu City. I learned that the previous owner dug out the hot spring and built the main building himself. Without knowing that, I would have wondered why everything looked so handmade. Once I heard the story, I couldn’t help laughing at his enthusiasm. I was in a first-floor room, and there weren’t many outlets, which made laptop work a bit inconvenient. The Wi-Fi was available, which helped.