Hotel Ayase

The sunset, the stars, and Rishiri Fuji in the morning were all worth seeing from the rooftop. I went up three times, depending on the weather. There's a convenience store right next door, and the elderly man at the front desk was gentle and kind. My room was clean, the bed was soft, and the food was good. At night there was a lobby presentation about flowers, with a video and an explanation, but there weren't enough seats and lots of people had to stand. The main drawback for me was the small public bath. The changing room was cramped too, with nowhere to put on lotion or dry my hair, so I had to go back to my room.

I was really pleased with how it worked out. For 3,500 yen, I took a guided tour all around Rishiri Island, booked by the day before, and was dropped at the airport afterward so I could head straight home. They also told me about the sightseeing bus from the ferry terminal. The inn felt cozy. The indoor bath was small, but I liked that the water was a little warmer. Shuttle rides were available with advance reservations, and there were convenience stores and restaurants nearby.

We were very grateful for how kind the staff were. They told us about places to see around Rishiri Island and even let us go up to the rooftop. It made for a wonderful memory. They also arranged a ride to Oshidomari Port when we asked in advance. Our family of four had a Western-style room with two beds and a Japanese-style area of about 8 tatami mats, separated by shoji screens. There was plenty of room to relax, and the sea view from the window was fantastic. Staff mentioned the sunrise, so we went for an early walk to the beach, about an hour and a half away on foot. Seicomart was only a minute away. The food was tasty, from sea urchin to sukiyaki, but there was no menu, so we had no idea how many courses were left. When we were about to leave, thinking dinner was over, they told us there were still two dishes and dessert. The bath had one large tub, like in a dorm, and around 10 washing stations. It was small, but there weren't many guests that day, so we practically had it to ourselves. The temperature felt just right. The changing room wasn't roomy, and with only one sink, drying your hair comfortably could be difficult.

The seafood dinner lived up to what I expected, and a local person in the lobby showed slides about Rishiri Island's flowers and mountain climbing. I left feeling full in both body and spirit. It was my first time on the island. Before check-in, they stored my luggage and brought it up to my room. On the way back, our driver said there was still plenty to see as he took us to the ferry terminal. If I get the chance to return, I'd stay here again. Thanks for the lovely trip memories. 🙇‍♀️⤵️