Murakamikan Yuden

The onsen water is so good that my skin felt soft and silky after a soak. I was here for one night and went to the public bath five times, I just couldn’t get enough. There are also two private baths you can reserve for a fee. For an overnight stay, this is a lovely little inn at a reasonable price, including half board. The meals are simple but use quality ingredients, and the staff are very kind, always smiling. They can manage simple English, which was helpful. The room was clean and simple, the surroundings pleasant, and there’s private parking. Wi-Fi reception wasn’t good, so make sure you have your own roaming connection. Instead of staying in Niigata, drive about 20 minutes to this lovely little onsen town for the night.

Murikami-man had lovely baths and accommodations, with GREAT food and service. This area used to be a popular hot spring destination, but many "Onsens" have since closed and fallen into disrepair. A few big, high-end places are still open and very expensive, while some smaller ones are being renovated and brought back to life. It’s a bit off the beaten track.

The Onsen water in Tsukioka is silky smooth, with a pleasant sulphur smell. The rooms are okay, and the bath isn’t very big. Food is the typical Japanese Kaiseki you get at Onsen Ryokans, nothing that made me want to rave about it. It was good enough, but I probably won’t return.

I didn’t run into the awful customer service mentioned in some reviews. The facilities are old, as people say, but the staff made up for that. I used the large public bath too. The outdoor stalls were a little small, but the sauna worked properly and I had no problems. Dinner was served in my room. The young woman who brought it was polite, timed the dishes well, and made the service feel smooth. The portions were just right, and the tempura and other dishes came out fresh. It seems like a considerate inn that responds quickly if something comes up in the room. If I visit Tsukioka Onsen again, I’d definitely consider staying here.