Tomiya

The meals were a real highlight. Dinner was surprisingly lavish for ¥15,225, with generous servings and spot-on flavors. I struggled to finish it all. Breakfast was the kind of healthy, balanced spread you’d expect at a hot spring inn, and it made for a nice morning. This was my first stay at this inn, though I’ve been to Yumura Onsen three times before. I booked the "Tomiya Shiki no Wa Kaiseki" plan with two meals, in a non-smoking, standard 10-tatami room with twin beds. The place has an old-fashioned Showa-era feel throughout, but it seemed well cared for. The hot spring was great, though I did miss having a sauna. On my second visit to Tenjin no Yu, the open-air bath felt especially spacious, and the snowy view while soaking was wonderful.

We came as a family to celebrate my father’s 77th birthday, though the timing may have been a coincidence. The building looked so old when we arrived that we were a little put off, but it was clean and well kept. All the staff were Japanese and very kind, and the food and baths were both good. It feels like a hidden gem, and I’d recommend it. The baths switch between men and women at different times, so you can try them all. I liked Tenjin no Yu best. After four soaks, my skin felt soft and hydrated, and I stayed warm even while sleeping. We chose the "Tomiya All-You-Can-Eat" dinner. There was a whole crab, beef shabu-shabu, boat-shaped sashimi platter, seafood teppanyaki, and tempura. Both the menu and our appetites were satisfied, but we couldn’t finish it and left almost half behind, sorry! Breakfast was a moderate-sized, balanced meal with grilled salmon, hot tofu, potato salad, and a soft-boiled egg.

The staff were a huge help when heavy snow stranded us in Yumura Onsen and bus service stopped. They quickly arranged an extra night, then kindly called our next hotel in Okayama to cancel the reservation for us since we don’t speak Japanese. That feeling of being looked after in the middle of the disruption meant a lot. The room was spacious, clean, and comfortable, and the large baths use natural source-fed water. The men’s and women’s baths alternate, so we could soak while looking out at the snow. The food was wonderful too. My companion had a generous, high-quality snow crab feast. I have an allergy to crab shells, so the inn arranged a thoughtful alternative for me: two beef dishes, fresh sashimi, and a whole boiled sea bream. I was touched by how special the meal was. The trouble we ran into became a lovely memory, thanks to the staff.

There’s plenty of food at both meals, so come hungry. The hot spring leaves you feeling warmed through, and the service is polite. The building is old, but it seems very clean. One thing that needs attention is the old hot-spring faucet on the second floor. I also missed having an alcohol vending machine in the building. There are three kinds of tea in the room but no coffee. A self-serve coffee corner is open on the first floor from 7 to 9 pm. It’s a nice spot to unwind in the bath and enjoy a good meal.