Lodge Tachibana

The bath was fantastic, though the place is a little old.

Really good homemade food, and it felt healthy too!

I booked a stay that included dinner and breakfast because a book I read last year, "Lawyer and Hot Spring Expert," said only a small percentage of Japan's so-called hot springs are actually hot springs. I was shocked, and this one was featured in the book, so I made a reservation. Recent reviews said the water was too lukewarm, which made me wonder what to expect. I decided to go ahead rather than cancel at the last minute. When I got there, several people were already in the bath. I was a little nervous getting in, but the water wasn't as lukewarm as I'd feared. It wasn't too hot either, so I could soak for a while. It was just the temperature I like. I bathed three times during my one-night stay, and really liked the water. I picked the least expensive meal plan. Dinner was still filling, and the purple ancient rice was delicious. Breakfast was mostly vegetables and a bit too much for me, but there was a choice of white or multigrain rice, and I went straight for the multigrain.

The home-style cooking was even better than the reviews led me to expect, and I was very happy with the stay. Dinner times were 6:00 or 6:30, and breakfast was 7:00 or 7:30, served in the first-floor dining room. They seemed fairly flexible. On the first night I had Shizukuishi Gyuto, and the next day I had reserved Hittsumi. Dinner came with ancient rice in a rice container. There was plenty of delicious food, enough that an average woman might not finish it, but I still went back for seconds. Drinks included draft and bottled beer, local and chilled sake, and chuhai. Wine and shochu were only available by the bottle. I chose a can of nigori sake, "Yukikko." It was delicious, the kind they call "bad." At breakfast you can choose white or multigrain rice, and there were lots of good dishes. Coffee was provided too. I stayed two nights starting January 22, 2026. I booked by phone on April 4, 2025, well ahead of time. It was the third day of the strongest and longest cold spell in several years, and JR warned that trains to Akita might be delayed or canceled. I had originally planned to shop at Morioka Station, but changed my plans to Fukushima Station, Sendai Station, and Shizukuishi Station. After reaching Shizukuishi Station, I waited about two hours for the 2:50 PM Anekko Bus, which requires a reservation. I read on a second-floor sofa and watched out the window while the first-floor cafe was open. The ride from the station took around 30 minutes. My room was a Western-style one on the second floor, with a sink and toilet. It had a TV, Wi-Fi, safe, oil heater, air conditioner, and Tefal-style kettle. They provided a tanzen, yukata, bath towel, regular towels, and toothbrush, with replacements needed the next day. The room toilet had no washlet, and I had to switch on the heated seat myself. There are two washlet toilets near the large bath. The sinks only have cold water. There was no towel rack, so a large S-hook or clothespins would be useful. A shared fridge with freezer was in the hallway. Smoking was allowed in the first-floor lobby and second-floor landing, where ashtrays were provided. The hot spring is free-flowing. It was clear and light brown, odorless apart from a slight iron smell, with a thick feel. I didn't notice bubbles or saltiness, though the listed ingredients include carbonated and salt springs. It's described as a "beauty bath." The water temperature is 49°C when the outside temperature is 22.7°C, so they heat it in winter. With the outside at -6°C, it felt over 42°C. The added-water amount seemed high, but I still thought it was a good hot spring. At the open-air bath entrance there's a sign saying, "The hot spring water is very low..." I wondered just how low. The spring is arranged to send overflow from the indoor bath into the open-air bath. You can see the basalt and explosives, though the glass windows are poor. I think the water was around 36°C, maybe colder. The sauna was well equipped. There were eight shower faucets, the spring water pressure was fine, and body soap and conditioner shampoo were provided. The changing room had two hair dryers. Bath hours were 6:00-9:00 AM and 10:00 AM-10:00 PM. If you arrive after 8:00 AM, cleaning is underway. The helper says it will be done soon, and while you look at the view it really doesn't take long. Then they let you know it's ready and invite you to enjoy the bath. Maybe because I was the only guest, the timing seemed a little vague. The place had the feel of a ski lodge from the busy skiing years of the Showa era. I felt it was good value for the price, but payment on site was cash only.