Ikoiso

I paid 400 yen for a day visit to the baths. Even though I arrived just 30 minutes before closing, they kindly told me I could stay a little longer. I really appreciated that and was able to relax. I'll definitely come back.

For a day visit, the adult fee is 400 yen. It's a small bathhouse with just one indoor bath. They provide rinse-in shampoo and body soap, but there isn't a hair dryer.

The bath wasn't free-flowing, had very little hot water, and felt shabby. It was tiny, old, and unsanitary, which was a letdown. A female colleague also said it wasn't free-flowing, and then told me something even more surprising: the front desk employees, who seemed to be family members, were bathing together during business hours. There were employees in the men's bath too, from what I recall. I don't know what to make of it. I was a guest of a client, so maybe I should have held back, but the website had given me a very different impression. My room was unclean, and the toilet and sink were squeezed into an extremely cramped space. The food also fell short compared with nearby hotels and inns. The website is far too impressive for what you find there, and I left disappointed.

It's inexpensive to stay with a dog. The meals are tasty, though not especially filling. The hotel has views of Lake Toya and Showashinzan, and apparently the vegetables are grown there. Lake Toya looks especially lovely in the morning.