Yushou Fukujikan

The family-run feel came through in the thoughtful, unpretentious kindness around the inn, which made the stay very pleasant. I could hear the river and mountains while lying down beside the hearth, with the sounds reaching me softly from a distance. It was easy to slow down and take in the place. The open-air bath wasn’t available, so only the family bath was open, but the water was excellent, gentle on my skin and kept at just the right temperature. The bathroom was clean and simple, a peaceful place to breathe and lose track of time. Meals made good use of local ingredients. Beef, pork, fish, and vegetables were all served at temperatures that brought out their flavor, and the food felt as soothing as the bath. My body and mind gradually relaxed.

The winter snow-covered scenery was magical, and I’d love to return to this wonderful, rustic hot spring town. I first discovered Fukuchi Onsen on an earlier visit to Okuhida Onsenkyo, after stopping at a delicious pub there, and had wanted to stay ever since. The open-air bath was being repaired during this visit, but the water itself was excellent. It’s a faintly scented sulfur spring that warms you thoroughly, and it might be my favorite in Okuhida Onsenkyo. The food was delicious too. I meant to buy Fukuchi sweets as souvenirs, but forgot. They were delicious!

The hot springs were just right, but the inn seems geared toward younger city guests and may not suit older people. Meals are served on tatami in a large hall without chairs, which would be tough for anyone with bad knees. The food was generally quite salty. One grilled sweetfish seemed to have enough salt for three days. The mountain delicacies felt mostly introductory and were a long way from locally sourced specialties.

We were very happy with the friendly service, the delicious Hida beef, and the natural hot spring, which was just the right temperature. The bath could be used privately whenever it was free, with no reservation needed. Since there were few other guests, it was always available, and the shower had great pressure. Dinner, rice, and the grilled and steamed Hida beef were tasty; breakfast came with Hoba miso, and the after-meal coffee was self-service. We booked a 7.5-tatami Japanese-style room through Jalan, but they had space that day and moved us to a 10-tatami room with a toilet. We were very satisfied. My husband and I stayed one night on Thursday, December 26, 2024, on our first visit to Fukuji Onsen in Oku-Hida Onsenkyo. It was snowing lightly, but the snowplows were busy on National Highways 158 and 471, and our studless tires made the drive comfortable. I wonder if online reservations through the website can only be for one night, since it seemed consecutive nights weren’t accepted. That’s a shame. I’d stay again if I get the chance.