Ryounkaku

The hot spring water is really powerful! lol

A very traditional Japanese-style place. I really recommend it.

The bathing experience is what stayed with me most. The water felt mellow and relaxing, almost like the second theme of the first movement of an unfinished piece. The source is fossilized seawater, a weakly alkaline calcium salt bitter sulfur spring at 78°C. It circulates, though the system is close to free-flowing. The family bath is free and uses continuously flowing water. There’s no day-use bathing. The baths are open until 11 p.m., with cleaning from 6 to 7 p.m. when the men’s and women’s baths switch. If you book directly, you can get a stamp from the Japan Secret Hot Springs Association, and ten stamps earn one free night. This is a secluded house in a quiet rural area, about 30,000 yen a night with two meals. The three-story wooden building dates from 1939 and has a hipped tiled roof. Its tea room-style sukiya architecture shows off fine woods and craftsmanship, and it’s a nationally registered tangible cultural property. There is an elevator, but getting down the 10 steps to the bathroom requires using the stairs. The cleaning is thorough, and the fresh flowers everywhere are lovely. The meals were good, with wild mountain vegetables, mushrooms, and stream fish carefully prepared.

The Nakais really stood out to me. They’re friendly and easy to talk to, though they don’t just start chatting on their own. Once you say hello and get to know them, the conversation becomes warm and enjoyable. I’ve stayed in plenty of places, but these Nakais felt special. I spent two nights here to see Mukaigokko-nage, the unusual festival at Matsunoyama Onsen, and snowboard at Matsunoyama Ski Resort. The building is a registered tangible cultural property and has lots of character. The country-style food uses a variety of local ingredients, and there was so much to choose from that I was completely full.