Totsukawa Onsen Hotel Subaru

After a full day on the Kohechi trail, dinner’s tasting menu looked great but felt a bit light on calories. Breakfast and the lunch bento were fairly standard. The inn is handy for hikers, very close to the trailhead, and has both Western and Japanese-style rooms. Ours was spacious, comfortable, and warm, though basic and a little dated. The onsen has several pools, including an outdoor one. The men’s and women’s sides switch each day because the facilities differ, so you can try both in the evening and morning. I had no trouble with my tattoos, despite what I’d read in other reviews.

This was my second stay on the Kumano Kodo, after visiting in 2023, and in 2025 I had a much better experience. I really liked the menu this time, with local and seasonal dishes that suited my taste. The staff were impeccable and spoke a little English. The room was lovely, though basic, and the on-site onsen is where you can shower and bathe. I’d definitely stay again. If you have tattoos, don’t linger in the bath, but having a shower is okay.

The indoor and outdoor onsens are fabulous, and the staff are always friendly. Food is consistently good, too. There’s free laundry and a games room.

Six hours of rain, a 20 km walk, and a mistaken guess about the time meant our group missed the lunch we’d ordered. Hotel Subaru was just what we needed to recover: a warm room to dry our gear and access to one of the best onsens we’d experienced. It’s pricey, but onsen access and robes are included, they take all cards, and they had a room available when we needed one, which was unusual. The restaurant served good food. Maybe we were lucky, but sitting in a beautifully arranged hot pool with snow drifting over the surrounding hills made everyone a lot less furious with me about my earlier decisions. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.