Ichibou

The food was the real highlight. Dinner wasn't especially fancy, just hot pot and sashimi, but every dish tasted good. Breakfast looked simple, yet it was all delicious, especially the warmed dried fish with rice. We ate in a retro Showa-era Western-style dining room, and the little cafe/bar had an oddly charming atmosphere that suited the inn. They stocked drinks such as Yamazaki 12 Year Old, though it was extremely expensive. The building has had some renovation, but still feels old. It has a nostalgic Japanese-Western mix rather than the usual shabby Showa-era look, which I actually liked. Our room was dated, the toilet was unusually small, and the yukata obi was short. On the plus side, the air conditioner was new and had no smell, the toilet was new, and there was a tablet, so it was fine for staying. We were on the third floor facing the foot of the mountain, with a pretty nice view. The bath is in a separate building across the road and only open from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM. There were around eight washing stations, and the indoor and outdoor baths were both small, so I imagine it could be less enjoyable when busy. When it was quiet, though, we could use the jet bath, outdoor bath, and sauna. The outdoor view was average. Faucets were new and the shower pressure was good. There are some drawbacks, but I was very impressed by how good the food was. A great inn.

Dinner made good use of local ingredients, and the vegetables were especially sweet and tasty. I also enjoyed Tsukuba's local sake. The hotel sits high on Mount Tsukuba, and from my room I got a lovely sunset and a view of Mount Fuji. The hot spring gets day visitors and was crowded, but early in the morning we had it to ourselves, which was great.

We came the night before our family wedding at Tsukuba Shrine. With no reception planned, we chose the banquet plan. The staff took time to suggest personal touches that would help us make memories together, and their care really came through. Our family left with lots of happy moments and smiles. A truly lovely hotel, thank you very much.

The road up to the hotel is already narrow, and it also carries people visiting Mt. Tsukuba, so there were quite a few pedestrians. Driving along it was a bit nerve-racking. There's no convenience store nearby either, which could be a problem if you need something at night, though there's a water server on site for drinking water. We stayed with our six-month-old. At dinner, a kaiseki banquet at the restaurant, they had a baby carrier waiting at our seats. For the reservation-only family bath, they also set out a baby carrier with towels and a baby bath, which was a really welcome touch. By chance there were no foreign tourists around, so we could relax. I'd recommend this place for families with children.