Tsutaya Ryokan

I’m vegetarian, and although I told them vegetables and rice would be fine, they made a real effort to accommodate me. A couple of dishes had bonito flakes, so I couldn’t eat those, but the value and care were still above and beyond. I got a nice rate for a Friday night, a free hour in the rooftop private bath overlooking the bay, and paid an extra 500 yen when booking to include breakfast.

I came for a day-use onsen. The water was great, the room felt comfortable, and there’s a lovely sea view through the hot bath window. The downside is that the bathing rooms are right next to each other, and sound carries enough to make it feel like your privacy is being invaded.

I only visited as a walk-in for the public bath, but the onsen was really, really good. The woman at reception was very kind and didn’t seem fazed by foreign visitors. The changing room was clean and roomy, with lockers and keys. They had one good hairdryer, two smaller ones, and free face products that I’d recommend. The showers had strong pressure, with free shampoo, conditioner, and body soap, plus a really nice grapefruit salt scrub. There are three indoor baths, one shallow and hot, one cold, and one regular hot bath, as well as an outdoor bath. It was a great onsen experience. We paid 1,000 yen each with no time limit. We brought our own towels, though there’s probably a rental charge.

We visited the private onsen, or kazokuburo, in winter and loved it. It’s on the roof, with a wide view of the water and mountains. Opening the curtains lets you see people soaking their feet in the long foot onsen by the water. Parking at the hotel is free. I believe the 60-minute bath cost the two of us 2,000 yen. A great experience!