Oritate Onsen Yamakiya Ryokan

The meals were a highlight: local ingredients, seasoning just how I like it, and a pot of seasoned rice for each person at dinner, with plain rice also available. When the freshly grilled salted ayu arrived, I blurted out, “Wow, so much!” Breakfast rice was freshly cooked in a pot too. I hadn’t expected much at that price, sorry, but it was an incredibly good-value hot spring inn. The lukewarm water let me soak for ages. Waterproof books of old folk tales and Soseki’s “Botchan” were there for when I started getting bored, so I could have stayed in forever. Maybe the water had some detox effect, since I lost a little weight, though who knows how long that’ll last. I was tense on the unfamiliar highway and stopped often, so seeing the Yamakiya Ryokan sign was a relief. I loved the stay enough to book another one for next month right away. Looking forward to coming back.

The rice was cooked in a small tabletop stove, and it came out glossy and so good I could have eaten a whole bowl on its own, without any sides. When I arrived, I saw bags marked “Uonuma Koshihikari” stacked by the entrance. The landlady confirmed it was genuine rice grown in her own paddy when I asked, and that got my expectations up. Thanks for such a great meal.

The building is old, but it’s kept very clean, and the staff were all kind. There were some insects, which I guess can’t be helped. I’d like to visit this ryokan again. The hot spring was lukewarm enough for a long soak, and afterward I felt warm and relaxed. The food was delicious and suited my taste too.

I went to Oritate Onsen looking for the ultimate lukewarm spring, and it was even cooler than I expected! That made it perfect in the intense summer heat. The spring water flows freely at 36.2°C without being heated in summer, apparently they heat it outside that season. I stayed in for 50 minutes without realizing it. I didn’t sweat in the bath, but started once I was moving around afterward. For the train route, take the Joetsu Line to Koide Station, about 40 minutes from Echigo-Yuzawa by local train. Trains are limited, so check the schedule. From there, it’s a local bus or shared taxi, which costs 400 yen one way and needs to be reserved by phone at least an hour ahead. Dinner and breakfast rice were incredibly good, as you’d expect in Uonuma, and the other dishes were tasty too. I enjoyed them with a sake tasting set. There’s also a manual vending machine inside for beer and chu-hi, apparently you buy from the staff. The rooms are old but very clean, with individual air conditioning. There’s no private toilet or fridge, but there’s a shared toilet with a bidet and a shared refrigerator on the first floor. I could hear the river and cicadas. The proprietress and her husband were thoughtful, which left me feeling warm inside. A really relaxing summer break, and I want to come back every summer.