Kotaso

The view of the ocean from the window was lovely on a clear day, and the hillside setting made for a quiet stay. The room was spacious and seemed clean, though a little dated. Amenities were sparse, but I didn’t find that especially inconvenient. The staff kept a comfortable distance and weren’t overly accommodating, even when I asked for something. Dinner and breakfast were both delicious, with good quality food in just the right quantity. The natural hot spring baths aren’t especially large, but both the indoor and outdoor ones are usually open at any time. If you don’t overlap with other guests, you can enjoy them alone. I’d recommend this place if you want a peaceful, relaxing stay. One thing was disappointing: while we were at dinner, they laid out the futons and took away the tea leaves and teapot, leaving a kettle of cold water. I wanted to have tea at leisure, so I called the front desk around 8 PM to ask for the set back. They never called, and repeated calls went unanswered. The inn offers a return shuttle, and apparently can also take you to nearby attractions even if you aren’t going to the station.

January 10, 2026 A winter hot spring inn-hopping trip /(=´▽`=))♨ Kotaso sits on a hill, and the front desk had loads of freshly picked berries from the trees on the property. They were free, of course, and I ate a lot of them lol. I chose a warmer spot for this time of year, but the wind blew hard throughout the three-day weekend, so the hot springs were a real treat. My room was spacious, and the sunken kotatsu table was warm and comfy. The view from the window was amazing in the strong wind. Dinner was a little strong in flavor, and there was so much that I had to leave some, sorry. Everyone was kind, and I had a fun stay. /(=´▽`=))

We were in Manazuru for some business and stayed overnight: my elderly mother, my wife, and me. My mother requires assistance level 2 and can’t sit up by herself, so she needs some help standing and moving around. Before booking, I called to ask about accessibility. They said there was an elevator, so getting between floors wouldn’t be a problem. They also said a Japanese-Western room with a bed would work. I was concerned about the large public bath and wanted a hot spring bath in the room. When they offered a bed and floor chair in the special room, we decided on that. We stayed in special room Shobu 206, a Japanese-style room with an indoor bath and an open-air bath. It would normally have a futon, but they set up a bed and floor chair, which helped a lot. The tub in the indoor bath was too deep for my mother, but they provided a sturdy bath chair so she could get in. I also borrowed a chair for washing from the front desk. My mother said the things we borrowed were too small for her to sit upright on, so she washed while sitting on the tub’s edge. 😓 Sadly, we gave up on the room’s open-air bath because it was difficult and dangerous for her to use. My wife’s legs aren’t very good either, so she couldn’t use it. I was the only one who got to use the open-air bath at dawn, which was a little sad. My wife and I had the large public bath and private bath to ourselves, though, and both were great. There were few guests in the large bath, so we had it to ourselves. 😊 I’d told the staff about my teeth, so they cut hard foods into small pieces and prepared some menu items differently to make them easier for my mother to eat. I was truly grateful for their thoughtfulness. The hostess, Ms. Nakai, was very friendly, and the food was delicious. We had a relaxing time as a family. You can even pick mandarins inside the inn! 😋 You can feel the building’s age, and there are some damaged spots, but I think it’s kept very clean. Thank you very much. This is a long post, but I hope it helps.

I stayed here for the Ume no Utage festival at Yugawara Baien. It was a private inn, so I could relax without running into other people, and the food was delicious.