Tazawa Station × Western Cuisine AccommodationHighly-rated Hotel·Ryokan

Both dinner and breakfast were delicious, and we were very satisfied. Everyone I traveled with agreed it was delicious and finished every bite. The staff were courteous, and we had a wonderful time with friends I hadn’t seen in a while. Thank you very much.

Obuse, the town of Hokusai and chestnuts, is known for its beautiful streetscape that feels almost like a theme park. We arrived a little early by car, so we visited Gansho-in Temple and Jokoji Temple before heading to Masuichi Kyakuden. The ceiling painting at Gansho-in—Katsushika Hokusai’s “Phoenix Glancing in All Directions”—was truly breathtaking. As soon as we pulled up in front of Masuichi Kyakuden, a staff member came right out and promptly carried our luggage inside. The hugely popular and notoriously hard-to-book “Chestnut Dessert Suzaku” will be available from 9/10 this year; since guests staying at Masuichi Kyakuden receive priority guaranteed access, Reservations for the Accommodation also become difficult after 9/10. Because we stayed before then, it was easy to secure our stay. Stepping inside Masuichi Kyakuden, you’re immediately enveloped by the stately atmosphere of the kura storehouse building. Our Room was on the second floor—we chose the relaxing twin—and despite being in a kura-style structure, it even has a terrace with plenty of sunlight, making it bright and open. We were told there are other Rooms with an even calmer, more traditional kura feel; however, all are designed with high ceilings to avoid any sense of confinement. Designed by architect John Morford, the Room is fully Western-style with extensive use of stainless steel; the glass-and-stainless bath is well worth seeing. Amenities are L’Occitane, there are complimentary drinks in the refrigerator along with coffee and tea—everything you’d expect from a high-end Ryokan—and overall the Room is very comfortable. For dinner, we walked about three minutes to Obusedo Main Store (part of the same Masuichi group). Every dish showcased the chef’s experience and refined sensibility. The soup course, simmered dishes, and grilled items had a Kyoto kaiseki influence—above all else, the dashi was exceptional. The sashimi was fresh and perfectly seasoned as well. They also made good use of local ingredients throughout, which made for a highly satisfying meal. Note that the first dishes served—blanched Kurakake beans and Matsumae-zuke—are not part of the course menu (just so you know). They’re clearly meant as snacks for alcohol—especially sake brewed by Masuichi Ichimura Sake Brewery within the same group—and they pair beautifully: firm Kurakake beans soaked in elegant dashi alongside Matsumae-zuke packed with seafood umami go perfectly with slowly sipped Masuichi sake. In autumn Obuse becomes all about chestnuts; while we couldn’t try “Chestnut Dessert Suzaku,” we did get to enjoy “Mont Blanc Suzaku,” a Western-style take on Suzaku. It’s available at their affiliated shop “Entotsu,” but just when we were about to give up due to long lines, we learned that overnight guests can make Reservations—so we were able to enjoy it without waiting. If you stay at Masuichi Kyakuden, be sure to treat yourself to one of their chestnut sweets featuring “Suzaku.” Overall it was an excellent stay—we thoroughly enjoyed Obuse.

This trip was to celebrate my mother’s birthday. She requested to see the Onsen she had visited with my late father during their honeymoon, and also the snow monkeys at Jigokudani Monkey Park. We chose this Accommodation because Reviews repeatedly mentioned the private family bath and a homey, relaxing atmosphere. True to the Reviews, it was a wonderfully quiet and peaceful place. The warm glow of washi paper lamps displayed throughout was beautiful, and we could feel the proprietress’s thoughtful care in every detail. And the food—absolutely delicious! Dinner just kept coming (laugh). Every dish was freshly made and served hot. The best of all was the kake soba hand-made by the chef that very morning. I love soba and visit many places, but I’m sorry—this was truly the best I’ve ever had anywhere. Breakfast also made us happy with piping-hot dashimaki tamago. The highlight of breakfast was the miso soup—I wanted to take home the whole pot. As we’ve gotten older, we choose our trips carefully based on both meals and Accommodation quality, and this place offered outstanding value for money. More than anything, we made unforgettable memories here. On our way out, I bought one of the lamps that were on display at the Accommodation as a gift for my mother. Thanks to you, it became the best birthday present possible. We’ll come again in winter—and again for her birthday next year too. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to listen kindly to my mother’s stories (＾ω＾)

I stayed at this Accommodation yesterday! The service was very attentive, and the in-room open-air bath was flawless. Watching the staff grill and prepare sushi right in front of us at dinner and breakfast made the experience even better. Thank you for a wonderful one-night stay!

The parking lot was spacious and convenient. The Room was clean and functional! The only slight dissatisfaction was the lack of a nearby convenience store, but while exploring, I found a yakiniku restaurant and enjoyed a delicious dinner. I appreciated the staff's thoughtful gestures, such as the handmade map.

I stayed for two nights in August and did not experience any major inconveniences. The meals were delicious. The Onsen was spacious, and I was able to relax and enjoy it. The staff were also very helpful. There was only one designated smoking area outside, but it was not particularly inconvenient.

Stayed overnight after skiing at Shiga Kogen After check-in, straight to the open-air bath! Then draft beer at the all-you-can-drink corner. There were snacks too—the mixed nuts were delicious. Dinner buffet featured teppanyaki beef, with red wine, and lots of other options. Breakfast was tasty as well. If I didn’t have to drive, I’d have enjoyed the all-you-can-drink from the morning too (lol). The building is old, but they’ve clearly worked hard on renovations. The woman at reception also made a great impression. It’s a shame the dead grass along the road makes it look a bit abandoned from outside. I’ll be back.

Our stay for three men, all turning 72 this year, was very enjoyable. - We could park right in front of the Hotel, and the lift ticket counter is connected to the front desk. The 1-day pass was inexpensive (about half the price of other ski resorts), and Accommodation guests also received a 500-yen discount. - Both the Room and the large public bath were spacious, so we could relax. The dinner buffet included 1 hour of all-you-can-drink, and although there was no all-you-can-eat crab option, dishes were replenished quickly when they ran out, which we enjoyed. - A few points to consider: the air conditioner in the Room was quite noisy, and there were no chairs in the ski locker room. Also, the shop’s refrigerator only had ice cream and no ice; unfortunately, a store diagonally across from the parking lot had sold out of ice as well. All of the Southeast Asian staff at both reception and the restaurant were very pleasant—thank you for a wonderful ski trip.

Unlike the Kanazawa Station location, I did not receive a confirmation call about pre-booking the EV charger. As a result, I called several times to Check Reservation, but every call was automatically routed to the call center, and I couldn’t tell whether my Reservation was secured until I arrived. When I explained this at the front desk, an older staff member apologized politely. Thankfully, the Reservation had been made. The EV charger is located behind the Hotel, and there is only one unit. By the way, this staff member provided the best and most professional service I have ever experienced at Route Inn—his attentiveness was outstanding. The lobby offered local Nakano apple juice and chilled sweets, which was a nice touch. The Room had been renovated, but the unit bath was an extremely small old-style type—especially the toilet. There were few restaurants nearby and it’s quite far to the station area, so we used Hanachaya in the Hotel for dinner. Route Inn properties with limited dining options nearby often have Hanachaya. I don’t think this was available before, but they now offer all-you-can-drink: 1 hour for 1,000 yen or 1.5 hours for 1,650 yen. It’s an excellent deal and hard to pass up. The draft beer was great, and they also had three types of local sake. The food was simply good, and the older gentleman working there was very kind. The bill ended up being very reasonable as well—I was satisfied overall. The only downside is that there aren’t many menu items; if you doubled the menu selection, sales and guest satisfaction would probably double too. Please consider it. Breakfast was fine overall, but it was disappointing that there wasn’t any curry here.

The ski slopes are immediately to the left as soon as you step outside the entrance, so it was great that we could change into our gear in the Room and head straight out. The Onsen was also very relaxing and enjoyable. The staff were wonderful—everyone greeted us with a smile and kindly answered our questions. The building is old, but it was clean and didn’t bother us. It snowed until early morning, then cleared up around 9 a.m., making for perfect conditions.