Jōchū Station × Highly rated Hotel·Ryokan

Even though I don’t swim in the sea, I travel solo year-round in search of gourmet Accommodations near the coast (for the food and scenery). I was delighted to be upgraded to a sea-view Room. It was a Japanese-style Room, but it also had a leather sofa and ottoman, so I could stretch out and relax while gazing at the ocean. When I woke up around 5:00, I was able to watch a beautiful sunrise from the Room. There is a calm inner-sea beach right in front of the Accommodation, and there are showers as well—great for families with small children. The meals were outstanding, featuring an abundance of local specialties. My main goal was Wakasa-guji (tilefish), but it was even more delicious than I imagined—the Wakasa-guji ochazuke was exceptional. And the Matsunaga rice was unbelievably good (probably the best I’ve ever had). I didn’t use the public bath and used the shower in my Room instead, but I loved that the shampoo and conditioner were Hokurokusousui—one of my favorite brands—and it helped me relax. Recently there have been more Accommodations renovated from wooden buildings, but some noise—voices and footsteps—is unavoidable. You can often hear children as well. It’s not exactly quiet. However, more than making up for that, I felt each staff member’s hospitality and way of interacting with guests was wonderful. In particular: the woman with glasses who assisted me at check-in; the woman at breakfast (I’m sorry—I forgot your name); and one of the male staff members who kindly gave me helpful advice for sightseeing in Obama after check-out. Thanks to them, it became more than just an overnight stay—I had a chance to learn even more about Obama, making this trip extremely satisfying. I heard that midwinter is especially good for grouper, pufferfish, and Echizen crab. As transportation access improves from here on out, this will be an Accommodation you’ll want to visit even more. Next time it would be perfect if I could borrow a firmer pillow!! Please make that happen on my next visit!! (I can’t sleep if a pillow doesn’t suit me.) Thank you very much to all of your staff for everything.

We were so happy to be able to see both the sunset and the sunrise from our Room, with the beach right in front of us!! The meals were also incredibly delicious—our son, who usually doesn’t like fish, was totally hooked and we were surprised! He kept saying, “It’s so good!” while eating grilled kuji salt-style!! It was a little inconvenient that there wasn’t a shop on-site, but other than that we were completely satisfied with the service. The staff also took great care of us with such a warm and welcoming atmosphere! We even received souvenirs, and our whole family was able to enjoy an amazing stay until the very end. Thank you so much!!

My spouse and I visited Wakasa for the first time from Tokyo. A hidden Accommodation quietly nestled in a very peaceful fishing village. From our Room, the beautiful Sea of Japan stretched out below us. Listening to the waves crashing against the rocks, we enjoyed a truly luxurious time watching the sun slowly sink into the endless horizon. The view from the bath was also outstanding. The meal was a kaiseki course featuring plenty of fresh local fish and vegetables, and we were left speechless by the rich flavors—something you could never experience in the city. We were able to fully enjoy everything Wakasa has to offer. We look forward to staying again.

I stayed for two nights. Perhaps because it is close to the sea, the fish was more delicious than at any other accommodation I have stayed at before. Whether sashimi, grilled, simmered, or fried, every dish had an amazing taste. The staff, including the hostess, were very pleasant and made my stay extremely comfortable. Thank you very much.

This property is in a wonderful location right in front of the sea. A walk along the shore before dinner was the best. Although it is in front of the swimming beach, it was quiet, and we really enjoyed the delicious meals.

Dinner was a course featuring pufferfish and a boat platter, and we enjoyed plenty of pufferfish. The local sake was also delicious, and we ended up drinking more than planned. Breakfast was Japanese-style as well, with side dishes that paired nicely with white rice. The homemade pickled plums were tasty too. We stayed in a detached room, but the stairs were steep, so going up and down with a suitcase felt a bit unsafe. The bath was small, but very relaxing. The bath mat was quite slippery, which concerned me, but overall the place was clean and the staff were sincere and attentive. It was a wonderful guesthouse—I’d like to bring my father next time.

We thoroughly enjoyed the full course of fugu dishes—they were absolutely delicious. We were told that you can’t see the fireworks unless you go all the way to the seaside, but after our meal we were so full we decided to watch from our Room. To our surprise, they were right in front of us, and we were completely satisfied without even going outside. As for souvenirs, we ended up with an entire lineup of canned mackerel, and we’re looking forward to savoring how good it is.

This auberge is located in a small, quiet cove. You can step out to the shore right away, and the view from the dining area is beautiful and soothing. The owner’s home-cooked dishes are delicious—especially the simmered fish and octopus rice, which were outstanding. The water is also excellent; we were told it is tap water. A staff member mentioned that Obama’s water is said to be even better than sake.

This Accommodation was located right in front of Lake Suigetsu. The staff, who were very knowledgeable about the local area, were a pleasure to talk to and provided great service, and the blackthroat seaperch and other local ingredients were truly delicious.

Very satisfied! We stayed with children, and the property was thoroughly cleaned and had a sense of cleanliness. The kitchen utensils and tableware were well-equipped, so we could cook properly by just bringing ingredients. If I had to say, the bathroom and washroom felt a bit small (all amenities were provided). There were video games, board/card games, and even a hammock, which made the kids happy to play. The surrounding area seemed like a residential neighborhood, so it might be better to avoid being too noisy late at night. It was a cold snowy day, but the air conditioning was turned on at check-in time, so the room was warm and appreciated. The owners were very kind; they called us about parking and departure in the snow and even came to help us get out of the snow in our car the next morning so we could leave safely. We are very grateful for that. This was our first time renting an entire property like this one; we had some concerns but are really glad we chose this place. The interior is cute and well-equipped; it's also close to ski resorts as well as Lake Biwa (Biwako), making it great value for money. We created wonderful memories with our family here. We would love to use it again! Thank you very much!

My spouse and I stayed for one night while sightseeing around the Mikata Five Lakes. The Accommodation is on the shore of Lake Mikata, and the view from our Room was wonderful—the sunset was dazzling. Dinner featured a boat platter of sashimi that was more than enough for two, and it was fresh and delicious. The other dishes (corn sesame tofu, Wagyu beef, and a clam hot pot with salted butter, etc.) were also carefully prepared and beautifully seasoned, leaving us completely satisfied. Breakfast was delicious as well and very filling. It was also great to be able to see Lake Mikata from the bath. It’s just over a 10-minute drive to the Mikata Five Lakes Terrace, making this Accommodation highly recommended for trips to the Mikata Five Lakes or Wakasa Bay. We’d love to visit again during crab season someday.

Everything was perfect, beyond expectations. I was truly moved by the exceptional hospitality—it might be the first time I've experienced such flawless service. The appliances and items provided were clean and beautifully arranged, and the traditional crafts were deeply captivating. The open-air bath and stone sauna created a truly relaxing atmosphere. I also found it to be very cost-effective.

The weather wasn’t very good, so I checked in feeling a bit worried, but the staff welcomed us warmly and we had a very pleasant stay. We chose the bring-your-own BBQ Plan with no meals in a cabin, and since we were told the BBQ terrace didn’t have a roof, we brought a tarp just in case of rain. There was a small covered area, so we were able to use the tarp to stay dry and enjoy a wonderful BBQ while listening to the rain and taking in the scenery. With a meal-included Plan, it seems you can enjoy delicious food in a covered space, so choosing meals might mean you don’t have to worry about rain. Inside the cabin, the furniture and Facility were new, and it was very comfortable. Since there was no bathtub, I rated the Onsen/bath category as 3. I love baths, so it would have been even better with a bathtub. There is an Onsen nearby, but you need to drive there—so if you drink alcohol at dinner time, it might be difficult. After the BBQ, we enjoyed fireworks with our child. At night there is no on-site manager, but if you contact them via LINE they reply promptly, which was reassuring. In the morning when we realized we were missing something, they even brought it all the way to our cabin—very kind of them. We heard that deer sometimes come by, so we looked for them excitedly but couldn’t find any—too bad. Next time we stay here again, I hope we’ll be able to spot them. Because of the rain there were no other guests staying at that time, but thank you very much for welcoming us so warmly.

The machiya-style Accommodation was wonderful. The bathroom was clean and easy to use, and the bed was fluffy, so I slept very well. The sea is nearby, and the quiet, charming streetscape made it a relaxing place to stay. The stairs were steep and a little scary, but it also added to the machiya atmosphere, which I appreciated.