스자카역 × 꽃을 즐길 수 있는 숙소식사의 평가가 높은 호텔·료칸

Obuse, the town of Hokusai and chestnuts, is a beautiful place with streets that feel 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 “Chestnut Dessert Suzaku,” which is notoriously hard to get, will be available from 9/10 this year. Since guests staying at Masuichi Kyakuden receive priority guaranteed access, Reservations for Accommodation after 9/10 will become difficult as well. Because we stayed before then, booking our Accommodation was easy. 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 Relax Twin—and despite being in a kura-style structure it even has a terrace, with plenty of sunlight and an airy feel. We were told there are other Rooms with an even calmer, more traditional kura ambiance; however, the ceilings are high throughout so nothing feels cramped. Designed by architect John Morford, the Room is fully Western-style with extensive use of stainless steel; the glass-and-stainless bath is especially worth seeing. Amenities are L’OCCITANE; there are complimentary drinks in the refrigerator along with coffee and tea—everything you’d expect from this kind of high-end Ryokan—making for a very comfortable stay. 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 taste. The soup course, simmered dishes, and grilled items had a Kyoto kaiseki style—above all else, the dashi was outstanding. The sashimi was fresh and perfectly seasoned as well. Local ingredients were used throughout, making it highly satisfying overall. One note: at the beginning you’re served blanched Kurakake beans and Matsumae-zuke; these are not part of the course meal itself (just for clarity). They’re clearly meant as snacks for alcohol—especially sake brewed at Masuichi Ichimura Sake Brewery within the same group—and they pair beautifully: firm Kurakake beans soaked in refined 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. This is served at their affiliated café “Entotsu.” We nearly gave up because of the long line—but learned that staying guests can make Reservations—so we were able to enjoy it without waiting. When you stay at Masuichi Kyakuden, be sure to treat yourself to one of their “Suzaku” chestnut sweets if you can. Overall it was an excellent stay—we thoroughly enjoyed Obuse."""

It was a Multiple Night Stay for 2 nights. Breakfast was included, there was a large public bath, and the cleanliness around the bed was excellent. The parking area is spacious, so you won’t be left confused with nowhere to park. If I may mention just one point for improvement, the toilet/unit bath had an unpleasant odor (likely sewage smell backflow), to the extent that I hesitated slightly to use it.

Overall, I am satisfied with the Facility as a place to stay, and the meals are delicious. However, when using it for work, it is inconvenient because the Wi-Fi connection is unreliable when I return to the Hotel and try to work on my PC. A wired connection works for PCs, but it is difficult to use on a smartphone. I hope this will be improved in future upgrades.

I had previously visited for a day trip to the Onsen and loved both the Onsen and the scenery, so I decided to stay overnight. The meals were excellent, the view from the Room was wonderful, and my stay was very comfortable. Unfortunately, the outdoor bath in the morning was so cold that it hardly felt like an Onsen.\n\nAs it is currently off-season, there was no shuttle bus on weekdays, which made things difficult. Even one round-trip Shuttle Service would be very helpful.