Natsuse Onsen Miyakowasure

From check-in to departure, the attentive service was excellent and we were very satisfied. The only drawback was the condition of the access road; we encountered oncoming cars once on arrival and twice on departure, but managed without any issues. If given the opportunity, we would like to stay again.

This was my first stay at Miyakowasure. A true “one inn in the middle of nowhere”—Natsuse Onsen is only here. The room we were shown to was “Kawakiri,” with a private open-air bath. The interior has a wonderfully retro feel, yet everything is spotless and impeccably clean. Soaking in the open-air bath while listening to the Tamagawa River was incredibly soothing. Even the in-room accessory tray was Wedgwood—my excitement went through the roof. Dinner was served in the dining area, starting with a pre-dinner drink of chestnut liqueur. The complimentary edamame was Akita Homare, too. The appetizer course began with mizuna stems simmered with ginger, followed by starters like pressed benimasu trout sushi, udo marinated in Saikyo miso, bamboo shoots simmered in miso, and chrysanthemum flowers with nameko mushrooms—each dish so tempting it made Akita’s local sake go down far too easily. The “Akita local sake tasting set (three varieties)” is highly recommended. After Inaniwa udon soup came sashimi of benimasu trout, tuna, and sea bream. Crispy deep-fried iwana (char) nanban-style followed, then an outstanding braised whole shark fin, and finally Yuriyu beef cooked on a sizzling hot stone—you can grill it exactly how you like at your table. Then came their signature dishes: an iburigakko salad loaded with cheese; and a Hinai jidori chicken meatball hot pot bubbling away beautifully, enjoyed together with Akitakomachi rice, mushroom soup, and iburigakko pickles. A lovely surprise: birthday plate service along with a birthday song performance. To everyone in the “Miyakowasure Choir,” thank you for your heartfelt rendition of HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG! The large public bath is separated into men’s and women’s sections (no switching). It’s filled with the scent of wood; there’s no outdoor bath—just indoor baths at two temperatures (hot and warm). The iron wash buckets are satisfyingly heavy as well. Please don’t miss the private open-air bath “Natsuse no Yukko.” The spacious rock bath and waterfall-style shower are wonderful—you can soak in another world for 30 minutes.(My No.1 private open-air bath.) Breakfast is a Japanese set meal: mentaiko cod roe; simmered shiitake; kombu rolls; spinach ohitashi; kamaboko fish cake; natto with tonburi; seasoned nori—more than you can possibly finish. There’s also freshly made tamagoyaki omelet-style eggs plus grilled fish (hatahata sandfish and salted salmon), along with freshly scooped yudofu tofu—perfectly paired with rice cooked in a traditional hagama pot (dangerously delicious). Happily, there’s also a buffet table where you can take as much as you like: salad; onsen eggs; raw eggs; fruit (grapes). With raw or onsen eggs available freely, you could eat egg-over-rice again and again if you wanted to! After breakfast we moved to the terrace for coffee and yogurt. Above all else, every staff member’s hospitality was exceptional—it truly felt like discovering an incredible hidden hot spring deep in the mountains: surprising and joyful all at once。 It was hands down my best experience ever—in terms of baths、food、and service。 And after reading about this inn's history、I couldn't stop crying tears of emotion。I'll definitely be back！