Shiratama no Yu Kaho Annex Koshinosato

I stayed at Bettei Koshinosato for two nights.It was my first stay in seven years.[Baths]Back then, I remember there wasn’t a shared bathhouse in the annex, so I went to the large public bath in the main building. I thought I probably wouldn’t use the annex’s large public bath, but after trying it, I ended up using only this one (laugh).It wasn’t crowded or noisy, and the complimentary drinks were provided in plastic bottles. The amenities—like toothbrushes and hair dryers—were also a step up from those in the main building. It’s nice that they’re clearly differentiated.As for the open-air bath attached to the Room not being an Onsen, I understand there are practical reasons such as water sourcing, so I simply enjoyed it as something special for photos.[Meals]I’m grateful that you accommodated our requests with flexibility. Bringing our own alcohol was also allowed (for a fee), and we felt consideration throughout.[Hospitality & Service]As always, each and every staff member provided wonderful service. The warm and charming proprietress—busy from early morning at breakfast while still taking time to chat with each guest—is surely one of the reasons why Kaho is regarded as one of Japan’s finest Onsen Accommodations.

My mother, my aunt, and I stayed here together. Upon arrival, we passed through a spacious, beautiful lobby and were guided by a staff member to Koshi no Sato. Perhaps because it was Golden Week, there were no seats for the welcome matcha drink at first, but we enjoyed it later and it was delicious. Since I had consulted in advance about my mother’s mobility issues, they had prepared a chair in our Room, which we truly appreciated. Dinner featured elegantly seasoned dishes made with an abundance of local ingredients. The staff’s explanations of each dish were easy to understand, and we could genuinely feel their heartfelt hospitality.The Onsen water at Tsukioka Onsen was also wonderful; after just one night, my mother’s and aunt’s neuralgia seemed to improve slightly. When we left, the staff carried our luggage all the way to the entrance. While many places help with luggage at check-in but leave you to handle it yourself at check-out, here we received warm hospitality right through to the very end—and it deeply moved us.It certainly isn’t cheap, but I believe this Accommodation is well worth the price.