Tamatsukuri Onsen Gensen Kakenagashi no Yado Yujin Chiyonoyu

Unusually for our family trips, we had dinner served in our Room and slept on futons laid out in a tatami-style Japanese Room, which reminded me again that Japan’s Ryokan culture is something to be proud of worldwide. Dinner was a course focused on carefully selected ingredients with modest portions, but it was more than enough for us—we were truly moved by the beautiful, delicious dishes. The deep-sea blackthroat seaperch (nodoguro) fried and topped with thickened sauce was especially outstanding. Breakfast was also a feast, charmingly arranged like a Shokado bento using local ingredients. At night, we lay down on the neatly made futons chatting, and before we knew it we had fallen asleep—when we realized it, it was morning. Does happiness get any better than this? The woman who looked after us—was she the proprietress or an attendant?—was wonderful. From explaining each dish and laying out the futons to helping us plan our itinerary and guiding us to the free Yasugi-bushi stage show (it was amazing—a must-see), explaining that the Onsen is free-flowing from the source, what the Onsen symbol means, and even soothing our baby—she felt like both a concierge and a dependable, knowledgeable mom. The bath was of course at just the right temperature and wonderfully open-air—we were completely satisfied. And despite all this, it was very reasonably priced. We would love to come again.

I stayed for one night with dinner and breakfast included. The meals used local ingredients and were lightly seasoned, letting the natural flavors shine—everything was delicious. The Onsen was fed directly from the source, and my skin still felt smooth the next day. Despite the homey atmosphere, I could really feel their hospitality. I also appreciated that they served our meal quickly so we could go see the fireflies.