Minobu Spa Hotels

The structure is very intimate as it is hidden in the mountains and far from various services. It can be reached at the “Shimobe Onsen” stop on the Minobu Line. The staff is welcoming, affable, smiling. Some speak English. The rooms are in vintage Japanese style and I personally found them comfortable and clean. Mine had a bathroom with a self-heating tablet, skin care soaps and various hygiene products (toothbrushes, brushes, hand cream, cotton buds, etc.). Then there was the main room with a well-kept window corner, a Japanese-style table and chairs, and finally some wardrobes. One of the closets held futons. At the reception you can ask the staff to fix it for you while you are at dinner. I'm pretty sure I've also seen someone around choosing a mattress-cot instead in case you can't or can't sleep on the futon. There are very tight opening hours for breakfast and dinner (breakfast 7-9 am and dinner until 6-8 pm). You can access both with a ticket that you can get for free at reception. For lunch, however, you have to pay separately. It is mainly a buffet type of menu regarding breakfast and dinner. Obviously if you order something special (certain dishes or alcoholic drinks etc) these must be paid for. Small note on the buffet: It is very different from what we are used to in the West so don't be scared if in the morning you find a croissant with a skewer of roasted fish inside. This is not hyperbole. I'm serious. The food is good and the basic portions are small but no one is stopping you from having an encore if you want more. As regards the heart of the structure, i.e. the onsen, this is divided into two types: Private and Public. The public onsen consists of two areas that reverse approximately every 6 hours. One for the male gender and the other for the female gender. A very kind oba-San taught me some basics which I will summarize for the more curious: When you enter, undress and put everything in the basket. Bring with you only the small towel (I will call it ”rag” from here on out). When reaching the pool area, do not jump in before having washed in the showers. There are products there (soap, shampoo, conditioner) and basins with chairs. Rinse both, moisten the cloth and then fill it with soap. Wash as normal but be sure to use the cloth to remove dirt and dead skin by scratching the skin. When you're done, rinse yourself and the cloth. Finally, pass the cloth under cold water and wring out. Put it on your head and off you go, go to whichever tub you prefer. Personally I recommend you vary between the hot and cold ones for circulation but if you only like the heat you can still vary with the sauna. The cold patch is used to help with dizziness if you have low blood pressure or to cool down when needed. As for the private onsen, it must be booked in advance and every 40 minutes