Futamata Onsen Kashiwaya Ryokan

I stayed here with a group of four friends eight years ago, and at the time, I was so impressed by the natural spring rock bath and the rustic open-air bath across the river that I definitely wanted to stay there again someday. However, the open-air bath was damaged in a typhoon in 2019, and the inn was closed for several years. Just when I thought it had finally reopened, that wonderful open-air bath was gone, and the website said that a new open-air bath had been built outside the indoor bath. As a result, I lost interest in this inn all at once and never visited. However, another attraction, the natural spring bath, is still intact, so I revisited for the first time in eight years. Niki Onsen is a place that is not visited by many people, with only five inns deep in the mountains and no signs of excitement, as it was before. However, when I visited Kashiwaya for the first time in eight years, the lobby, rooms, changing rooms, the newly built open-air bath, and the rest area on the way to the natural spring had all been beautifully renovated, and it was clear that a considerable amount of money had been invested in rebuilding it. The new outdoor bath is located just outside the indoor bath, and is quite small compared to the previous rustic outdoor bath, which was a little disappointing, but the men and women are switched in the morning and evening, and with the addition of the artesian spring, there are a total of five baths, so in that sense it was good for bath lovers. The outdoor bath on the other side of the river was buried in snow, but the bathtub and changing room remained as they were, and the inn's proprietress said that although there were many voices calling for its reconstruction, the government did not grant permission (since it is on the other side of the river, it is owned by the national or prefectural government?), so they were forced to give up. She also told us many other things, such as the history of this hot spring. We visited at the end of the year, and there were only four groups staying, including us, so we were able to spend a relaxing time. The food was not much different from before, but there was a decent selection of dishes, mainly local produce, and we were satisfied. I hope this inn will continue to do well in the future.

I read a book by a certain hot spring professor called "The Complete Guide to Hot Springs" and thought that this was a recommended inn, so I made a reservation and stayed there on the spur of the moment. First, the "Yuttari Yakon-go" direct from Shirakawa Station was good. While riding in a minibus, we enjoyed the local scenery and stopped at a roadside station on the way. There were so many delicious things that a 10-minute break at the roadside station was not enough. When we arrived at the inn, we were allowed to use the room according to the time of the "Yuttari Yakon-go" regardless of the check-in and check-out times. The entire inn seems to be particular about "wood", the furniture was also particular, and the stairs were shiny. The hot spring was as the hot spring professor had recommended. The food was also the best, and the tempura was the best. And the hospitality of serving hot food was wonderful. The rice is said to be from Amae Village. Amenities include shampoo, conditioner, and body shampoo, but we recommend bringing your own cosmetics. There are no shops around, so we recommend bringing your luggage in case you stay in the inn. It was a short trip, but the hot springs were great. It's close to Tokyo, so it's perfect for a leisurely trip, assuming you'll have to pay for the Shinkansen. By the way, the souvenir shop at Shin-Shirakawa Station on the Shinkansen line is like a "My Bus" souvenir shop.

An inn located at the very end of the road to Mt. Futagi. Opposite is Fujiya Ryokan, and on the way there is Daimaru Ryokan Asunaroso, which has been transformed into a high-class inn. Around 40 years ago, Asunaroso was a self-catering inn where high school students would stay, and it seems to have been completely different to the high-class atmosphere of today. This time, there were no vacancies so we stayed at Kashiwaya. The building stands beside a stream on the road to the trailhead of Mt. Futagi. It is small but neat and tidy. The hot springs are separate for men and women, as well as a mixed-gender rock bath (which naturally flows from the bath bed), and the open-air bath on the opposite bank was washed away in a typhoon in 2019 and has not yet been restored, but the other baths are a little on the milder side. The hypotonic alkaline hot spring water makes your skin smooth and is one of the best hot springs I have ever been to. The food is made with plenty of local ingredients such as rock trout, wild vegetables, and horse meat, and the portions are just right. It would also be nice to come during the snowy season. I wanted to go to Mt. Futagi as well, but I wasn't able to this time. I would definitely like to visit again.