Geyu Kogen Onsenkyo Bi No Yu Semi Onsen

Traditional style onsen in the countryside. Slightly old looking but very comfortable with good amenities and friendly staff. It’s located close to the Geto kogen ski slopes, a short drive from Kitakami. On google maps it’s only written in Japanese - 瀬美温泉. Next to the river so you can enjoy river views from your room or the outdoor bath (rotemburo). There are two small private baths and you reserve one included in the price. If you want to use it more than once it costs an extra ¥500. It cost ¥34,000 for a night in a room with a river view with breakfast and dinner included. It was good value as we paid ¥44,000 for a similar onsen in Yamagata. I was able to book directly on their website. Highly recommended.

Shoes were taken off at the door and the hotel has a policy of ‘socks or bare feet’, which was fine by us. Socks were supplied in the room, if you didn’t want to wear your own. The hotel is a bit of a maze but we were guided personally to our rooms, and staff made sure that we had everything that we needed. The room was a new experience for us, with tatami mats set up with a table and chairs when we arrived and then converted for sleeping with futon mattresses. Unfortunately, I’m rather taller than your average ryokan guest and so spilled over the edges of the mattress. The small pillows (filled with buckwheat?) were also a bit of a challenge. Facilities in the room include a sink and a toilet but no shower. This is zero problem because there is a huge choice of different onsens, all of which are excellent. Traditional dinners and breakfasts were served in the dining room; huge feasts of small dishes, all beautifully presented. I suspect that I made many gaffs in the manner in which I ate everything but I thoroughly enjoyed it all. We also very much enjoyed the cultural dance show, and making use of the karaoke room! Thank you to all the staff who made us all feel so special and introduced us (gently) to the ryokan concept.