Stayed 22.05.2016 (Sun)
Booked thru' Jalan.net
Half board = 16,200 yen + 150 yen (Bathing tax)
Last hot spring equipped ryokan for this trip! Situated in Aizu Wakamatsu city (takes about 15 minutes by car from Aizu Wakamatsu Station 会津若松駅), Higashiyama Onsen 東山温泉 was first discovered 1,300 years ago by Gyoki 行基, a Buddhist priest (668 - 749) who travelled around Japan to preach Buddhism. The hot spring waters of Higashiyama Onsen has been known for its healing properties since the olden days and the area prospered as a hot spring health resort during Edo Period. Most hotels and inns here are strategically located just beside Yugawa 湯川 (Yu River), the main river that runs through this quiet hot spring town. For my trip, I stayed in Shousuke no yado Tainoyu 庄助の宿 瀧の湯, a ryokan that has been in operation in Higashiyama Onsen for more than a century (130 years).
Prelude. After returning to Aizu Wakamatsu Station 会津若松駅 from Ochijuku by bus, I hopped onto the last Machinaka Shuyu Bus from Aizu Wakamatsu Station and alighted at the bus stop in front of Higashiyama Onsen Tourism Association Office. Decided to explore the hot spring town a little bit more before checking into Tainoyu. Walked upstream alongside Yugawa and gradually the valley terrain which the town was built upon was unveiled. Surrounded by a backdrop of cliffs, I was captivated by the tranquil atmosphere that the town has to offer. Stumbled upon an ashiyu (footbath) along the way; sat down to soak my legs to relieve the sore muscles while admiring the beautiful landscape around me.
Tainoyu looks like any typical, traditional Japanese inn from the outside. On the contrary, the interior design of the ryokan leaned towards modern, contemporary style. Received a warm welcome by the front desk staff upon stepping into Tainoyu and I was surprised that she could speak extremely fluent English! To me, it felt good to be able to converse in a familiar language again after staying in a foreign country for close to two weeks!
Facilities. After completing the check-in procedure, I was led to my room by another staff. Along the way to the lift, I passed by the lounge and shop selling local produce and souvenirs, and spotted an outdoor stage (known as a Noh stage) erected on the other side of the river. At 2100 hrs daily, guests get to enjoy special performances played on this outage stage from the comfort of the lounge. One other perk, exclusive to ladies only, is that they get to choose their own yukata design from a colourful selection.
Room. Was assigned to a spacious eight-tatami mats room with attached toilet and bathroom. A pair of Okiagari Koboshi, Japanese equivalent of roly-poly toy made of papier mache, was placed on the center table. These dolls, which are given to guests as souvenirs, are traditional good luck charms in Aizu region and is a symbol of resilience. Peering out of the window, a beautiful landscape of Yugawa and its surrounding greenery can be seen from the room. The staff prepared my room for the night when I out for dinner - the center table was shifted to one side and futon was nicely laid on floor for me to tuck myself into comfortably.
Hot spring. Shousuke has two large communal bathhouses (Fushimi no yu 伏見の湯 and Shousuke Furo 庄助風呂) separated by gender, each having both indoor and outdoor pools. In addition, guests can also enjoy other smaller private pools/tubs with prior reservation made. The hot spring waters is weakly alkaline, containing calcium and sodium sulfate, and has demonstrated therapeutic effects on ailments such as rheumatism, chronic skin problems, chronic gynecological problems, sports injuries, arteriosclerosis, menopausal disorder, etc.
Soak in a pot. From both bathhouses, guests get to enjoy an unobstructed view of Fushimiga taki 伏見ヶ滝, one of the waterfalls found along Yugawa, while soaking in the hot spring pools/tubs. Found a big pot used as one of the bathtubs in the outdoor section of Shousuke Furo. There is a trivia about the origin of this pot - it was formerly used to store sake koji and was inherited from Hanaharu Shuzo 花春酒造, a famous sake maker in Aizu Wakamatsu city. After being rejuvenated by the hot spring soak, guests can help themselves to barley tea and tokoroten jelly in the resting area. During the night of my stay, guests were also treated to beer dispensed from tap (limited to one cup per person)! Unfortunately, not knowing that this complimentary service was available till 1900 hrs, I missed the treat as I came back here only after dinner.
My accommodation plan also came with the usage of one of the private hot spring pools. There are a total of five hot spring pools, each having a different theme, to choose from. Followed the staff's recommendation and chose Maboroshi no yu 幻の湯. Located on the ground floor, this outdoor pool is situated just beside Yugawa, but shielded from the river by natural vegetation.
Dinner. After refreshing myself from the hot spring soak, I made my way to Oharatei おはら亭, the main dining hall located on the second floor of the building, where my sumptuous dinner awaited. Apart from utilising seasonal ingredients sourced locally, the kaiseki menu was designed to incorporate regional cuisine that are unique to Aizu area. For example, Kozuyu 小づゆ, a soup made from dried scallop stock and seasoned with salt and soy sauce, and contains satoimo (taro), carrots, mushrooms, and tiny balls of wheat gluten, known as wheat gluten. Appearing on the menu were also some interesting and noteworthy dishes which I have not come across before, such as Awayuki nabe あわゆき鍋 and ramen kamameshi ラーメン釜飯.
For Awayuki nabe, the vegetables, mushrooms and meat were first cooked in a heated pot filled with soy milk. After scooping out the cooked items from the broth, a coagulant was poured into the soy milk to make tofu! I almost did not succeed in making the tofu because the flame was too strong and the waitress immediately came to assist me when she saw the situation. Both the waitress and myself heaved a sigh of relief when we finally saw the tofu formed in front of our eyes. Whereas for ramen kamameshi, the rice was cooked in soy based broth and topped with ingredients such as quail egg, char siew and seasoned bamboo shoots (menma メンマ), which we would normally find in ramen.
Dinner Menu:
Appetiser / Sakitzuku 先付: 小松菜菊花お浸し
Stewed dish / Nimonwan 煮物椀: Daikon mochi 大根餅 with Mitsuba (Japanese honewort) 三つ葉, Yuzu 柚子 and Ostrich fern こごみ
Dish placed at the far side of the table / Mukozuke 向付: Sashimi made up of salmon trout 川鱒 and sea bream いずみ鯛
Pot dish / Nabemono 鍋物: Shousuke's Awayuki nabe 庄助あわゆき鍋
- Spring onion 長葱, enoki mushroom 榎茸, soy milk 豆乳, potherb mustard 水菜, minced chicken 鶏ひき and free range chicken cuts 地鶏
Grilled dish / Yakimono 焼き物: Spanish mackeral (Sawara) 鰆, cabbage キャベツ, onion 玉葱, pan fried tofu 焼豆腐 and carrot 花人参 on ceramic hot plate.
Steamed dish / Mushimono 蒸物: Chawanmushi (Steamed egg) with shimeji mushroom 湿地茸, ginkgo nuts 銀杏 and prawn 小海老.
Small dish to fill stomach / Shinogi 凌ぎ: Soba 椀蕎麦
Meal / Shokuji 食事: Ramen kamameshi ラーメン釜飯
Pickled vegetables / Konomono 香の物: Sangomachizuke 三五八漬け, comprised of daikon and carrot.
Last soup / Tomewan 止椀: Aizu Kozuyu 会津の小づゆ
Dessert / Suikamono 水菓物: Fruit
Booked thru' Jalan.net
Half board = 16,200 yen + 150 yen (Bathing tax)
 |
| Fushimiga taki 伏見ヶ滝, one of the waterfalls found along Yugawa. |
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| Exploring the hot spring town. |
Tainoyu looks like any typical, traditional Japanese inn from the outside. On the contrary, the interior design of the ryokan leaned towards modern, contemporary style. Received a warm welcome by the front desk staff upon stepping into Tainoyu and I was surprised that she could speak extremely fluent English! To me, it felt good to be able to converse in a familiar language again after staying in a foreign country for close to two weeks!
Facilities. After completing the check-in procedure, I was led to my room by another staff. Along the way to the lift, I passed by the lounge and shop selling local produce and souvenirs, and spotted an outdoor stage (known as a Noh stage) erected on the other side of the river. At 2100 hrs daily, guests get to enjoy special performances played on this outage stage from the comfort of the lounge. One other perk, exclusive to ladies only, is that they get to choose their own yukata design from a colourful selection.
Room. Was assigned to a spacious eight-tatami mats room with attached toilet and bathroom. A pair of Okiagari Koboshi, Japanese equivalent of roly-poly toy made of papier mache, was placed on the center table. These dolls, which are given to guests as souvenirs, are traditional good luck charms in Aizu region and is a symbol of resilience. Peering out of the window, a beautiful landscape of Yugawa and its surrounding greenery can be seen from the room. The staff prepared my room for the night when I out for dinner - the center table was shifted to one side and futon was nicely laid on floor for me to tuck myself into comfortably.
Hot spring. Shousuke has two large communal bathhouses (Fushimi no yu 伏見の湯 and Shousuke Furo 庄助風呂) separated by gender, each having both indoor and outdoor pools. In addition, guests can also enjoy other smaller private pools/tubs with prior reservation made. The hot spring waters is weakly alkaline, containing calcium and sodium sulfate, and has demonstrated therapeutic effects on ailments such as rheumatism, chronic skin problems, chronic gynecological problems, sports injuries, arteriosclerosis, menopausal disorder, etc.
Soak in a pot. From both bathhouses, guests get to enjoy an unobstructed view of Fushimiga taki 伏見ヶ滝, one of the waterfalls found along Yugawa, while soaking in the hot spring pools/tubs. Found a big pot used as one of the bathtubs in the outdoor section of Shousuke Furo. There is a trivia about the origin of this pot - it was formerly used to store sake koji and was inherited from Hanaharu Shuzo 花春酒造, a famous sake maker in Aizu Wakamatsu city. After being rejuvenated by the hot spring soak, guests can help themselves to barley tea and tokoroten jelly in the resting area. During the night of my stay, guests were also treated to beer dispensed from tap (limited to one cup per person)! Unfortunately, not knowing that this complimentary service was available till 1900 hrs, I missed the treat as I came back here only after dinner.
My accommodation plan also came with the usage of one of the private hot spring pools. There are a total of five hot spring pools, each having a different theme, to choose from. Followed the staff's recommendation and chose Maboroshi no yu 幻の湯. Located on the ground floor, this outdoor pool is situated just beside Yugawa, but shielded from the river by natural vegetation.
Dinner. After refreshing myself from the hot spring soak, I made my way to Oharatei おはら亭, the main dining hall located on the second floor of the building, where my sumptuous dinner awaited. Apart from utilising seasonal ingredients sourced locally, the kaiseki menu was designed to incorporate regional cuisine that are unique to Aizu area. For example, Kozuyu 小づゆ, a soup made from dried scallop stock and seasoned with salt and soy sauce, and contains satoimo (taro), carrots, mushrooms, and tiny balls of wheat gluten, known as wheat gluten. Appearing on the menu were also some interesting and noteworthy dishes which I have not come across before, such as Awayuki nabe あわゆき鍋 and ramen kamameshi ラーメン釜飯.
For Awayuki nabe, the vegetables, mushrooms and meat were first cooked in a heated pot filled with soy milk. After scooping out the cooked items from the broth, a coagulant was poured into the soy milk to make tofu! I almost did not succeed in making the tofu because the flame was too strong and the waitress immediately came to assist me when she saw the situation. Both the waitress and myself heaved a sigh of relief when we finally saw the tofu formed in front of our eyes. Whereas for ramen kamameshi, the rice was cooked in soy based broth and topped with ingredients such as quail egg, char siew and seasoned bamboo shoots (menma メンマ), which we would normally find in ramen.
Dinner Menu:
Appetiser / Sakitzuku 先付: 小松菜菊花お浸し
Stewed dish / Nimonwan 煮物椀: Daikon mochi 大根餅 with Mitsuba (Japanese honewort) 三つ葉, Yuzu 柚子 and Ostrich fern こごみ
Dish placed at the far side of the table / Mukozuke 向付: Sashimi made up of salmon trout 川鱒 and sea bream いずみ鯛
Pot dish / Nabemono 鍋物: Shousuke's Awayuki nabe 庄助あわゆき鍋
- Spring onion 長葱, enoki mushroom 榎茸, soy milk 豆乳, potherb mustard 水菜, minced chicken 鶏ひき and free range chicken cuts 地鶏
Grilled dish / Yakimono 焼き物: Spanish mackeral (Sawara) 鰆, cabbage キャベツ, onion 玉葱, pan fried tofu 焼豆腐 and carrot 花人参 on ceramic hot plate.
Steamed dish / Mushimono 蒸物: Chawanmushi (Steamed egg) with shimeji mushroom 湿地茸, ginkgo nuts 銀杏 and prawn 小海老.
Small dish to fill stomach / Shinogi 凌ぎ: Soba 椀蕎麦
Meal / Shokuji 食事: Ramen kamameshi ラーメン釜飯
Pickled vegetables / Konomono 香の物: Sangomachizuke 三五八漬け, comprised of daikon and carrot.
Last soup / Tomewan 止椀: Aizu Kozuyu 会津の小づゆ
Dessert / Suikamono 水菓物: Fruit
Delicious mochi. Breakfast was buffet style with a wide array of food items to choose from. Since 20 years ago, the meals served here has been prepared based on the motto of "local production for local consumption". I was spoilt for choice in the seasonal recommendation corner - asparagus and cabbage marinade, yama-udo (Aralia cordata) with mayo miso dressing salad, spinach and aburaage with mustard dressing, organic yacon saute and simmered in sugar and soy sauce, etc. Mochi is another popular breakfast item that Shousuke takes pride in. The sticky rice cakes are made with Aizu koganemai (golden rice), one of the highest grade of rice in Aizu region, and are accompanied by various condiments such as red bean paste, black sesame, soybean flour (kinako), etc.
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Higashiyama Onsen Shousuke no yado Tainoyu 東山温泉 庄助の宿 瀧の湯
〒965-0814 福島県会津若松市東山温泉108
https://shousuke.com/
Higashiyama Onsen Tourism Association: http://www.aizu-higashiyama.com/index.html
How to get there?
(1) By complimentary pick up service from Aizu Wakamatsu Station 会津若松駅.
Prior reservation with ryokan is required to utilise this service.
- Departs from Aizu Wakamatsu Station for Tainoyu at 1800 hrs
- Departs from Tainoyu for Aizu Wakamatsu Station at 1100 hrs
https://shousuke.com/access/
(2) By Machinaka Shuyu Bus まちなか周遊バス
From Aizu Wakamatsu Station 会津若松駅, board Machinaka Shuyu Bus Akabe まちなか周遊バスあかべぇ (anticlockwise direction) and alight at Higashiyama Onsen Iriguchi 東山温泉入口.
Bus fare per ride = 210 yen
One day free pass = 600 yen
Bus schedule: https://www.aizubus.com/rosen/machinaka-shuyu
======
Higashiyama Onsen Shousuke no yado Tainoyu 東山温泉 庄助の宿 瀧の湯
〒965-0814 福島県会津若松市東山温泉108
https://shousuke.com/
Higashiyama Onsen Tourism Association: http://www.aizu-higashiyama.com/index.html
How to get there?
(1) By complimentary pick up service from Aizu Wakamatsu Station 会津若松駅.
Prior reservation with ryokan is required to utilise this service.
- Departs from Aizu Wakamatsu Station for Tainoyu at 1800 hrs
- Departs from Tainoyu for Aizu Wakamatsu Station at 1100 hrs
https://shousuke.com/access/
(2) By Machinaka Shuyu Bus まちなか周遊バス
From Aizu Wakamatsu Station 会津若松駅, board Machinaka Shuyu Bus Akabe まちなか周遊バスあかべぇ (anticlockwise direction) and alight at Higashiyama Onsen Iriguchi 東山温泉入口.
Bus fare per ride = 210 yen
One day free pass = 600 yen
Bus schedule: https://www.aizubus.com/rosen/machinaka-shuyu
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