Tohoku 2016 東北の旅 - Sole Inn Hotel ソーレインホテル, Matsuya Yamagata Ekimae Branch 松屋 山形駅前店

Stayed 23.05.2016 (Mon)
Reserved thru' Jalan.net
Single room = 4,100 yen

Competitive. Transferred to a more bustling city on my last night in Tohoku. While searching for affordable accommodation near Yamagata JR Station, I found Sole Inn Hotel ソーレインホテル which is situated just opposite the train station, closer than the nearest Toyoko Inn branch. What attracted me most was despite the proximity to the train station, its rate for single plan which came with complimentary breakfast was pretty competitive to other nearby hotels. Though Sole Inn Hotel is not part of large hotel chain network, I found out that it follows similar concept and provide same type of services from its homepage. Upon arrival at the hotel, the outlook was way better than expected. The lobby, which is used as the dinning area during breakfast, is very spacious decorated with casual furniture.

Satisfied. The size of their single room is slightly below 10m2, one of the smallest I have stayed before (typically it ranges between 10 to 12 m2). The hotel is a corner building with chamfer; the  layout and the way the furniture were arranged made the room looked spacious visually. The bed was also smaller than Toyoko Inn’s equivalent; only 90 cm in width. Apart from that, I would say the hotel provides all basic amenities similar to most budget business hotels, including coin operated clothes washing and drying machines catered for those intending to do their laundry. Complimentary breakfast, included in the room plan, is available between 0700 to 0900 hrs in the lobby. There are no buffet spread, instead a variety of onigiri, made on the spot by the staff, accompanied with miso soup and drinks (coffee/tea) are served during breakfast. There are six flavours to choose from; had the mentaiko and tuna mayo flavour, and both tasted pretty decent.

Lobby

Onigiri for breakfast.

Overall, I will say Sole Inn Hotel is a bang worth the buck; an excellent accommodation option that I will recommend to budget travellers. 

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What’s nearby?

(1) Yamagata JR Station 山形駅 and bus terminal, a minute walk from the hotel.





(2) Matsuya Yamagata Ekimae 松屋 山形駅前店, about 2 minutes walk from the hotel.
I have this craving for Matsuya’s signature beef or grilled pork donburi whenever I am in Japan (still crossing my fingers that they will expand their businesses to Singapore one day, just like Yoshinoya) and is always on the lookout for one if I am in city area. To my delight, I found one branch readily accessible from the train station and hotel while searching for a place for dinner. 

https://pkg.navitime.co.jp/matsuyafoods/spot/detail?code=0000000775

(3) Kajo Park 霞城公園, about 10 minutes walk from the hotel.

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Sole Inn Hotel ソーレインホテル
〒990-0038 山形県山形市幸町1-1
http://www.sole-inn.com/

How to get there?

(1) By foot. One minute walk from Yamagata JR Station East Exit 山形駅東口.

Tohoku 2016 東北の旅 - Higashiyama Onsen Shousuke no yado Tainoyu 東山温泉 庄助の宿 瀧の湯

Stayed 22.05.2016 (Sun)
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.

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).

Exploring the hot spring town.

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

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

Tohoku 2016 東北の旅 - Fukushima JR Station 福島駅, Toyoko Inn Fukushima Eki Higashi Guchi 1 東横イン福島駅東口1

Fukushima JR Station 福島駅



Fukushima JR Station serves Tohoku Shinkansen line 東北新幹線, Yamagata Shinkansen line 山形新幹線, Ou main line 奥羽本線 and Tohoku main line 東北本線, located in the capital city of Fukushima Prefecture. Came to this train station on two separate occasions but did not manage to explore the surrounding area in depth on both visits. Therefore, this post is limited in content and is solely based on what I saw and did for my trip. On my second trip to Tohoku region, I visited Tsugaru Castle 鶴ヶ城, Ochijuku 大内宿 and Higashiyama Onsen 東山温泉 during my stay in Fukushima Prefecture and I think that this prefecture still has a lot to offer - beautiful natural scenery (Goshikinuma 五色沼, Bandaisan 磐梯山, etc) and delicious food (Kitakata Ramen 喜多方ラーメン, gyoza, etc). Hopefully I get to return to Fukushima Prefecture on future trips to Japan soon to uncover these places of interest.

Shinkansen and special themed trains serving this station include:

(1) Toreiyu Tsubasa とれいゆ つばさ, a foot bath equipped bullet train commuting between Fukushima and Shinjo 新庄駅, via Yamagata Shinkansen line. 

(2) North bound Yamabiko やまびこ separates from Tsubasa つばさ here, stops at Sendai 仙台駅, Ichinoseki 一ノ関駅, Shin Hanamaki 新花巻駅 and Morioka 盛岡駅 during its journey along Tohoku Shinkansen line.
(3) South bound Yamabiko やまびこ combines with Tsubasa つばさ here, stops at Koriyama 郡山駅 and Tokyo 東京駅 during its journey along Tohoku Shinkansen line.
(4) Tsubasa つばさ stops at Yonezawa 米沢駅, Akayu 赤湯駅, Kaminoyama Onsen かみのやま温泉駅, Yamagata 山形駅, Oishida 大石田駅 and Shinjo 新庄駅 during its journey along Yamagata Shinkansen line

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Tourist information centers located on the east (top right) and west (bottom left) exit of the train station.

What's nearby?

(1) Tourist information center 福島市観光案内所, one each at the east exit and west exit of the train station.
Operating hours: 0900 - 1800 hrs
https://www.f-kankou.jp/annaijo/

S-Pal shopping mall, located seamlessly to the train station.

McDonald's located on the first floor of Power City Pivot.

(2) Shopping malls connected seamlessly to the train station.
- S-Pal Fukushima: Some of the tenants include:
2nd floor: Starbucks, Lowrys Farm and Kumazawa Bookshop
3rd floor: ABC Mart
4th floor: MUJI
http://www.s-pal.jp/fukushima/

- Power City Pivot パワーシティピボット: McDonald's and Daiso
https://www.livit.jregroup.ne.jp/pivot/fukushima



(3) Ito Yokado イトーヨーカドー, a departmental store located near the west exit of train station.
https://blog.itoyokado.co.jp/shop/123/index.html

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Commemorative stamps:

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Toyoko Inn Fukushima Eki Higashi Guchi 1 東横イン福島駅東口1
Stayed 21.05.2016 (Sat)
Booked thru' Toyoko Inn website
Single room = 6,156 yen

Satisfied. There are a total of three Toyoko Inn branches located in the vicinity of Fukushima Station; one located just a stone throw away from the west exit while the other two are situated near the east exit. For my trip, I stayed at Higashi Guchi 1 which is adjacent to its sister branch (Higashi Guchi 2). Similar to previous stay in other branches of Toyoko Inn, I like its strategic location near the train station and its no frills concept.

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Toyoko Inn Fukushima Eki Higashi Guchi 1 東横イン福島駅東口1
〒960-8031  福島県福島市栄町2-12
3 mins walk from Fukushima JR Station East Exit / Higashi Guchi 福島駅東口.
https://www.toyoko-inn.com/search/detail/00070/

Tohoku 2015, 2016 東北の旅 - Oirase Keiryu Hotel 奥入瀬渓流ホテル

Stayed 14.10.2015 (Wed)
Booked through hotel's website.
One night stay with half board = 28,500 yen/pax + 150 yen/pax bathing tax
- Half board: Kaiseki course for dinner and buffet for breakfast

Stayed 20.05.2016 (Fri)
Booked through hotel's website.
One night stay with half board = 19,000 yen
- Half board: Buffet for both dinner and breakfast





Visited Oirase Keiryu 奥入瀬渓流 on both trips to Tohoku region (with family in Oct 2015 and went solo on May 2016) and stayed at Oirase Keiryu Hotel 奥入瀬渓流ホテル on both occasions because of its proximity to this nature reserve. Oirase Keiryu Hotel is part of Hoshino Resort Group, which manages the luxurious Hoshinoya (星のや) brand, which has establishments outside of Japan such as Taiwan (Gu Guan) and Bali, and Kai (界) brand, which comprises of hot spring ryokan. Overall, I rate Oirase Keiryu Hotel excellent in all aspects that I can think of and will highly recommend this hotel to those who plan to stay over at Oirase Keiryu.

Board the Yu Yu Keiryu Shuttle Bus at the entrance of west building.

Convenient. There is a 14 km long nature trail, that runs alongside Oirase Keiryu, from the hotel to Lake Towada, and it takes approximately 5 hours to just complete one way. Found out that Oirase Keiryu Hotel operates a regular complimentary shuttle bus service (Yu Yu Keiryu Shuttle 悠遊渓流シャトル), which starts as early as 6.00 am, ferrying guests between the hotel and Kumoi no taki 雲井の滝 (Kumoi Waterfall), which is located around the halfway mark of the nature trail. On my second visit, I explored Oirase Keiryu with the help of this convenient bus service as well as JR Bus Tohoku, since the bus fees were covered by the nationwide Japan Rail Pass (I purchased a 14 day pass for my trip).

Sharing below my itinerary which combined the usage of both bus services:
- Hotel > Kumoi no taki, by Yu Yu Keiryu Shuttle
- Kumoi no taki > Choshi otaki 銚子大滝, by walking (~2 hours)
- Choshi otaki > Kumoi no taki, by JR Bus Tohoku Oirase-go おいらせ号 / Mizumi-go みずうみ号
- Kumoi no taki > Sanmidare no nagare 三乱の流れ, by walking (~1.5 hours)
- Sanmidare no nagare > hotel, by Yu Yu Keiryu shuttle

[Oct 2015] Hotel decorated by autumn foliage backdrop.  

[Oct 2015] Come up close to Oirase Keiryu at Keiryu Terrace.

[May 2016] Same spot at Keiryu Terrace, but different season.

More activities. The hotel also has an activity center which organises a variety of activities. Differing from season to season, the activities include guided tour of Oirase Keiryu, discovering the miniature world of mosses along walking trail between Kumoi no taki and Shirogane no nagare (Moses Trail 苔さんぽ) with a magnifying glass, or enjoying a cup of coffee just beside one of the rapids, Shirogane no nagare 白銀の流れ, early in the morning (Keiryu Morning Cafe 渓流モーニングカフェ). Do take note that some of these activities come with additional fee. During my first trip here with my parents, we signed up for a autumn trekking course in which the guide brought us to two recommended viewing spots to admire Hakkoda mountain range 八甲田山 as well as two out of Tsuta seven swamps 蔦七沼 (Kagaminuma 鏡沼 and Tsutanuma 蔦沼). Some of these activities can be really popular (for example, Keiryu Morning Cafe, which was free-of-charge, was over-subscribed during both of my stays with the hotel), therefore it is advisable to book your desired activities as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

[Oct 2015] Visited the lounge twice. First time was to savour their exquisite apple desserts and French press coffee in the afternoon after checking into the hotel. Second time was to drink a cup of hot chocolate before turning in for the night.  

Room and facilities. The hotel is made up east and west buildings. The main entrance and lobby is located on the second floor of the east building, while the activity desk is located on the second floor of the west building, and both blocks are connected by a passageway on the same floor. There is a shop just beside the lobby, making it convenient for guests to purchase local souvenirs such as food and handicrafts to bring back home with. On my previous visits, the lounge in the east building was a cafe serving apple inspired desserts in the day and a bar at night. Coincidentally, I was assigned to a room located in the east building on both occasions. When I stayed at the hotel with my parents in Oct 2015, we had the modern room (44 m2), which came with two single beds and a sofa bed. On the second occasion in May 2016, I slept in a twin room (28 m2) as the hotel did not have rooms with only one single bed. There is a spa corner located in the east building. On my second stay with the hotel, I indulged in a 30 minutes foot message for the very first time in Japan, to soothe the muscle ache from the hiking carried out in the day.

Forest Myth (Mori no Shinwa 森の神話)

River God (Kashin 河神)

Art. The hotel has dedicated spaces for art work displays. There are two large fireplaces, one in each of the buildings. The chimneys of both fireplaces were masterpieces of the late Taro Okamoto 岡本太郎, a Japanese artist known for his abstract and avant-garde paintings and sculptures. The 8.5 m tall bronze chimney in the east building is named Forest Myth (Mori no Shinwa 森の神話) and was completed in April 1991, while the 10 m tall aluminium alloy chimney in the west building is named River God (Kashin 河神) and was completed in April 1996. Both chimneys were inspired by Oirase Keiryu and the latter was a posthumous work of Taro Okamoto (1911 - 1996). The hotel also collaborates with Towada Arts Center 十和田市現代美術館 to put up contemporary artworks in Oirase Art Cube, an art exhibition space located at the ground floor of the east building.

Art Cube.

Hot spring. Previously, there were two communal bathhouses equipped with hot spring pools, one in each building. The hotel has undergone renewal works over the last couple of years and the hot spring facilities have been revamped. There are indoor and outdoor pools in the communal bathhouses which is separated by gender. Guests will be treated to a panoramic view of Oirase Keiryu and the seasonal decoration of the surrounding vegetation, while soaking in the rotenburo (open air bath). In addition to the in-house facilities, the hotel has another open air bath located about 2 km away. Named Yaekokonoe no yu 八重九重の湯, this secluded open air bath overlooks Kokonoe no taki 九重の滝 (Kokonoe Waterfall) and makes one feel close to nature, while soaking in the slightly white hot spring waters that originates from Hakkoda mountain. As this is a mixed gender bath, guests are allowed to use bathing suits that the hotel provides. There are also stipulated time frames blocked out for respective gender (there are more females only sessions as compared to males), so do check out the schedule before hopping onto the shuttle bus, which operates between the hotel and Yaekokonoe no yu, at entrance of the west building. Visited this remote outdoor hot spring during my second stay with the hotel. Missed the only blocked out period catered for males (at 1700 hrs) and had to settle for the mixed gender session at night. Not embarrassing since all of us (there were a few couples and myself at that point of time) wore bathing suits, just like what we would do in swimming pools. Would have preferred to visit it in the daytime to better make out the surrounding scenery that encapsulates this beautiful hot spring spot.

[Oct 2015] The former Restaurant Oirase. 

[Oct 2015] Dinner splendor.

Meals. There are two restaurants in the hotel, one in each building. When I visited the hotel in Oct 2015, I had a kaiseki style dinner in Restaurant Oirase (west building) and buffet breakfast in Restaurant Akayama 紅山 (east building). On my subsequent stay in May 2016, Restaurant Akayama was transformed into Aomori Ringo Kitchen 青森りんごキッチン but remained as buffet style. In recent years, Restaurant Oirase was converted into a full fledged French cuisine restaurant named Sonore ソノール. Personally I am not a big fan of buffet but I am say I was very impressed by the extensive buffet menu offered by Aomori Ringo Kitchen. As the name of the restaurant suggests, many of the dishes incorporate apples, which is the pride of Aomori, as one of their ingredients. For dinner, I had apple tempura, beef steak drizzled with apple sauce, grilled pork served with apple slices, hot from the oven apple pie and apple sherbet. On the following day, I had a couple of glasses of freshly pressed apple juice, fluffy omelette, apple toast, etc for breakfast.

[May 2016] The revamped Aomori Ringo Kitchen where I had both my meals at.

[May 2016] Fully utilising apples in the buffet menu. Top right: Beef steak with apple sauce; Bottom right: Apple pie; Top left: Apple tempura; Bottom left: Grilled pork with apple slices.

[May 2016] Sumptuous breakfast.

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Oirase Keiryu Hotel 奥入瀬渓流ホテル
〒034-0398 青森県十和田市大字奥瀬字栃久保231
+81-176-51-1117
https://www.oirase-keiryuu.jp/

How to get there?

(1) By hotel complimentary pick up service from the following places:
- Hachinohe Station West Exit (1350 hrs) > Oirase Keiryu Hotel (1500 hrs)
- Shin Aomori Station East Exit (1415 hrs) > Oirase Keiryu Hotel (1600 hrs)
- Aomori Station Bus Terminal (1430 hrs) > Oirase Keiryu Hotel (1600 hrs)
- Aomori Airport (1500 hrs) > Oirase Keiryu Hotel (1620 hrs)
Reservation, either via hotel website or by phone call, is required (at least 3 days in advance of check-in date) to utilise this complimentary pick up service.
https://www.oirase-keiryuu.jp/access/

(2) By JR Bus Tohoku and walk.
- From Aomori Station Bus Terminal Bus Stop 11 or Shin Aomori Station East Exit Bus Stop 1, board JR Bus Tohoku Mizumi-go みずうみ号 heading for Hakkoda Ropeway, Oirase Keiryu and Towada-ko. Alight at Yakeyama 焼山 and walk for another 2 minutes to reach the hotel.
- From Hachinohe Station West Exit, board JR Bus Tohoku Oirase-go おいらせ号 heading for Towada-ko. Alight at Yakeyama 焼山 and walk for another 2 minutes to reach the hotel.
Bus schedule: https://www.jrbustohoku.co.jp/route/detail.php?r=80&rc=11