tsutaonsen

Wonderful stay. Impeccable service. Remote but rustically decadent. So relaxing and cozy during our stay between fall and winter. We missed the peak fall leaves but that did not detract from the natural beauty of this area and we still enjoyed the waterfalls of Oirase gorge and the small loop around Tsuta pond greatly. If anything the onsens were even more enjoyable in the cold weather, and we were grateful to have the opportunity to stay in such a historic and well-kept ryokan.

Five ryokans spanning 3 prefectures over 8 days in search of classical beauty of fall foliage in Northern Honshu culminated at this place. It's not the most luxurious nor the best amenities, but one word to sum it up: timeless. The onsen facility is old but well maintained, however it is somehow the most memorable. Perhaps the history of this place leaves more impact. It's the most expensive of the other ryokans hence we only stayed for a night, and it's well worth it. The kaiseki dinner and the breakfast are very solid, serving local ingredients such as the fish freshly caught from nearby Towada lake. We splurged and picked かつら (room 302) which is larger than the standard rooms. Highly recommended.

Lovely place. The baths were one of the best we have experienced in Japan. The food experience was fantastic. The staff very nice and helpful. They have staff that can communicate in English which can be a struggle outside of big cities in Japan. Highly recommended it