After eating soba noodles, I headed to a private bath here. The owner said, "It's getting cold, so I've made the water hot for you." Oh? The open-air bath by the river looks beautiful! It was repaired due to damage from last year's earthquake. It's a shame about the price increase, but it can't be helped. I bought a drink from the vending machine in the rest area. Click! It's delicious. Day bathing: 700 yen, Bayaris Orange: 120 yen. Thank you for the meal!

I couldn't open the door... I will try again next time.

Hokkaido, Kitayuzawa. A hot spring resort in Date City located in a gorge. It is a quiet hot spring resort with various small and large hot spring inns scattered along the flow of the Nagaregawa River. "Oyado Kawasemi" is a popular inn with a mixed-gender outdoor bath in Kitayuzawa. It is quite popular, so it can get crowded on weekends. The entrance of the building exudes a quaint atmosphere with a touch of nostalgia. The old-fashioned facilities have a nostalgic feel with traditional items like a hearth and doll figurines still in place. Upon entering, you take off your shoes at the entrance and head to the changing room. The women's changing area is a bit small with enough baskets for six people. I spoke to a regular guest in the changing room, and she mentioned that there was no one in the women's bath, but the outdoor bath was crowded. Going down the stairs to the indoor bath, it was empty, providing a serene bathing experience. The transparent water sparkled under the sunlight, creating a refreshing atmosphere. The entrance to the outdoor bath was a bit tricky to find, but it had a small door that you enter and exit through, almost like a ninja's secret passage. There is also a small women's-only outdoor bath nearby, although the view is obstructed by a bamboo blind. The bath receives a cool breeze from the river, making it quite pleasant. The alkaline spring water with a pH of 8.5 leaves the skin smooth and rejuvenated after soaking. There is a small resting area on the left side where you can relax after bathing. You can sit on a large wooden stump-like chair or on the tatami mats. Some locals were lounging on the tatami mats, creating a laid-back atmosphere. After bathing, you can enjoy a relaxing break with a cold drink. The dinner consists of a variety of dishes made with locally sourced mountain vegetables and seafood from the nearby sea. The meal includes sashimi, grilled dishes, simmered dishes, deer stew, rice, pickles, and dessert. Despite the mountainous location of Kitayuzawa, the abundance of seafood in the dinner menu is due to Date City's proximity to a fishing port. The hot spring water was excellent, and the food was delicious. The price for a one-night stay with two meals starts from 6,500 yen for adults. There are larger hot spring hotels in Kitayuzawa, but the quality of the hot spring water at this inn is exceptional.

Passing through a cave-like and construction site-like passage in the ruins, you will come across an open-air bath with a rare refreshing location facing the river. I have never seen any women, but it is possible to mix gender in the bath, although it may be a bit challenging for women unless they are very accustomed to the setting. After bathing, you can enjoy a refreshing feeling with a carbonated Metz drink, delicious! 【Below is a reprint of the inn's PR】 Located at the far end of the Okudoiwa Onsen area is Kitayuzawa Onsen. Surrounded by the natural beauty of rivers and mountains, abundant wild vegetables can be found here. We take pride in our dinner menu that incorporates these wild vegetables and fresh seafood from the nearby port of Shuttsu. The colorless and odorless hot spring water warms the body to its core. Enjoy the two mixed-gender open-air baths and the women's only open-air bath, which are right by the river and offer a rustic charm. Immerse yourself in the flowing hot spring water and open-air baths. Spring quality: Alkaline simple hot spring, pH: 8.2 (weak alkaline). Towel wrapping: Allowed.

I consider myself a fan of hot springs. I had heard about this inn before (especially the open-air bath), but in the past, my companion didn't like this type of accommodation, so I only stayed at a large and well-equipped hot spring hotel in Kita-Yuzawa Onsen. In recent years, perhaps due to age, my tolerance has expanded a bit, and after reading the reviews of My Reviewers DianeSas and Katsuro, I decided to stay at the inn Kawasemi. I arrived around 5 pm and noticed a blue tarp at the entrance of the inn. I hesitated, looking at my companion's expression. The interior of the inn felt a bit old, but it was clean and acceptable to me. The room did not have a sink or toilet. During check-in, I was asked about the dinner time (6 pm, 6:30 pm, 7 pm), and I requested 6:30 pm. Despite the approaching dinner time, I first took a bath. The key to the private bath was missing or broken, so I waited a bit before entering. The women's open-air bath, described as a hidden gem on the website, was small with a shower and a door that was narrow and low, making it a bit challenging to enter. However, I enjoyed the bath, as the water was comfortable and not tiring. For dinner, I had an anglerfish hot pot and grilled saffron cod, among other dishes, with a bottle of beer. The food was plentiful and delicious, especially the saffron cod. After dinner, I visited the mixed-gender open-air bath for women from 7 pm to 8 pm, which was connected to the river. There were no hairdryers in the changing room, but they could be borrowed. In the hallway, there was a fridge for guests to use, and you could bring your own drinks. Breakfast was served at 7:30 am, but I requested an earlier time. Overall, I paid 6,500 yen for one night with two meals included, which I found to be a reasonable price. I received a free pass for the hot springs in Oku-Toya Onsen for two days when staying at the inn.

I read the reviews of Daiansasu and felt nostalgic, so I decided to stay there after a long time. The building is old, so there is a rustic charm with issues like managing valuables, slight tobacco smell, and the outdoor passageways. If you prefer clean facilities, you may be better off at a nearby large tourist hotel. However, if you enjoy hot springs and a rustic atmosphere, this place is recommended. There is one indoor bath for men and women each, and two mixed-gender outdoor baths. The outdoor baths used to be separated by gender, but now they are connected. There is also a women-only time from 7-8pm. The meals are served in the dining room on the first floor, and they have improved since my last visit. The intention seems to be to make guests enjoy more than what they paid for, making it a place you would want to visit again. The dinner consisted of angler hot pot (local produce), simmered hokke (sweet and spicy), sashimi (bonito, red sea bream, salmon, sweet shrimp), golden pork and locally grown pesticide-free shiitake mushrooms on a ceramic plate, small dishes (mini scallops with butterbur miso), chawanmushi, fruits, pickles, rice. The red flounder and shiitake mushrooms, and butterbur miso left a lasting impression. The sashimi and simmered dishes vary depending on the season. The breakfast also had a variety of dishes, and self-serve coffee was included. It would be nice to have warm grilled fish in the morning, but at this price point, it might be difficult. The hot spring water is alkaline simple hot spring, with a source temperature of 90.4℃, ph8.5, and power-lifted. The water is diluted due to the high temperature but is otherwise untreated and continuously flowing. Maintaining the bath facilities must be quite challenging. You can enjoy the refreshing and slightly slippery hot spring water. The indoor baths are small, mainly for washing the body. Thank you for your hospitality. 1 night with 2 meals starts from 6500 yen, check-in at 2 pm, check-out at 9:30 am. They are part of the Okutoya Onsen Group, so you can enjoy free access to the baths in other inns within the group with the "Stay and Enjoy Free Bathing" program.

In December 2011, I stayed at this inn, which I had visited about eight years ago. I still remember the open-air hot spring by the river very well. I heard that the management had changed since then. This time, I decided to stay here again and booked a plan called "Kitayuzawa ☆ Chef's Special Kaiseki Meal Plan; 1 night 2 meals; 1 room for 2 people; 6,500 yen per person" on a travel agency's website. It seems to be a limited-time offer, and surprisingly cheap. We stayed on a holiday, and there were about 5-6 other groups of guests besides us. The guests included young couples, middle-aged couples, families, and groups of two men, showing a wide range of clientele. The inn is located along National Route 453 in Kitayuzawa Onsen. It faces the national highway on one side and the Nagarekawa River on the other. There is a parking space next to the building. The building used to be a traditional Japanese restaurant, and it has a charming atmosphere. Although it shows its age, it was well maintained and clean. The owners, the husband and wife, seemed quiet but warm in their hospitality. [Guest Room] The inn is small, with only 8 rooms. We were led to a room facing the national highway on the second floor. The room consisted of two adjoining rooms, with futons already laid out in the back room. This was convenient as we could lie down whenever we wanted. The room could be locked from the inside but not from the outside. Although the room did not have a toilet, bath, or sink, there were facilities nearby, so it was not a problem. However, the noise from passing large trucks on the national highway was somewhat bothersome. [Baths] The highlight of this inn is the spacious open-air hot spring. Guests can reach the open-air bath by walking through a narrow covered passageway from the communal indoor bath or the private entrance for guests. The upper open-air bath can accommodate about 30 people and has both deep and shallow sections, with some parts covered by a roof. On the other hand, the lower open-air bath is located on the riverbank of the Nagarekawa River and can accommodate about 10 people. It offers a fantastic open view, including the abandoned tracks of the JR Hidaka Main Line on the opposite bank of the river. The snowy scenery was beautiful when we visited. Please be careful when using the narrow stairs to descend to the lower bath, as it can be slippery in winter. Both baths are supplied with plenty of natural hot spring water at a comfortable temperature, providing a truly relaxing experience. The hot spring water is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, but after soaking for a long time, we felt thoroughly warmed up. Both the upper and lower baths are generally mixed-gender, but from 7 to 8 pm, the upper bath is reserved for women only. Additionally, the upper bath is spacious with curtains placed in various areas, so mixed-gender bathing may not be a concern for most guests. [Meals] Dinner and breakfast are served in the tatami room on the first floor. Although the space is not large, each group of guests has their own separated seating area, so we didn't feel crowded by other guests. The dinner was surprisingly abundant in variety for the price we paid, and each dish was quite delicious. The meal started with a sashimi platter, squid and leek salad, steamed egg custard with lily bulbs, anglerfish hot pot, pork grilled on a ceramic plate, pickles, and apple dessert on the table. Later, grilled Atka mackerel was served. The Atka mackerel dish was particularly impressive. We had only eaten split Atka mackerel before, so this whole fish (serving 2 people) with head and tail intact felt very fresh. It was a local product from the Tottori Bay. The flesh was tender and moist, with just the right amount of fat, making it a delicious dish. The daikon radish soaked in the broth was also tasty. We enjoyed pouring the broth over rice at the end. On the other hand, breakfast was not particularly distinctive, but the variety of side dishes was satisfying. This inn is ideal for those who love hot springs (especially hidden ones) or those looking for a relaxing retreat.