I received a stamp at the Michi-no-Eki in Esashi, so I decided to visit the day-use hot spring here. The day-use hot spring facility "Todopokkuru" inside Hotel Keifu offers two types of hot springs: "carbonated hydrogen salt spring" and "sodium chloride spring" for only 400 yen per adult. The outdoor baths have a jacuzzi and a rock bath, allowing me to relax and unwind for about an hour and a half. After the hot spring, there is a vending machine corner on the left and a rest area with a snack corner on the right. I decided to have lunch since it was around noon. I enjoyed a cold Asahi Style Free (500ml) for 360 yen and some crispy and delicious octopus tempura for 500 yen. My companion had the famous seafood bowl for 1100 yen, which included tuna, yellowtail, salmon, scallops, octopus, squid, sweet shrimp, and salmon roe. Although I didn't get to taste it myself, my companion was very satisfied and said it was delicious. Although it's quite far from my home, I would love to revisit when I'm in the southern Hokkaido area. Thank you, Keifu, for the wonderful experience!

One day, I received a pair of accommodation vouchers for Hotel Keifu sent by registered mail, and I was shocked to think that I may have used up all my luck for the year. There are three types of accommodation plans, and the pair voucher is for the "Wind Plan" (the most luxurious one). I enjoyed my stay there. The cost for the Wind Plan was around 12,000 yen per person. When I made a reservation and mentioned that I had a pair voucher, they accommodated me for an additional 2,200 yen per person. I was grateful for that. The reservation was confirmed the day before via phone call, showing that the hotel is well-organized. Upon check-in at 3 pm, I was greeted by an elderly man and a competent-looking woman. There were no other guests. Dinner was supposed to start at 5:30 pm, but the earliest slot was already full. However, after checking with the woman, they were able to accommodate me at 5:30 pm. I was relieved. The private hot spring bath for guests on the 3rd floor offers a panoramic view. It can be used throughout the night. The shampoo provided was different from the shared bath. The shared bath closes at 8 pm due to the pandemic. The private bath disappointed me as the sauna closed at 8 pm. I immediately went to the shared bath at 3 pm and enjoyed the sauna alone. I also took a bath after dinner and used the private bath once in the morning, enjoying the outdoor bath with a view of Mount Kei. Dinner satisfaction rating: 3.7. The dinner started at 5:30 pm. Initially, I was disappointed with the appearance of the meal set. When asked about drinks, the competent woman from the front desk recommended a self-service drink bar for 880 yen per hour, where you can pour your own drinks. My companion ordered a discounted Kiku Masamune cold sake for 300 yen (tax included). The hotel offers a unique experience where you can make your own lemon sour or highball. The dinner consisted of various dishes, including appetizers, simmered potatoes, sashimi, grilled chicken, seafood shumai, miso-glazed yellowtail, and rice. Some dishes were disappointing, such as the overly spicy grilled chicken and the difficult-to-eat miso-glazed yellowtail. The seafood shumai and the accompanying squid legs tempura were decent. Overall, the dinner was satisfactory, with some hits and misses.

The Keiyama Bento is available not only for mountain climbing and hiking, but also for lunch. You can eat it on the spot or take it home. The basic menu includes a rice ball with dried seaweed for 800 yen, but depending on the season, the content and price may vary, with options for a satisfying meal starting at 1000 yen. The ingredients are mainly sourced from the mountains and sea of Keiyama. Reservations are required in advance, so it's best to book at least 2 days in advance.

I somehow managed to make a reservation at a nearby hot spring that I wanted to enjoy every month. This month, I had booked this place. When I checked in at 3 o'clock, there were people of a similar age and perhaps similar mindset. Due to COVID-19 measures, check-in took longer than usual, and there were yukatas to choose from near the elevator on the floor where my room was located. There was also an ashtray there, so I guess there was no setting for non-smoking rooms. In the room, there was a hot spring manju (steamed bun), which of course you could buy at the store. I tried the private bath for guests right away, but the shower manners of the older lady I encountered were poor, which dampened my mood. I occasionally experience such situations. I regained my composure and went into the outdoor bath. It was hot, but the water was really good. I appreciated the benefits while looking at the mountains of Mount E-san. For dinner, I chose the Wind Course, a Tokutoku Plan to casually enjoy the seafood. There were more expensive courses available, but I remembered not being that impressed before, so I chose this one. When I tried it, there was abalone sashimi, fried chicken, shrimp tempura, and other daily recommended dishes that you could also add if you wanted more. The Wind Course included an appetizer (which was the most delicious, with the rest declining in quality), seaweed salad, a sashimi platter, Shiretoko chicken and mushroom sauce, fried rockfish, miso-grilled yellowtail, rice, pickles, soup (for some reason, rice and soup were self-service), and dessert (a bit lackluster, with coffee also self-service). Five years ago when I visited, I had a similar impression, with the octopus being delicious compared to other dishes. Breakfast was still the best, with good rice and local meat sausages from Hokkaido. Since check-out was at 11 o'clock, I was able to enjoy the hot spring once more after the meal. The store was selling octopus, which is delicious in this area, so I bought some to take home.

One of the 100 famous mountains in Hokkaido, popular among climbers in the southern part of the region, "Mt. Keizan" was visited with the intention of being an accommodation for mountain trips. "Hotel Keifu" is a small hotel located at the foot of Mt. Keizan, standing on Keizan Cape, boasting two types of spring wells with flowing hot springs and dishes made with fresh ingredients from Maehama fishing port. The name "Keifu" is written as "cape" in English, a clever naming that rhymes with Keizan Cape. It is located 90 minutes from Hakodate, for more details please check on the Tabelog screen. The southern part of Hokkaido is a treasure trove of gourmet food and hot springs, so there are various ways to enjoy it. Starting from a business hotel in Hakodate, you can explore izakayas and shops, relax at Yugawa Onsen, or even line up for breakfast at a famous hotel. However, this time the choice is Mt. Keizan. The blessings of the mountain have showered me with abalone, steak, and sushi in the form of "Go to" Kei. Furthermore, the parking lot at Mt. Keizan itself is the trailhead, so you can park your car, prepare for climbing with drinks, refreshments, and toilets at the hotel, enjoy the approximately 3-hour climb of the famous spiritual spot Mt. Keizan, and check in directly, making it the hotel closest to heaven for climbers. The only issue is the weather, but that is a matter of one's daily actions and self-responsibility. It's not my fault. This time it was sunny, and I boasted to my partner, "It's because my daily actions are good," to which she replied, "It's not you, it's because my actions are good," and so on. We argued about who was responsible, but couldn't come to a conclusion. It could be neither of us. So, after absorbing plenty of negative ions on the forest bathing course designated as a prefectural park, and sweating with moderate exercise, I enjoyed the highly effective hot spring. This facility also operates as a day trip bathing facility and offers a source-flowing main bath and a circulating main bath, as well as a popular hot spring for women with beautiful skin, "carbonate hydrogen salt spring," and a highly sterilizing "sodium chloride spring" in small baths and open-air baths. The sauna is a high-temperature far-infrared type, but there is no TV, and there is only one sand timer for the sauna, so it's not the best sauna experience. The cold water bath is experiential, but at around 16°C, it is not too lukewarm, allowing you to stay in for a long time. The shampoo and body soap quality varies, but it's closer to the lower end. Even I, who doesn't pay much attention, can clearly tell when it's bad, so I think it's better to bring your own bath products. In addition to this, guests can use the exclusive bathhouse for guests at any time during their stay. After sweating, I went to the day-trip relaxation corner for a beer before dinner. This is my special treat when I stay as a driver. ■ Dinner "Kei Course" ◆ Assorted hors d'oeuvres I enjoyed ham, crab claws, and smoked salmon mixed with sauce and vegetables. A healthy dish that goes well with alcohol. ◆ Three kinds of small dishes I nibbled on various appetizers. ◆ Sashimi Served in a sashimi bucket, an impressive assortment of tuna, button shrimp, octopus, salmon, scallops, and sea urchin. I don't know the exact place of origin, but it was delicious. However, it takes up space and there are other dishes, so I ate it early. ◆ Meat dish Beef loin steak I was delighted to have a warm steak at this timing. It's not very voluminous, but there are plenty of other things to eat, so it's not a problem. It was a tender and delicious loin meat. ◆ Fish dish Scallop bacon roll ◆ Fried food Fried golden threadfish ◆ Grilled dish Grilled cod Elegant seasoning on the cod, which also goes well with sake. ◆ Hot dish Dancing grilled abalone Grilled abalone with butter soy sauce for a rich flavor and chewy texture, it was delicious. ◆ Meal Nigiri sushi Sea urchin, salmon roe, tuna, mackerel ◆ Soup ◆ Dessert Homemade water yokan and petit cake I leisurely enjoyed a cold sake with a separate order. ■ Breakfast Buffet Salmon, squid, sweet shrimp, and salmon roe are all-you-can-eat, so I transformed them into a seafood bowl. If there is a place with salmon roe, it doesn't have to be a famous inn.

The ingredients were good and the cooking was not bad, but there were many disappointing points. The timing of bringing the dishes was off. It's not a high-end restaurant, so I don't expect them to cater to our eating pace, but I did think there should be some order. It's a local facility serving meals, so I won't ask for luxury, but since it's in a nice location, I would like to come back again.

Hotel Keifu is a popular hotel located at the foot of Mount Esan, a smoking active volcano, with stunning seaside views and a reputation for great food. It was selected in the 2017 Michelin Special Edition. Right now, you can stay for half price at 7500 yen with a special discount for local residents. For dinner that night, we had a variety of appetizers, pumpkin tofu, assorted sashimi, pork piccata, seafood shumai, amberjack miso-yaki on a ceramic plate, rice, miso soup with rock seaweed, and silky panna cotta. We also added white wine and abalone sashimi to complement the meal. The food was carefully prepared and delicious. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

I ordered the usual Ebi-Ten Zaru for 850 yen, and the head chef gave me a complimentary Daikon Oroshi Ae with crispy texture. It was served quickly. Thank you for the meal!

The soba noodles have a decent texture and flavor, and the dipping sauce is on the sweeter side. The shrimp tempura is soft and crispy, so I finished everything. I used salt from the condiment box for seasoning. If you want sauce, just ask the staff.

For only 1100 yen, you can enjoy a hot spring and a bento box from the restaurant. This time, due to the pandemic and New Year, I spent a lot of money on souvenirs at Megumi-san's place... I had it topped with pickled radish and it was delicious!

After a drive or a walk, there is a budget-friendly menu available for light snacks and bathing. For noodle lovers, there is ramen and soba available, with flavors comparable to specialty shops priced at 850 yen. There are also sets available with makunouchi bento or curry starting from 1100 yen.

The breakfast at Hotel Keifu is a buffet. I chose Japanese food and enjoyed a variety of Hokkaido seafood.

I stayed at Hotel Keifu, recommended by my relatives, and chose a room with a private open-air bath. I decided to upgrade the meal since it was a special occasion. When I checked in, I set the dinner time and headed to the restaurant on time. Even before eating, it was clear that the content and volume were different from other tables. The sashimi was served in a bucket for each person, which was quite impressive. As I continued eating, more and more dishes kept coming. It even got to the point where they couldn't fit on the table anymore, but they kept bringing more. It was amazing. What made me happy was that when I requested to change the abalone to something else, they replaced it with beef shabu-shabu. It was so tender and delicious with a rich broth for dipping. It was wonderful. I was so full that I couldn't finish the wine. When I returned to my room, they delivered the leftover wine bottle to my room. It was truly a luxurious experience. For breakfast, there was a buffet with a variety of dishes such as salmon roe, sweet shrimp, live squid, tarako, seafood rice bowl, shishamo smelt, Matsumae pickles, simmered and grilled dishes, vegetables, sausages, and more. I enjoyed the seafood rice bowl so much that I had seconds. I was full and satisfied from the morning. Everything during my stay was satisfying and enjoyable. I definitely gained some weight from this experience. Before leaving, I decided to sweat it out in the open-air bath in my room. It was a wonderful hot spring inn.

The dinner we had at Hotel Keifu was the Fisherman's Dinner Plan, so the menu was provided in advance in the room. The meal included a variety of dishes such as strawberry wine, pumpkin tofu, sashimi platter, grilled scallops, dancing abalone, fried flounder, and seafood hot pot. The food was delicious, but the pace of serving was a bit rushed, causing some dishes to get cold. The dessert was melon pudding, which was also tasty. Overall, the meal was enjoyable, but it would have been better if the timing of serving and heating the dishes was more coordinated.

I had breakfast at a hotel called "Keifu" facing Cape Esan in southern Hokkaido. I enjoyed a buffet breakfast. Cape Esan is located at the tip of the Oshima Peninsula, and there is also a Esan Cape Lighthouse. The hotel is located right in front of this cape. The room was a Japanese-style room with hot spring facilities, and the large public bath was very relaxing. The breakfast buffet featured a variety of seafood, including squid sashimi, octopus simmered in soy sauce, smelt, grilled salmon, tuna, salmon, shrimp, and mackerel sashimi. In addition, there was unlimited salmon roe and spicy cod roe. This is a unique feature of Hokkaido buffets. It's not often you can have unlimited salmon roe at other places, which is fantastic. With salmon roe and sashimi available, you can make your own seafood bowl. There were also salads, tempura, egg dishes, seaweed, and seaweed salad. It was a breakfast where you could enjoy the goodness of Hokkaido.

Hotel in Esan near Hakodate. When the weather is bad, you can't see anything, but there's a lighthouse right by the sea. When the weather is good, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the sea and the lighthouse. Guests can enter the lighthouse museum for free. Dinner: Appetizers - Various dishes like prosciutto, salmon, crab, chicken skewers, etc. Side dishes - Grated yam. Sashimi - Tuna, octopus, scallop, sea snail, kelp, sea urchin. Fish dish - Turbot with sea urchin and egg omelette, quiche. Meat dish - Pork and vegetable tempura. Hot dish - Seafood simmered dish (scallops, turbot roe, vegetables, cod). Meal - Rice, miso soup, pickles. Dessert - Panna cotta, fruit. Satisfied with the variety of sashimi. All fresh and delicious. The meat dish was surprisingly tasty, juicy, and rich in flavor. The hot dish received high praise for its kelp broth. This area is known for its kelp fishing. The miso soup with seaweed was also delicious. A mix of Japanese and Western cuisine. Breakfast was a buffet. The DIY seafood bowl was famous. Shrimp, salmon, salmon roe, tuna, and pickled mackerel were the only options, but they were surprisingly tasty. My father even said this was the best part. I ended up eating too much from the other breakfast options as well. I didn't have high expectations due to the low price, but I was very satisfied with the bath and meals. I would love to stay here again when I visit Hakodate.

During Golden Week, my daughter was coming to visit, so I was looking for a cheap and good hot spring. I've been to many affordable places in Yunokawa, and although it's far from Esashi, the Keifun, which is only 40-50 minutes from the airport, seemed nice, so I made a reservation. After Matsue and Esashi, I haven't been to Keizan because it's a bit far. The price was reasonable even during Golden Week, around 8,000 yen per person, and I chose a 14-tatami mat Japanese-style room. I remembered how happy my daughter was when she made a seafood bowl at the Ravista before, so I chose this place. These days, I often choose accommodations based on breakfast. I didn't really understand the hot springs, but my daughter and I like lukewarm ones, but in the end, the water here was hot. The communal bath for guests was also hot. The open-air bath was hot, the jacuzzi was hot, and everyone was okay with adding water, which was a relief. When I went to pick up the kids at the airport and saw their faces, I felt relieved first, and then thought, "These people want to come back, so I should make sure they can come back anytime." (They come with a light heart and attire, though.) For now, I listened to their lively work stories while heading to Keizan. Just being able to see the sea made my daughter feel like she was in a different world. "It's been a while since we've been here." Even though it's not Hakodate, it's always associated with Hakodate. On the way there, we continued to look at the sea from Toi. We arrived around 5 o'clock, took a break, and had dinner. I was given a menu, so I had a rough idea of what the meal would be like, which was nice. The taro and octopus, which were prepared with simple ingredients rather than fancy techniques like piccata or chawanmushi, were delicious. (I forgot to take a photo of the grilled taro.) After dinner, I planned to take a bath and then have soft-serve ice cream, but unfortunately, the soft-serve shop closed at 7 o'clock. The soft-serve made with milk from the ranch looked delicious. Breakfast was also a seafood bowl that my daughter was so happy to make. The octopus in the morning was soft and delicious, and the octopus in the simmered dish was also delicious, so this place might be remembered as a delicious octopus inn. The breakfast buffet of morning squid sashimi, which is a specialty here, is planned to be available from the end of July to around December 20, so traveling during that time might be nice.