よい子
[Sapporo City, Hokkaido] On December 5, 2021 (Sunday), a hot spring inn in Jozankei. Location: From Sapporo city center, take National Route 230 south. Cross the Toyohira River, turn west, and continue straight. Once you enter the hot spring town, turn right at the "Jozankei Onsen Higashi 3" intersection. Cross the Toyohira River again, continue straight, and you will see it on your left. It is 27km from Sapporo city center, a 40-minute to just under 1-hour drive. If you make a reservation by the day before, the inn's shuttle bus will come to Odori Station, so you can stay without having to use a rental car. Departure times are 14:30 and 17:00. Regarding bus routes, there are 3 systems available: municipal, Donan Bus, and Jotetsu Bus, making access convenient. Established in 1957 (Showa 32). Probably the most famous inn in Jozankei Onsen. A majestic 7-story building with a total of 58 rooms. Written as "Hotel" but read as "Houteiru," derived from a calligraphy piece created by a calligrapher in the 1950s. It is said to mean "a place where treasures stay in the hearts of guests." Below is an introduction to a plan for one person at ¥20,300. * For 2 people in one room, Sunday stay with breakfast and dinner included. Sapporo City's support program "Sapporo Winter Discount" applies a ¥5,000 discount. -------------------------------------------------- ■ Guest Room This time, a spacious twin room in Western style. The welcome sweets are steamed kintsuba. In addition to mineral water in the refrigerator, pumpkin pudding is also provided. It's small but a thoughtful handmade hospitality, which is delightful. It comes with a cypress indoor bath that draws spring water. Unlike the large communal bath, it uses "non-circulating hot water" without adding water or heat, ensuring the freshness of the hot spring. Although not an open-air bath, considering the winter in Hokkaido, it seems warm and comfortable. -------------------------------------------------- ■ Lounge The lounge where you can use yukata or samue is a stylish space with dim lighting. Stylish sofas are arranged, and there is also a space reminiscent of a tea ceremony. During your stay, coffee and soft drinks are provided free of charge, and from 17:00 to 18:00, you can taste three types of Japanese sake. Although in small quantities, it is free to refill, so it's amusing to get a little tipsy before dinner (laughs). The sweet potato chips that come with it are surprisingly delicious... The non-alcoholic hojicha milk is subtly sweet with an authentic taste. While we didn't experience it, there seems to be shochu tasting after dinner and yogurt provided in the morning. All of these are free, making it quite a fulfilling service. -------------------------------------------------- ■ Hot Spring There are two large communal baths in the main building and annex. The spring quality is sodium-chloride spring. Some parts use a circulation system. As it is a relatively large ryokan, it ensures a capacity for a large number of people to enter at once. Day trip bathing was available in the past, but it is currently suspended due to infection control measures. There are private baths on the 6th floor and rooftop, and if you make a reservation at the front desk, staying guests can use them for free for 40 minutes. I chose the rooftop for the view. I secured a time in the early morning, just before dawn. It was the season where it was cold but not extremely cold. I enjoyed a leisurely bath while looking at the monochrome scenery typical of Hokkaido. -------------------------------------------------- ■ Dinner (¥8000 equivalent) The Japanese meal set comes in 3 courses: ¥5000, ¥8000, and ¥10000, and I chose the middle-range option. Due to the high number of guests that day, the dinner start time was limited. We had no issues, but if you are particular about the start time, it is recommended to check-in early. This time, the dinner venue was "Kuwano." It is almost a completely private room, maintaining a sense of privacy. Since it has a sunken kotatsu, you won't get tired even after a long time. ◎ Asahikawa City, Masamune Sake Brewery "Kunihosononamitorizake" (¥880) ◎ Asahikawa City, Kosho Sake Brewery "Kokushimusou" (¥770) We started with Hokkaido's local sake. The design on the sake pitcher and cups is based on the Kappa legend passed down in Jozankei. ◎ Kuwano's proud 100% soba It is rare for a ryokan to serve soba towards the end of the meal, but its appearance as the first dish is unusual. It has a light color with no rough texture, not appearing to be 100% soba, but it matched well with the appetizers...