Tohoku Vacations from $1,787

Good onsen and you can choose your own pillows

This two-story home is so beautiful! It’s decorated in a modern, minimalist, somewhat Scandinavian style. I originally booked this place because I fell in love with the bathtub picture and thought that the extra space would be nice. Once I entered the place, I was blown away by the little details like the comfortable bed and bedding, how soft the towels were, and how nice it was to listen to the record player and even just gazing at the ceiling beams. (I felt transported to another place simply relaxing in the home and listening to music.) It’s hard to describe the peaceful, cozy feeling one gets from soaking in these thoughtful interior design elements. I want to go back already! One thing to note is to make sure you get a number code for the door to check in. (Due to a system error, I didn’t receive this message. I called the host and he was very quick in walking me through check-in.) All my communication with the host was warm and welcoming, enhancing my stay even further. I would 100% recommend staying here, and I myself would love to go back someday. Hopefully soon.

Extremely friendly and caring staf. Excellent property and a very enjoyable Ryokan

Very nice staff and the included breakfast was incredibly delicious

The rooftop onsen is so great at this hotel—there’s an infinity pool edge where you can look out into the horizon and sky that is so beautiful to see (there’s a section outside where you can lie down in the water; they also provide women towels to shield against the wind). I would come back to this hotel for this experience alone! The food was pretty good too—stand-outs include the scallop, amaebi, kanpachi, and the crab legs! As for my room, I splurged on the junior suite because of the tub—while soaking, you can look out the window and watch the clouds go by, a wonderful feeling. Lastly, the staff offered a welcome gift of dango—probably the best I’ve ever had.