Akita Onsen Plaza in Akita

🕗 opening times

comments 5

• 

  P G

  :: 14 January 2023 22:32:12

  We found this on our roadtrip. Arrived by car and booked direct at reception. It's a combination of public onsen bathhouse (real hot-spring onsen water) with ryokan accommodation. So you get day visitors and guests who stay at the accommodation For tourists: please don't ruin this place. If you respect and understand how to bathe in an Onsen or sento with locals, you'll enjoy this experience, because like me, you're probably sick of the idiots who ruin bathhouses by refusing to learn or follow the rules. This place is calming because locals care for each other and the bathhouse (instead of the annoying arrogance displayed by some tourists in major tourist hubs where some people barge through a bathhouse, wilfully ignorant of the rules or others). So if you're a tourist and you don't know the rules, please don't come here and ruin it like a Shinjuku tourist hotel. Please educate yourself. Do your research and read up before centering your experience. There are others in the bathhouse with you. You're sharing this place with everyone else. If you're reading this, then you know Google exists, and it's SUPER easy to read up on onsen/ sento rules before you go. There are SO many articles, videos in many languages to tell you what you do. We are just passing through as guests. So the very least we can do is please learn onsen/sento manners. Let's support local authentic places by being respectful and keeping it clean, caring for the experience of others to keep it a great place for locals.... Reception staff were very friendly and approachable. We stayed overnight, without a set dinner or breakfast. Room: we had the Japanese style/ ryokan room. Tatami mats, toilet but no shower/ bath as the main event is the onsen baths. Onsen is very popular with locals, and we can see why. Beautiful garden in the lounge/ reception area that focuses on the relaxation aspect of an onsen-ryokan. Excellent onsen facilities - water is silky smooth. Sauna, numerous tubs with different temperatures: 37°C tub, 42°C tub, an area with "waterfall" fountains that you sit under to massage your muscles. Outdoor onsen bath was made of hinoki pine, set in a traditional Japanese garden. Beautiful aspect: Moss on rocks, bamboo. Lit beautifully at night time - extremely soothing. 3 x ceramic bathtubs outside, too. The place is busy, and it's full of locals who know the onsen rules, respect the rules and take care of the bathhouse for their community. They clean up after themselves in the shower stalls, they know the onsen manners of putting their hair up in the bath, washing thoroughly with soap and scrubbing before going in the bath, rinsing off after the sauna, drying off with the small body towel before entering the change room, cleaning up in the change room, mopping up any water or loose hair in the change area. It was so calming compared to other hotels where tourists don't seem to care for anyone but themselves. Staff are all wonderful. Mita-san helped me with the arrangements at reception. Sasaki-san was our waitress at dinner. Rooms are clean, huge and cosy. Tea - highlight! Loose leaf tea which was refreshing (rare as most places have tea bags or powdered tea). Dinner: we didn't have the kaiseki (set dinner) but we booked a time for the a la carte menu at the small cafe. You need to book a time as the tables get taken for dinner. Food was delicious. Hamburg steak, Katsuo don, pizza, waffles. Atmosphere: cosy and casual. Less formal than a ryokan, but more comfortable because it's local and chill. A communal bath is about treating each other with care and respect. It's about the calm that comes from sharing, with kindness and care for others. And this place was relaxing and calming. I hope we keep supporting such a great local place that offers a retreat and natural hot-spring baths. One of the best onsen bathhouses and ryokan-style hotels we have stayed at so far. The garden itself is a beautiful attraction. Thank you for a wonderful stay!

• 

  Nara Froz

  :: 18 July 2020 13:48:07

  Great price! Around 4-5000 yen, perfect hot spring and baths, have sauna, conditioner for hair, but restricted for ppl with tattoos. Anywhere they let us go to got spring just asked us to go I’m not busy time.

• 

  Cleofe Albano

  :: 12 October 2019 12:43:04

  Most professional and kind staff, amazing food and amazing Onsen. We were greeted and looked after all members of staff. The lovely lady serving breakfast and the one cleaning the onsen were extraordinarily kind, and treated me like the most important person in the world. The Yukata was silky and futon so comfortable. Woke up to sound of birds. The female outdoor Onsen was so clean and calm I wish I had never left the Ryokan. Will recommend and hopefully come back next time I am in Japan. Thank you for making my stay special. I will miss you.

• 

  Joseph Iskarius

  :: 24 February 2019 14:37:12

  I visited here as a part of a group activity and stayed for the night. The location is ideal, as it is not too far from the Akita University, about 10 minutes by car. When you step inside the building you are greeted by friendly staff and you get to enjoy the spacious lobby area that's perfect for relaxation. Rooms we stayed in were comfortable and I was able to rest well. The rooms dedicated for groups were also good. However, the food and onsen are the main attractions, and I'm sure you won't be disappointed by either. Traditional Japanese food is served to you by masterful chefs and the outdoor onsen is truly amazing, especially in the winter when you can see snow and feel the wind blowing as you spend time relaxing in the warm bath. Overall, I really enjoyed my time and recommend you give it a try

• 

  Nono Horiuchi

  :: 31 March 2018 21:03:59

  There are around 4 kinds of hot springs you can enjoy, plus a sauna with a TV. The place is a bit crowded at certain times, though.