The Onsen Sanso Ryokan (Kirimei Tsunegawa Mori, Hirakawa City, TEL 090-2450-3852), located in Nurukawa Onsen in Aomori, resumed accommodation operations in September for the first time in 4 years.

The inn was founded in the 1945's and closed in August 2014. According to the president, Takashi Fukuchi, there used to be a few ryokan in Yukawa Onsen, but now there is only one Onsen Sanso, and he is also a member of the Japanese secret hot spring society.

Mr. Fukuchi, who is from Osaka Prefecture, ran a travel agency in Tottori until he started the inn business, but in November 2015 he accidentally discovered the property of Onkawa Sanso Ryokan on the Internet and was attracted. I went to the site thinking that it was for residential use, but I bought it the next month because the view from the terrace and the atmosphere of the building were good. The bath facility was refurbished over a year and a half, and the day-trip bath business started in October 2017.

Mr. Fukuchi said, "At the time of purchase, electricity was running, but I could not use the hot spring because the pump broke down. I was afraid of snow and cold, and I gave up staying in winter in two weeks. From spring 2016. When I started the repair work by myself, some people from Towada and Misawa came to help me, and I realized that I had the cooperation of various people."

"We decided to restart because we received a phone call saying, "Thank you for coming from a remote place," and there were voices waiting for the accommodation business to resume."

Currently, 10 of the 16 guest rooms are in operation, and the room rate is 12,800 yen per person per night (with breakfast and dinner). A day trip bath is also available (500 yen, advance reservation required). It is said that a fan-shaped hot spring floor, which has an indoor bath made of hiba wood and an open-air bath, is rare in Japan.

“A relaxing place surrounded by nature. I want to make an inn where people can spend their time slowly,” says Fukuchi. "I recently witnessed wild monkeys a lot, so I would like to make an inn where you can only experience it here, such as taking a hot spring bath with a monkey," he smiles.