Kosui

We visited for a day trip to the hot springs and lunch. Perhaps because we visited on a Sunday in early December, when the autumn leaves were almost gone, there were seven groups ahead of us at 11:00 a.m. when the baths opened. We had to wait about 10 minutes at the entrance as each group was ushered in individually. Since some customers were looking for lunch and others were just visiting the hot springs, we had to wait another 10 minutes in the lobby after checking in, and several groups seemed annoyed. (It's a small hot spring, so please come prepared.) We were shown to our seats and explained the menu. They were currently not serving wild boar hotpot, but they could offer cousin hotpot (boar and pork). (They said they were serving cousin hotpot because they would run out of boar alone and would not be able to serve many customers.) We were also told that the baths were currently busy, so it would be best to eat after a meal, so we decided to eat first. While the baths were crowded, most were run by a single man, suggesting a mismatch between supply and demand. There were a young man and a female waiter, but they seemed a bit clumsy, perhaps because they were still new to the service. Even when we ordered cold water, we had to wait about 10 minutes. The meal arrived about 30 minutes later. The main waiter, an elderly man, seemed busy repeatedly explaining things to new customers. (It seemed completely over capacity.) It also seemed like most couples wanted a private gourmet bath, but they are currently not offering private baths. I hope they update their website. The main dish, the cousin hotpot, was seasoned with miso and the wild boar meat was thick and delicious, with no odor. Honestly, I didn't think the pork was necessary. Since the amount of meat was small, I think just having wild boar would be more satisfying. The small side dishes and pickles were also delicious, making it a great value for the money. After the meal, it was time for the main bath. Currently, the open-air bath is for women, and the indoor bath is for men. The indoor men's bath is crammed with five people. It feels like it's busy when it's crowded, with only three people able to stretch out. However, the spring water quality is excellent. My skin feels smooth after a bath. By the way, the women's area is even more cramped, with three people squeezing in. Apparently, the washing area was completely visible from the bridge on the street and the boats on Lake Kameyama, which was embarrassing. Also, the water pressure in the showers in both the indoor and outdoor baths was very low. One of the three showers only had a trickle, lol. I think it's a fun hot spring if you have the time and space to relax.

I visited for the first time for the wild game boar hotpot. After listening to the menu, I ordered yuba soba. My partner ordered the tender boar hotpot (rare fillet) for an additional 300 yen. We were told at the beginning that regular boar meat is so tough you can't chew it with dentures (lol). The yuba was delicious. After we started with just the yuba, they explained various ways to eat the yuba soba, such as dipping it in wasabi soy sauce, which was great. They even prepared two servings of soba soup and hotpot plates so that we could both enjoy both dishes. The wild boar hotpot was delicious. The mountain jellyfish appetizer that came with it was also delicious. And best of all, the hot spring is free for those who ordered lunch, so it was great value for money. The hot spring water was thick and dark. The bathtub was small, just big enough for three people. It wasn't crowded, so it wasn't a problem. We ordered lunch first, and while we were in the hot spring, it was prepared and ready to eat as soon as we got out. The facility itself is old, but I was satisfied with being able to spend a relaxing time eating my meal and looking out at the lake.

I came here once during the autumn foliage 🍁 season, but it was reservation-only and I couldn't find any other restaurants, leaving me without a lunch spot. I tried again, called to confirm, and on January 22nd, I enjoyed the hot springs and wild boar hot pot. The view of Lake Kameyama was barren, but the hot spring ♨️ was black water and we had it all to ourselves. Watching a flock of Japanese white-eyes sucking nectar from the red camellia flowers in the garden was soothing. The building is old overall, but it was well-maintained and clean. It was wonderful. Overlooking Lake Kameyama from the dining room, I even spotted a few monkeys passing by. I thoroughly enjoyed the hot springs ♨️ in mid-winter. It was also nice to see Lake Kameyama in a different season from the autumn foliage 🍁 and boat fishing. The wild boar hot pot was more filling than it looked, and I ended up filling up. The bath shower 🚿 didn't work well, so I'd probably minus one star. Oh, by the way, the water was delicious. I'm sure the coffee ☕️ is also delicious.

I stayed in January. I was pleased with the view from my room. I was able to relax on the wooden balcony, looking out at the dam lake. However, it was disappointing that there was no refrigerator in the room and only one outlet. I was looking forward to the game meat and peony hotpot that they advertised, but it was disappointing that they were only available for lunch and not included in the dinner menu. If they advertise it so much on their website, wouldn't that normally be the main dinner menu for hotel guests? I'm sure there are many people who make the same mistake. However, the dinner itself was satisfactory in both quantity and quality, so I think they should improve the guest rooms and change the way they advertise it on their website.

There was a wide selection of food, and everything was delicious. I wish the next dish had come out a little earlier, and it would have been nice if there was a menu showing what was being served. The baths are alternated between men's and women's times. The longer baths are nice, but the open-air baths are cold in winter. There are no refrigerators or valuables lockers in the rooms.