[Iwate] Go to Hanamaki onsen where you can be honest. 8 Recommended Hotels and ryokan for Couples

Spending your days in the city. Being busy makes your body tired, and your mind loses its energy. A word you said unintentionally causes a strain on your relationship with your special someone. You want to be more honest with each other and get along better, but somehow your relationship has become awkward... In times like these, why not try a change of environment on a trip and refresh your relationship?

This time we will be introducing the Hanamaki area of Iwate. Hanamaki is located almost in the center of Iwate, surrounded by the Ou Mountains and the Kitakami Mountains, and is a place rich in nature, home to one of the Tohoku region's leading onsen Hanamaki onsen. It takes about three hours from Tokyo to Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen, making it a great destination for a weekend getaway. The photo shows Kamabuchinotaki Falls, a waterfall located along the Dai River that flows through Hanamaki onsen. There is a walking path around the waterfall that takes about 20 minutes to go around, making it perfect for a stroll in nature.

source:Contribution of Yutaka-S

Hanamaki is the birthplace of Miyazawa Kenji, a famous poet and fairy tale writer, and the city has many spots related to him, such as the Miyazawa Kenji Fairy Tale Village. The photo shows Yamanekoken, a restaurant based on the theme of the novel The Restaurant of Many Orders, located on the grounds of the Miyazawa Kenji Memorial Museum. The city also has a sense of history, with local performing arts such as Hayachine Kagura and Shishiodori. Here are some recommended accommodations for couples in the Hanamaki onsen, where you can experience both nature and history.

onsen Onsen Kashoen is located about 20 minutes by free shuttle bus (reservation required) from Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen. Located in a lush and quiet area surrounded by a forest of Nanbu red pine, Iwate's prefectural tree, this inn lights a bonfire in the white sand courtyard surrounded by a corridor at dusk, creating a fantastical landscape.

You can choose from Japanese-style rooms, Japanese-Western style rooms, and Western-style rooms. All rooms have a chic and calm atmosphere that blends in with the pine forest outside the window. Spending time relaxing in a spacious and luxurious space will help ease any tension in your heart and allow you to talk to your partner in a kind heart.

Dinner is a multi-course meal made with seasonal ingredients from the sea and woodlands of Iwate. You can relax in your room and chat with your partner without worrying about other guests. Savor carefully prepared food that brings out the flavor of the ingredients and fill your stomach and heart. Special menu items such as teppanyaki and shabu-shabu made with Maezawa beef and Kichiji Shioyaki are also available for an additional fee.

The baths are made with onsen from the hotel's own source. The water has a pH of 9.0 and is moist and smooth on the skin, and is said to be effective for neuralgia, muscle pain, and beautiful skin. The large public baths, separated by gender, feature an open-air cypress bath with a pleasant breeze blowing through the forest, and an indoor bath with a view of the changing seasons outside the window, allowing you to enjoy a relaxing bath.

Hanadai no Yu is located at the foot of the mountains in the northwest of Hanamaki City, about a 20-minute taxi ride from Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen. This inn, where you can enjoy Dai Onsen, said to be the oldest hot onsen Iwate with a history of about 1,200 years, is free-flowing from the source 24 hours a day, is not available for children under elementary school age. Why not spend a relaxing and luxurious adult time surrounded by tranquil nature?

There are nine guest rooms to choose from, either Japanese-style or Japanese-Western style. The building is a 200-year-old brothel, and the interior, designed with the image of Taisho-era romance, has a nostalgic atmosphere. When you arrive at your quiet, spacious room, surrounded by the nature of the foothills, the first thing you should do is stretch your arms and legs and take a deep breath. Forget the hustle and bustle of everyday life in exchange for the scent of tatami mats and spend some relaxing time with your special someone.

All meal in-room dining. You can enjoy meal at your own pace without having to worry about other guests. Another nice thing is that the food is brought to you freshly cooked one by one. Once you have enjoyed the creative cuisine made with local seasonal ingredients to your heart's content, you will naturally feel happy, and the awkward atmosphere between you will become more relaxed.

The hot onsen water that fills the bathtub made entirely of cypress comes straight from the source. The soft, smooth water is a weakly alkaline simple sulfur spring with a pH of 8.3, and is said to have skin-beautifying effects. You can enjoy the fresh water 24 hours a day whenever you like, warming your body and soul, and your relationship with your partner is sure to warm up too.

From Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen, it takes about 35 minutes by free shuttle bus (reservation required). Yamayuri no Yado is located in the middle of the mountainous Dai onsen area, surrounded by quiet greenery and with the pleasant sound of a babbling river. Why not spend a relaxing and warm time with your partner at this inn, where you can enjoy the fresh onsen that gushes out from 300 to 400 meters underground on the premises?

There are a total of 14 guest rooms, including 9 types of Japanese-style rooms and Japanese-Western style rooms, all of which are attractive for their colorful and stylish interiors. If you want to spend a long time with your partner and deepen your relationship, we recommend the special room with a half open-air bath with natural hot spring water. For women, you can also borrow a colorful yukata with your favorite pattern for free, which is a nice touch.

meal are served in the hearth dining area. As you enjoy the fragrant aroma of charcoal grilling and seasonal Iwate ingredients such as wild plants that have soaked up the melting snow in spring and matsutake mushrooms in autumn, a smile will naturally spread across your face. You can also enjoy creative dishes made with local ingredients such as A5-class Maezawa beef and Hanamaki's Platinum Pork (Hakkinton), said to be the first branded pork in the country.

The free-flowing hot spring onsen that gushes out from underground on the premises is a weakly alkaline simple sulfur spring with a pH of 8.2. It is known for being gentle on the skin, leaving it as smooth as if you had applied lotion. "Kajika no Yu," which has an open-air bath and an indoor bath, and "Kotobuki no Yu," which only has an indoor bath, are alternated between men and women depending on the time of day, so be sure to enjoy both baths in the morning and evening.

Yusen Shidate is located in the mountains in the west of Hanamaki City, about 35 minutes by Hanamaki Minami onsen free shuttle bus (reservations required for drop-off only) from Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen. This inn allows you to relax while feeling the greenery of the mountains and listening to the murmuring of the Toyosawa River flowing nearby. All rooms have an open-air bath. You can spend a relaxing time with your loved one.

All 28 guest rooms are Japanese-Western style rooms with views of the mountain stream. The rooms on the first floor have a rock open-air bath with a garden, and the rooms on the second to fourth floors have ceramic open-air baths. The bedrooms are equipped with Japanese-style twin beds with futons, and the Japanese atmosphere is combined with comfortable living space and a modern sensibility to create a sophisticated space perfect for two adults.

There is a hearth at the entrance to the private dining room where dinner is served, and guests are greeted by the delicious aroma of steam rising from the kamado (a traditional Japanese cooking pot). We recommend drinking Iwate's local sake (additional charge) to accompany the dishes made with seasonal ingredients from the mountains and sea, which are brought to you from the counter in the open kitchen. We recommend trying sake such as "Nambu Bijin" or "Shichi Fukujin" with your partner. Savoring delicious meal and alcohol to your heart's content will help ease any tense atmosphere.

At this inn, you can enjoy free-flowing hot spring onsen in your room, but it's also nice to soak in a large bathtub. On the first floor of the main building, there is an open-air garden bath with separate baths for men and women, and two types of indoor baths, which are switched between men and women in the morning and evening. The water comes from a different source than onsen in your room, so be sure to enjoy it as well. There is also a foot bath space separate from the large bath. You can enjoy sunbathing in the foot bath while chatting with your partner.

Garden Resort Haruka no Yu Kaze no Toki is located about 35 minutes away by free Hanamaki Minami Onsenkyo shuttle bus (reservations required for drop-off only) from Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen. With a view of the lush onsen scenery from the guest rooms' windows, you can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere and be able to face your boyfriend with honest feelings.

The rooms are basically Japanese-style, and some rooms have bed mattresses. You can choose the size according to your taste and budget, but for couples who just want to spend some time relaxing with their partner and don't want anyone to disturb their time together, we recommend the Japanese-style suite room, of which there are only two rooms, which comes with an open-air bath. You can enjoy the seasonal scenery outside while soaking in the hot water in your room.

Breakfast and meal are served in the main meal, or in the large hall, but depending on the accommodation plan, private dining rooms are also available. Savoring the kaiseki cuisine made with local seasonal ingredients will satisfy both body and soul. You can also order special dishes unique to Iwate, such as "Hanamaki brand platinum pork shabu-shabu" and "Iwate-produced wagyu beef grilled on a lava plate," so it would be a good idea to try them with your gourmet boyfriend.

The baths are free-flowing hot onsen. They are so gentle on the skin that you'll want to soak in them again and again. There are separate indoor and outdoor baths for men and women. The outdoor bath, "Kawaminoyu," is located in a location surrounded by nature. If you enjoy bathing while taking in the scenery of the four seasons and the murmuring of the river flowing nearby, your busy daily life will melt away in the water and you will be able to relax from the bottom of your heart.

From the bus terminal at the west exit of Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen line, take the free onsen Minami Onsenkyo shuttle bus (reservations required for drop-off only) for about 50 minutes. "Yama no onsen Yukaen" is ryokan that boasts a warm wooden space built by master carpenters and four hot onsen, including an open-air bath and an indoor bath, all of which are fed directly from the source. If you enjoy the thick hot onsen to your heart's content, your relationship with your partner will also ease up.

You can choose from Japanese-style rooms or Japanese-Western style rooms, and in each room you can see the techniques of the palace carpenters. In particular, the "coffered ceiling" which creates a regular pattern by arranging the latticework vertically, horizontally and in a square pattern on the ceiling, adds warmth to the warmth of the wood by the hands of the palace carpenters, and gives visitors a sense of hospitality.

Dinner is Japanese cuisine made with ingredients from Iwate. It is carefully prepared so that visitors can enjoy the local seasonal ingredients. meal are generally served at the venue, but you can make a reservation in advance (additional charge) to have in-room dining or to have special dishes ordered. You can also request "Koshi no Gyuou", a black-haired wagyu beef of A5 rank or higher from Hanamaki, so please take this opportunity to try it.

This inn has two open-air baths and two indoor baths, allowing you to enjoy a total of four types of hot onsen flow directly from the source. The Toyosawa-no-Yu Large Open-Air Bath is the largest in the Hanamaki onsen, and you can soak in the water while feeling refreshed, surrounded by the starry sky and fresh air of Hanamaki. There is also a private bath available by reservation (additional charge) for couples who want to warm up together.

From Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen line, take the free Hanamaki Minami onsen shuttle bus (reservations required for drop-off only) and you'll find Fujisan ryokan Annex, Namari Onsen Kokoro no Toki Jusantsuki, located about 55 minutes away. onsen inn was built as a villa for Fujisan ryokan, a hot onsen ryokan with a history of over 230 years and also associated with Miyazawa Kenji. All guest rooms are equipped with open-air baths with natural hot spring water, making it the perfect place for a private stay with your loved one.

All rooms are Western-style, spacious suites of over 60 square meters. The spacious space is based on a modern and stylish concept. Drinks in the in-room refrigerator, including two bottles of beer, are free, and an espresso machine is also provided, so you can chat with your boyfriend while enjoying your favorite drink. Another great thing is that you can enjoy free wine, coffee, soft drinks, etc. in the lounge from 3pm to 6pm.

Both breakfast and dinner are Japanese cuisine. Enjoying the carefully prepared meal using seasonal ingredients, including seafood delivered daily from Sanriku, one of the world's three largest fishing grounds, and mountain produce unique to Hanamaki, such as local wild vegetables, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots, will help you relax and unwind from the stresses of your busy meal life. Depending on your plan, you can choose to in-room dining.

onsen onsen this inn is completely free-flowing from the source. It is said that only 1% of onsen ryokan across the country are able to enjoy the hot spring water in its natural state without heating, adding water, or circulating it. In addition to the open-air baths in their rooms, guests can also use the historic hot onsen at the adjacent Fujizo ryokan. The natural rock bath "Shirozaru no Yu," said to be the deepest in Japan, is a rare onsen you can bathe in while standing. Enjoy the freshly born onsen water bubbling up from the bottom of the bathtub.

Musubi no Yado Airinkan is located in the mountains northwest of Hanamaki City, about 50 minutes by free shuttle bus (direct buses require reservations) from Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen. This inn is characterized by its wide variety of baths, with 17 different types of baths that can be enjoyed from three private hot springs, allowing you to enjoy bathing in different baths without leaving the building. They also put effort into hospitality for couples, and have been selected as a "Lovers' Sanctuary Satellite" by the NPO Regional Revitalization Support Center, making it the perfect inn for couples' trips.

You can choose from Japanese-style rooms, Japanese-Western rooms, and Western-style rooms. Couples who want to relax will be comfortable in a spacious room overlooking the Toyosawa River. On the other hand, for couples who want to keep costs down and prioritize onsen and sightseeing, there are also affordable rooms facing the parking lot, so it's best to choose according to your purpose and preferences.

There are several options for meal style, depending on the accommodation plan. In the Japanese style where you can enjoy seasonal dishes in a set format, you will mainly enjoy dishes such as shabu-shabu using Hanamaki City's local ingredient "platinum pork". If you want to enjoy a relaxing meal alone, in-room dining is recommended. In addition, dinner at Kamado Dining, where you can eat all-you-can-eat furnace dishes and stone oven dishes in a half-buffet style, is also popular.

There are three large baths in the hotel, which are rotated by time. The photo shows the open-air rock bath "Kawa-no-yu," where you can enjoy bathing while looking out at the nature outside. There is also "Mori-no-yu," which has an open-air standing bath, and "Yama-no-yu," where you can enjoy a variety of baths such as reclining baths, standing baths, hot baths, and lukewarm baths. Since you've come all the way here, you'll want to try them all. If you want to enjoy a quiet onsen with your partner, you can also reserve a private bath called "Chapun" (additional charge) separate from the large bath.

Did you enjoy our special feature on recommended accommodations for couples' trips to Hanamaki? Enjoying carefully prepared meals amid the clear air and lush greenery, and soaking in hot onsen overflowing with the blessings of nature, will warm your body and mind to the core and help you regain your true feelings. If you want to refresh your relationship, why not invite your partner on a trip to Hanamaki on your next day off?