[Tochigi] For a couple's refresh trip! 5 ryokan and Hotels Where You Can Fully Enjoy Nature

When you're busy every day, you don't get enough time to rest, and before you know it, you're tired, and your relationship with your boyfriend isn't going well. When that happens, why not stretch your legs and spend some relaxing time together in nature? Tochigi, which is easily accessible from the city center, has many attractive ryokan and hotels where you can feel close to nature. Enjoying a relaxing stay with your boyfriend in a wonderful space full of nature is sure to bring you two closer together.

If you're going on a refreshing trip, you'll want to choose a room carefully and enjoy nature in an extraordinary space. Tochigi is surrounded by mountains and lush greenery, and there are plenty of charming lodgings full of atmosphere surrounded by nature! In addition to the bounty of the mountains, the prefecture is also blessed with river fish and other marine products, so you can enjoy delicious cuisine made with a variety of local ingredients. A blissful time where you can be healed by nature and satisfy your appetite awaits you.

This time, we picked out 5 inns that are perfect for couples to enjoy Tochigi's nature. Enjoy a onsen bath in an open-air bath surrounded by nature, or relax in a room with a great view and take in the seasonal ryokan, and you'll be able to refresh both your body and mind. Spend some relaxing time with your partner that you can't experience in the city.

Hotel Shiki no Yakata Nasu is located about 30 minutes by car from Nasu-Shiobara Station. Inside the hotel, there are many spaces where you can experience the beauty of nature with all your senses, such as a spacious walkway where you can enjoy the view of the courtyard and a semi-open-air bath with a beautiful view of the Japanese garden. Why not spend some relaxing time with your partner in a space filled with Japanese atmosphere?

The detached suite room "Suisho" has a large window that overlooks the hills of Nasu. From the wide veranda, equipped with a table set, you can feel the nature of Nasu up close. This room is perfect for couples who want to be soothed by nature.

A cypress bathtub is provided as a private bath in the guest room, where you can enjoy hot onsen directly from the source. You can view the garden from the window. Enjoying a onsen bath for two while surrounded by the gentle scent of cypress and enjoying the view outside is sure to refresh your mind and body!

For dinner, you can enjoy authentic French cuisine that makes generous use of Nasu ingredients, such as fresh highland vegetables, meat, and dairy products. A sommelier will select the perfect wine to go with the dish, so wine-loving couples will have even more fun.

Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Nasu, located about 40 minutes by car from Nasu-Shiobara Station, opened in November 2019 at an altitude of about 500m. The facility, which has a vast site of about 133,000m2, offers a variety of activities that allow you to experience the local nature and farming. This resort hotel is perfect for couples who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy nature to the fullest.

The "Minamo Triple" in the annex is a guest room created with the desire to let you enjoy the seasonal scenery reflected in the water garden. It is a luxurious room with a view of the water garden from the living room and the forest from the bedroom. Sit on the bench outside and enjoy the great outdoors of Nasu, including the birds singing and the trees whispering, whenever you like.

The large public bath has an outdoor bath with a panoramic view of the Nasu forest. Why not enjoy a hot onsen bath together, surrounded by fresh air in the morning and gazing at the stars twinkling over the plateau at night, and enjoy the changing scenery with each passing hour.

At the main dining area, "OTTO SETTE NASU," you can enjoy Italian cuisine made with freshly harvested vegetables and herbs. Refresh your body and mind with nutritious, healthy cuisine that will please your body! It looks like a refreshing time for two.

Kinugawa Kanaya Hotel is located about a 3-minute walk from onsen Onsen Station. This historic hotel along the Kinugawa River was produced by John Nakaya, who has played a major role in the development of Japan's hotel industry, and has undergone a major renovation based on the concept of a "villa in the valley." The hotel offers a river view of the Kinugawa River from the lobby and guest rooms, allowing you to experience nature right next to you.

The "John Kanaya Suite" is a concept room that represents the worldview of John Kanaya, who traveled around the world. This luxurious room of approximately 132 square meters is lined with antique furnishings and a wine cellar, creating a high-quality space. This popular room is perfect for special occasions.

For dinner, you can enjoy Kanaya-style kaiseki cuisine, which combines Japanese and Western tastes and is based on the concept of "French cuisine eaten with chopsticks." Among them, the traditional dish "beef stew" that the inn is proud of is exquisite! It will surely become a memorable taste for the two of you.

The lounge service offers amuse-bouche and aperitifs before your meal, and a sweets trolley after your meal. Enjoy the scenery outside the window, which changes with the hour, and relax and savor this special feeling.

The large hot onsen bath, Shiki no Yu, faces the valley and is an open space where you can enjoy the nature of Kinugawa River in all four seasons. It is equipped with an indoor marble bath and two open-air baths made of a single block of white granite. There is a gazebo next to the open-air bath where you can cool off, so you can take a break while you enjoy touring onsen.

Located about 20 minutes by car from onsen Station, in the traditional onsen onsen of Kawaji Onsen, is Iwaiyado Jyuan. The interior of the inn is a luxurious space that combines a Japanese atmosphere with modern motifs. This is a high-class ryokan recommended for couples who want to spend some private time in the quiet nature away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Located on the top floor is this guest room with an open-air bath, "Iwai Sakura." This spacious room of about 60 square meters is a tatami room where you can feel the warmth of Japanese culture. It is the perfect space for just the two of you to enjoy a relaxing atmosphere. From the open-air bath in "Iwai Sakura," you can enjoy a view of the starry sky and the mountains of Kawaji onsen in front of you. A soak in onsen in such a perfect location is something special. Why not enjoy a onsen bath surrounded by a romantic atmosphere with your partner?

The open-air bath surrounded by bamboo forest is the inn's pride and joy, a large public bath where you can fully experience nature. After the evening, the bamboo forest is lit up, creating a fantastic space. You can relax both body and mind in a lush location that you can't experience in the city.

For dinner, you can enjoy a multi-course meal made with freshly caught fish and fresh vegetables unique to Tochigi. The local specialty, river fish, is particularly delicious, as it is so fresh that it has no unpleasant odor, making it a luxurious dish that can only be enjoyed here.

Located about 75 minutes by car from Nikko Station, Oku-Nikko Mori no Hotel is located in Yumoto onsen, surrounded by the vast nature of Oku-Nikko. The Scandinavian resort-style interior is an open space that makes you feel like you're staying at a villa. This is a recommended ryokan for couples who want to fully enjoy the comfort of nature and spend a relaxing time.

The rooms with open-air baths are the perfect luxury rooms for special occasions such as anniversaries. They are equipped with spacious open-air baths made of cypress wood and fed directly from the source. Bathing in a onsen surrounded by nature and enjoying the scenery of the four seasons is a truly extraordinary experience.

The rock bath is the largest in Oku-Nikko and is the inn's pride and joy. The source of Nikko Yumoto Onsen, which has been selected as one of the "100 Best Hot onsen in Japan," is known for its cloudy water, which changes from emerald to milky white when exposed to air. Enjoy the famous hot spring to your heart's content and relax your body and mind.

For dinner, you can enjoy a multi-course meal made with plenty of local ingredients. The cooking is done in an open kitchen, so you can enjoy watching the process up close. Among the special dishes, the Nikko Beef Tobanyaki is a popular dish. The texture of the meat melts in your mouth, and it's sure to be an unforgettable taste. You'll want to come back again and again with your partner.

What did you think? Just by being soothed by the scenery of the four seasons and breathing in plenty of negative ions in the air, your daily fatigue will surely be blown away. Furthermore, if you soak in onsen surrounded by nature with your beloved and enjoy special cuisine, you will surely be satisfied to the heart. Tochigi is easily accessible from Tokyo and easy to travel to, so it's also a great point that you can easily plan a trip there! Why not go on a refreshing trip together next weekend?