7 Best Luxury Auberges in Tohoku for Premium Gourmet Trip

When you are busy with work and housework, sometimes you want to forget your daily life and refresh yourself with someone you care about. When I research where I go, I find that there are a lot of popular shopping malls and events, but I sometimes worry that "I'm tired because there are so many people" and "I want to be healed in a quieter place." If you want to spend quality time with your partner, family, or friends, why not take the plunge and enjoy a luxurious trip at the "restaurant where you can stay" Auberge?

Auberges are full of local gastronomy, onsen and beautiful locations, perfect for a relaxing trip for adults. There are also some wonderful auberges in the nature-rich Tohoku region, where Yamagata is famous for its Yonezawa beef and Iwate is famous for its doburoku, an ancient Japanese alcoholic drink. Depending on the location, you can get there in 2 to 3 hours from the city center. Even if there are no spectacular activities, just being surrounded by good things with your loved ones will relax and heal you. Let's go on a trip in search of such quality time.

About 15 minutes by car from JR Yonezawa Station. Toki no Yado Sumire, surrounded by rich nature, is an inn exclusively for two people, which cannot be accommodated by a single traveler or by more than three people. Whether you are a couple who is too busy to see each other, or a parent and child who have less time to spend together, you will be greeted with gentle hospitality that is close to all "couples". Enjoy your stay in a luxurious space with only 10 rooms.

Dinner using fresh local Yamagata ingredients is a sumptuous creative kaiseki made with melted Yonezawa beef. You can choose the main course from sirloin steak, sukiyaki, and shabu-shabu. The sake brewery in the facility has a wide variety of alcoholic beverages such as local sake and local wine. If you stop by before meal and tell the chef your favorite brand, you can enjoy pairing with meal. The full course of various parts of Yonezawa beef cooked in a variety of ways is like a dream. A sumptuous dinner for two will surely be unforgettable.

There are a total of 10 guest rooms, all of which have three different designs: Western, Japanese-Western, and Japanese. It has an elegant and mature atmosphere, and you can feel the calmness of a vacation home that you have been familiar with for many years. Some rooms are equipped with CD audio that can be connected to your own digital player, so you can relax while listening to your favorite music. When you are in a quiet space with no TV or clock, your heart will naturally open up. You may want to tell a story or a word of thanks that you can't usually talk about.

Yunosawa onsen has a long history and is said to be effective in relieving fatigue. With the sounds of birds and the nature that makes you feel the four seasons, your mind and body will be healed from the core. There are also two private open-air baths, so it's a good idea to thoroughly enjoy yourself as a couple. If you're traveling as a couple, we recommend aromatherapy at a women-only salon. Massage can be done in the room for both men and women. Give yourself plenty of pampering as a reward for working hard every day.

About 10 minutes by car from JR Akayu Station, the nostalgic one-story auberge “Sakurayu Sanshuyu” is impressive. When you pass through the arch of the yamasuyu and yamamomiji, which is the origin of the inn's name, you will find a relaxing space where you can feel the warmth of the clay walls. It is the beginning of a luxurious trip for adults, where you can let yourself go as the flow slowly flows.

It is a in-room dining that you can enjoy the meal at Yamamai in the morning and evening. Dinner is a monthly kaiseki meal that uses plenty of seasonal ingredients woven by the climate of Yamagata. Traditional vegetables such as Yamagata's local dishes "dashi" and "Onogawa bean sprouts" and Yamagata gourmet food such as Yonezawa beef steak are lined up. If you enjoy it with delicious local sake, you can spend the finest time. It's nice to be able to choose from two types of breakfast, Japanese and Western.

The seven guest rooms, each named after a flower, are spacious and consist of three rooms: the main room, bedroom, and living room. It is full of sophisticated Japanese warmth and makes you feel at ease. All rooms have a private open-air bath overlooking the garden. You can relax and enjoy the soft Akayu onsen, which has been loved for a long time, in a private space. There is also a large public bath and an open-air bath with bubble bath, so you can enjoy 3 baths together with the guest rooms.

A lounge you want to use after check-in or after dinner. You can enjoy coffee, tea, and soft drink coffee in the daytime when the sunlight filtering through the trees is pleasant. At night, it is illuminated by atmospheric lighting, making it a relaxing place for adults. It's nice to take a break at the bar counter where you can enjoy wine, cocktails, and other alcoholic beverages while slowly talking about things you don't usually talk about.

About 40 minutes by bus from Shiroishi Zao Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen. We arrived at "Bettei Yamabuki" surrounded by the beautiful nature of Zao. The trees and large pond surrounding the inn create a quiet space that gently soothes the tired mind. Based on the concept of “2 meals and 1 night stay”, this is an inn that puts the utmost emphasis on enjoying meal. Expectations will also increase for a special stay where food is the leading role.

meal are kaiseki cuisine that uses ingredients from Zao and seasonal ingredients and is also considered for your health. Sweet and delicious Zao-grown vegetables, fresh sashimi, season-changing mixed rice, and A5 rank Sendai beef... The items made with time and effort are so exquisite that you can breathe a sigh of happiness. All-inclusive, drinks are free from check-in to dinner. You can enjoy a wide variety of alcoholic and soft drinks as much as you like without worrying about your wallet. Enjoy the marriage of the carefully selected ingredients with a feast to your heart's content.

There are 4 types of guest rooms with a comfortable traditional Japanese appearance, such as an open-air solarium and an open-air bath that is great for a relaxing trip. The beds are equipped with mattresses made by Italy's Maniflex, which invites you to a deep sleep. It is the perfect space for a rewarding trip with someone special, where time passes slowly and relaxes.

After eating, enjoy the free-flowing hot springs of the popular onsen, which is said to make your skin smooth. onsen lovers will be fascinated by the tasteful healing space, such as a bath for half-body bathing, an open-air bath, and a private bath. We also recommend the unusual “soil dumpling sauna,” which is inspired by Korean red clay saunas. The ions released from the soil dumpling promote blood circulation, and sweat out toxins from the body. It seems that you can reset all stress as well as daily fatigue.

About 5 minutes by car from JR Bandai Atami Station, "Harare no Kakureyado Auberge Suzukane". All 7 guest rooms are separated, so you can enjoy time with someone special in a private space. When you enter the simple and open lobby, you will be greeted by a bright red sofa from the Italian luxury interior brand "Cassina". It will make you realize that a luxurious adult trip has begun.

The meal is a creative Japanese kaiseki made with the fruits of the sea and mountains of Fukushima by the award-winning head chef. There is also a plan where you can enjoy carefully selected Wagyu beef, and you can enjoy it in a variety of cooking methods such as grilled authentic charcoal, porcelain grill, and pak leaf grill. Another pleasure is breakfast, which has won first place in the Fukushima and fourth place in Japan at the "Rakuten Breakfast Festival". The contents of the award-winning menu vary depending on the plan, so please check when you make a reservation.

All 7 detached rooms have different designs and tastes, and you can choose between a terrace or a maisonette type. Chatting until late at night on a girls' trip, or talking with a couple while drinking alcohol. It's nice to be able to enjoy it without worrying about the surroundings. "Cassina" furniture is also used, so you can relax and be immersed in a luxurious feeling. All rooms are equipped with natural onsen indoor baths. You can enjoy onsen flowing directly from the source as much as you like.

"Bandai Atami onsen" has a history of 800 years and is popular as a hot spring for beauty. In addition to the indoor baths in the guest rooms, you can also enjoy this historic hot onsen in the open-air baths. After warming up to the core of your body in onsen, we also recommend the esthetic treatment that can be done in your room. You can choose from detox and relaxation courses according to your physical condition and mood. Relax your mind and body in the paradise hot onsen and luxurious beauty treatments.

About 20 minutes by car from Inawashiro Station on the JR Bandai West Line. If you go near Bandai-Asahi National Park, you will arrive at Hotel & Ristorante Il Regalo, with its cute exterior. "Il Regalo" means "Gift" in Italian. As the name suggests, the beautiful scenery of lakes and forests and delicious food will give wonderful memories to those who visit in search of healing.

The meal are authentic Italian dishes filled with the chef's desire to eat delicious food that is good for the body. Local ingredients such as self-grown vegetables grown by the chef himself, local Aizu organic vegetables, Aizu free-range chicken and Fukushima beef are abundantly used. The menu includes highland-themed antipasto, 30cm-diameter Milano-style pizza, homemade pasta, and more. Let's spend a pleasant dinner time while tasting wine.

There are two types of guest rooms: a European-style retro cute Western-style room and a Japanese-style room that can accommodate up to four people. Equipped with a wide bed and a deep bathtub, it is a calm space where you can relax. In both rooms, you can see magnificent nature such as "Mt. Bandai" and "Nishi-Azuma mountain range" outside the window. I would like to take a deep breath while looking at the scenery of Fukushima that will cleanse my soul and recharge the power of nature.

About a 10-minute walk from JR Tono Station, ``Tonoya Yo'' is located in a beautiful river where legends such as Kappa and Zashiki-warashi remain, and where nature remains. This is a special auberge that can only accommodate one group per day, managed by the fourth-generation owner of Minshuku Tono, which has been in business for over 100 years. A feature of this inn, which is visited by many chefs and people involved in food and drink, is that you can enjoy gourmet cuisine that makes the most of the profound fermentation process. Recommended for those who are looking for a trip that is a little different from the usual.

meal are unique dishes that do not fit into categories such as Japanese cuisine and creative cuisine, centering on the food culture and fermented foods that are rooted in Tono. The carefully selected aged meat and the rare pork narezushi are also excellent. A variety of dishes prepared by a chef who has mastered fermentation, which stimulates the five senses from the tip of the tongue. It offers delicious encounters not only for fermented food lovers but also for adventurous people who seek new tastes.

The guest room, which is a renovated rice storehouse and is limited to one group per day, is a spacious space that can accommodate up to six people. The furniture and interior with a gentle texture that makes you feel the owner's commitment will enhance your special time even more. Amenities are AVEDA, which is derived from nature and gentle on the skin, so you can spend a relaxing bath time wrapped in a rich scent. Relax in a room that makes you feel nostalgic and enjoy the rich taste of fermentation. A luxurious time for adults awaits.

About 90 minutes by bus from JR Morioka Station, "Beaver" is a small inn with French seasonal vegetables and private onsen located in Hachimantai onsen. It was renewed in 2017 and reborn as a more comfortable space. This small inn with only four rooms awaits you with great hospitality such as French cuisine made with local ingredients and a private open-air bath. Let's enjoy delicious Iwate at the auberge where you can take a break in a homely atmosphere.

Dinner is seasonal French with local ingredients such as "Hachimantai beef" and "Hachimantai salmon". For meat dishes, we use low-temperature cooking and a decompression cooker called Gastrovac to preserve the original nutrients, flavor, and aroma of the ingredients. Time to enjoy gastronomy with delicious wine is just a reward. If you want to enjoy a sense of privacy, be sure to check out the private dining room that can be used by only one group per day.

A guest room with a comfortable harmony of Japanese and Western tastes. You can choose between 2-person and 3-person rooms, and there are also spacious rooms with a separate living room and bedroom. All rooms have a relaxing atmosphere like your own home, so you can spend a relaxing time on your adult trip. The floor plan has few steps, so it is safe for parents and children to travel.

The bath is a private hot onsen with a nice private feeling. There are two kinds of uniquely named "Magma no Yu" and "Viva Hiva no Yu", both of which are luxurious free-flowing hot springs. Reservations are required for bathing in the morning, but you can use it if it is available other than in the morning. “Magma no Yu” also has an open-air bath surrounded by lush greenery and a pleasant breeze. Let's soak slowly while listening to the sounds of nature.

Auberges in the Tohoku region, where you can enjoy the rich nature and local delicacies, are full of hospitality that heals the hearts of people who spend their busy days. An auberge trip where you can forget the hectic daily life and enjoy a relaxing reward time. Invite your loved ones and go out to discover true luxury.