[Niigata] How about "Nagaoka" for your next date? 7 hotels and ryokan recommended for couples

In this article, we will introduce Nagaoka, the second largest city in Niigata. Famous for the Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks Display, one of the three major fireworks displays in Japan, this city is about an hour and 40 minutes away from Tokyo on the Joetsu Shinkansen. Within the city, you can experience the beauty of nature, such as the National Echigo Hillside Park and the rice terraces in the Yamakoshi area, seafood caught at Teradomari Port, local delicacies such as hegi soba, Western-style pork cutlet bowl, and Tochio fried tofu, an abundance of local sake, and even onsen!

Nagaoka is perfect for couples who usually spend their time relaxing at home or in their neighborhood, but want to try a change of scenery every once in a while. After a leisurely stroll in the nature during the day, enjoy fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan with a glass of local sake in the evening. The next day, sample the local gourmet cuisine and return home feeling satisfied in both body and mind. Here are some hotels and ryokan perfect for a weekend trip to Nagaoka for couples.

Hotel New Otani Nagaoka is located about a one-minute walk from the east exit of Nagaoka Station. You can get there from the station via an arcade, so you don't have to worry about bad weather. Although it is located close to the station, once you step inside the building you will find a quiet space, perfect for a holiday stay for adult couples. Bright light and a refreshing breeze stream into the patio (courtyard), creating a relaxing and leisurely time.

This is a superior twin room. The rooms are simple and calm in design, with bright and soft colors as the base, creating a stylish atmosphere. Couples who want to cherish their time at the hotel should choose a room on the upper floors, and enjoy a relaxing stay while looking out over the city of Nagaoka.

The appeal of this hotel is the breakfast. It is a Japanese and Western buffet with about 60 different dishes, incorporating plenty of carefully selected local ingredients. Recommended dishes include the "Tochio Jumbo Aburaage," a deep-fried tofu as thick as fried tofu, the "Oboro Tofu" made with Echigo's underground water, and the "Koshihikari" rice from Nagaoka, which is carefully cooked. Start your day with a healthy breakfast and energy.

Hotel Hokke Club Niigata Nagaoka is located about a one-minute walk from the main exit of Nagaoka Station. This hotel is attractive for its large public baths using artificial onsen and its hearty breakfast with a wide selection of local dishes. The guest rooms here have a calming interior with white and brown as the main tones, creating a space where you can relax with your loved ones. The beds are made by Simmons, so you can expect a good night's sleep and a refreshing awakening.

This hotel has separate large public baths for men and women, which use artificial onsen made from Koumeishi stone, which contains the same ingredients as onsen, and are known for being great for soothing the fatigue of travel. The women's bath in particular has a security system at the entrance, so you can use it with peace of mind, and there are plenty of amenities, such as skin care products from POLA and ion hair dryers, so you can reduce the amount of luggage you need to bring on your trip.

Breakfast is a Japanese and Western buffet. There is a wide variety of local and standard dishes. Enjoy a satisfying breakfast with him, including "grilled salmon" made by marinating salmon in sauce, a type of pork soup called "ski soup" that is eaten locally, Niigata-style "tarekatsu" (potato cutlet), and "hegi soba" (buckwheat noodles) with a smooth texture that uses funori seaweed as a binder.

JR East Hotel Mets Nagaoka is located about a one-minute walk from the east exit of Nagaoka Station. It is directly connected to the passageway inside the station, so you can access it comfortably even on bad weather days or in the cold seasons when the road surface is a concern. Local crafts and art are displayed here and there throughout the hotel, giving you a taste of Nagaoka culture.

The guest rooms are based on the concept of "Japanese modern" and are designed to be both stylish and functional. For couples, we recommend the twin or double rooms shown in the photo. You can rest comfortably on Simmons beds, which are designed with comfort in mind. The water in the guest rooms is negative ion water, which is gentle on the body, so you can make tea or coffee with peace of mind.

Depending on the reservation plan, there are two types of breakfast: a morning set (pictured) from "PRONTO" located in the restaurant area on the first floor of the adjacent station building "CoCoLo Nagaoka", or take-out freshly baked bread from "VIE DE FRANCE" located in front of the ticket gates of "Nagaoka Station". Since it is directly connected to the station, you can check the train and bus times first and then have a quick breakfast. It's convenient for couples who want to focus on sightseeing in the area.

Nagaoka Grand Hotel is located about a 3-minute walk from the main exit of Nagaoka Station. You can get there from the station without getting wet by passing through a covered pedestrian deck and the city's cultural facility, Aore Nagaoka. This hotel offers a wide range of services, especially for guests staying in the Comfort Rooms. This Comfort Double room is a modern Japanese space that combines Scandinavian-style furniture with shoji screens that are inspired by the local Oguni Washi paper. It's perfect for a getaway for adult couples.

The Executive Lounge, a free space available exclusively to guests staying in Comfort Rooms, offers a free tasting service where you can choose from three types of local sake, so be sure to take this opportunity to find your favorite. There is a large aquarium next to the space, and the swimming jewels of Nagaoka, Nishikigoi, brighten up the space. There is also a large public bath on a rotating basis for men and women, where you can relax and wash away the fatigue of your trip.

For breakfast, enjoy a buffet with a wide variety of Japanese and Western dishes at Restaurant Loire on the first basement floor. Enjoy a meal with your partner that is unique to Nagaoka, such as Niigata Prefecture's Koshihikari rice, Tokamachi's famous Tsumari soba, and Tochio's jumbo fried tofu made with Tochio's famous water.

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Yomogihira onsen Izumiya is located in the Yomogihira onsen area, popular as the inner sanctum of Nagaoka, about 30 minutes away by free shuttle service (reservations required) from the east exit of Nagaoka Station. The first thing that catches your eye when you enter the building is the seasonal flowers. From the lobby windows you can see the mountain scenery that changes with the seasons, helping you forget the hustle and bustle of the city.

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The guest rooms are either Japanese-style or Japanese-Western style. Choose from a variety of types to suit your tastes and budget. This "Relaxing Twin" room is a Japanese-Western style room equipped with a large TV with internet access and two semi-double Simmons beds. After warming up in onsen, you can relax in the room and watch your favorite video streaming service on the big screen with your partner.

There are three large baths in the hotel. "Tsuki no Yu" (pictured) features an open-air bath made of a large rock, "Hoshi no Yu" has a warm open-air bath that makes use of the texture of wood, and "Kaze no Yu" has an open-air bath with a panoramic view of the mountains. There is also a private bath separate from the large bath (reservation required, separate fee), so couples who want to warm up just the two of you should definitely make a reservation.

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For dinner, enjoy seasonal kaiseki cuisine at the in-house dining restaurant, Kazari. Enjoy carefully prepared dishes made with plenty of Niigata's seafood and mountain produce, including sashimi platter, the local dish Noppejiru, and rice cooked in a pot using locally grown Koshihikari rice. Depending on the plan, you can also enjoy stone-grilled Murakami beef, a local brand of meat, or compare local sake.

About 30 minutes by bus from Nagaoka Station, "Yomoyamakan" is a onsen onsen inn surrounded by lush countryside. Located next to the Yamakoshi area, which is said to be the original landscape of Japan, why not spend some quality time with your loved ones at ryokan?

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All guest rooms are Japanese-style. There are several types depending on the size and whether or not they have a bathroom, so please choose one that suits your budget and preferences. This is a Japanese-style room with 10 tatami mats and a 6 tatami mat adjoining room. Tatami rooms are great for stretching out barefoot, stretching or lying down after a bath, or just relaxing however you want with your trusted partner.

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The building has separate large public baths for men and women, each with an open-air bath and an indoor bath. The open-air bath overlooking the mountain scenery is particularly recommended in winter, as you can enjoy a bath while watching the snow steadily fall. The bicarbonate soda spring water is said to be effective for muscle pain, poor circulation, and stiff shoulders, and is also said to leave your skin feeling smooth and silky after a bath. Feel the blessings of nature with your whole body and soothe your everyday fatigue.

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Dinner is served at the in-house meal "Hana Kaido." Guests can enjoy carefully prepared kaiseki cuisine using local seasonal ingredients such as wild vegetables in spring, matsutake mushrooms in autumn, and taro in winter. In addition, from around 7:30 pm every day, staff members entertain guests with original dance performances on the "Hana Butai" stage facing meal. This heartfelt welcome with a homemade feel is sure to be an unforgettable memory even after you return to the city.

Lastly, I would like to introduce a couple-friendly onsen inn by the sea. Although it is far from the center of the city, you can enjoy fresh seafood fresh from the sea onsen in front of you at Teradomari Kaigan Tsuwabuki onsen Sumiyoshiya, an inn of delicious exploration. It takes about 70 minutes from Nagaoka Station or about 10 minutes from Teradomari Station by local bus, get off at Teradomari Omachi bus stop, and walk about 1 minute.

The tatami-floored rooms are great for relaxing barefoot. This is a bed-type room at "Bettei/Yunagi," a one-minute walk from the main building. When you arrive at the inn, the first thing you should do is make some tea and relax with your partner. Watching the sunset over the Sea of Japan and feeling the slow flow of time that you can't experience in the city will completely loosen up your mind and body.

The hotel has separate onsen baths for men and women. The source of the water, Teradomari Tsuwabuki onsen, is said to be effective for women who are tired from daily office work, as it relieves neuralgia, muscle pain, poor circulation, fatigue, and improves skin condition. Although the observation cypress bath is not onsen, you can enjoy bathing while watching the Sea of Japan dyed red by the setting sun.

Dinner is served at the hotel's meal restaurant, and is a multi-course meal with a focus on seafood. Please enjoy the freshness and volume of the cuisine unique to this inn, which has the auction rights of the Teradomari fishing port. Depending on the season and accommodation plan, there are also plans where you can enjoy high-quality fish such as red-throated fish, abalone, and tender and juicy "Echigo beef". Let's have a full stomach of seasonal seafood and immerse yourself in a happy mood with him.

Did you enjoy our special feature on hotels and ryokan recommended for couples in Nagaoka? Spending some quality time with your trusted partner in Nagaoka, where you can enjoy nature, gourmet food, and onsen, will refresh both your body and mind. You will both be able to face each other with a fresh mind. So why not start planning your next weekend trip to Nagaoka right away?