Unzen Onsen Gensen Kakenagashi & Oshidori no Ike wo Nozomu Bishoku no Yado Azumaen

After strolling around Unzen Jigoku with my wife, we headed to Toen. We stayed in a Room called “Riyui.” It faces Oshidori Pond, and since we arrived at 3:00 p.m., we soaked in the open-air bath while casually gazing out over the pond from the Room. As time passed and it began to get slightly dark, I happened to look at the pond and saw the mountains behind us reflected on the surface of the water—it felt like a painting by Kaii Higashiyama. I kept looking again and again until nightfall, so moving that I almost expected a white horse to appear.I had assumed the Onsen would be similar because Unzen is known for its milky-white waters, but when I asked, I learned that Unzen has multiple layers of hot spring sources, and Toen’s Onsen is rich in iron. It was very gentle on the skin, and my wife was delighted.The in-Room amenities were thoughtfully arranged as well. The shampoo, treatment conditioner, body soap, etc. were single-use items, and even the hair dryer was a modern model—so we didn’t feel inconvenienced at all.Next is dining: this time dinner was served in our Room, and eating while looking out over the pond felt wonderful. The meal began with appetizers, but even those alone were filling; after that came Unzen Akaushi beef—exceptionally tender with very little fat.What made us especially happy was an extra dish not listed on the menu as part of a special perk: simmered golden eye snapper (Kinmedai). We were truly moved by this unexpected treat.The seasoning had gentle flavors with just enough accent to stand out—we could really feel the chef’s skill.Breakfast was served in the dining area, but it was also arranged so we could enjoy views of Oshidori Pond while eating. A generous amount is served from early morning.Since dinner the previous day was sushi there wasn’t any rice served then; however breakfast did include rice—and when we ate it, it had such a wonderful aroma and just the right moisture content that it made us genuinely happy.Lastly, there are many souvenirs lined up in the shop—so many that you’ll have trouble choosing. And all of the staff were cheerful and welcoming; thanks to their pleasant service both our bodies and minds felt refreshed.We’d love to visit Unzen again and stay with Toen once more.Thank you very much.

We stayed for a 3-night Multiple Night Stay. Both the meals and the Onsen were truly wonderful. We visited Hasami, Shimabara, and Saga, and it was conveniently located with good access to everywhere we went. I wondered if there were too few staff at the front desk—they seemed very busy. The elderly lady in charge at the dining area was very kind, and our children really took to her. However, an enormous moth got into our Room and it was very scary... At the end of our trip, we took a taxi to Nagasaki Airport. The driver said “25,000 yen is fine, right?” so we paid, but there was no meter and it made us uneasy. We would have felt more comfortable with a metered taxi arranged for us. Still, we had a great time and the Onsen was truly excellent. Thank you very much.