Fujitaya

The Room was built in 1929, yet it has been so carefully maintained and cleaned that you hardly feel the passage of nearly 100 years. We were told that even these intricate shoji screens are re-papered every year. Surrounded by meticulously crafted details—kumiko latticework, openwork designs, and the tokonoma alcove—the handmade dishes were truly exceptional. Enjoying Japanese cuisine in a traditional tatami Room is calming and deeply soothing. There is something about this atmosphere that modern architecture simply cannot surpass. The baths include an open-air bath, a large public bath, and two private baths; all offer high-quality spaces with a serene feel. The water temperature was perfect as well. I only visit an Onsen two or three times a year, but among the Onsens I’ve been to in recent years, this was the best. I’d love to return soon.

I stayed with my wife. We had a slightly unusual dinner menu—Wagyu hitsumabushi—and both the idea and the taste were excellent. As for the baths, I used the hinoki-wood bath, the large public bath, and the open-air bath for a total of three times, and all of them had wonderful water quality and atmosphere. It was my first time visiting Yugawara, and it had a calmness different from Atami or Hakone; I felt it truly is an Onsen town loved by great writers. Thank you very much.