Ookawaso is located in the Ashinomaki Onsen resort nestled along the beautiful valley of Okawa River.
As you step into this inn, you will be welcomed by a live performance on the shamisen, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument.
Attentive service is provided by female attendants (called nakai-san) dressed in kimono, which is another of the charms of this old-fashioned Japanese inn.
For dinner, you can enjoy a Japanese-style set menu rich in locally produced ingredients.
The open-air hot spring facility Shiki Butai Tanada consists of multi-level baths set up like terraced rice fields overlooking the valley. Here you can enjoy basking amid the beautiful nature of the valley.
Ookawaso also has large baths and lie-down saunas, both of which are perfect for relaxing and soothing the body. Another open-air bath Kuchu Roten Buro looks similar to the famous stage of Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto and commands a magnificent view.
After enjoying dinner and hot spring bathing, guests can experience a mochi (rice cake) pounding event, which is a typically Japanese traditional communal activity.
When the pounding is completed, freshly-made mochi will be served to the participants on the spot. Please enjoy to the full everything that a Japanese-style hot spring resort hotel has to offer.
| Website | http://www.ookawaso.co.jp/en/ |
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| Contact | Ookawaso (+81) 242-92-2111 |
| Accommodation details | Capacity: 136 rooms (Space for 710 guests) Room styles: Japanese-style Room charge: One night with two meals: 15,900 yen per person (week days, double occupant, tax included) Check in / Check out: 3:00 PM / 10:00 AM Meals: Dinner: Japanese-style course / Breakfast: Buffet style Japanese and Western food Hot springs: Sulfate hot spring Pets: Not allowed |
| Related info | Foreign Language Support Available: English Facilities: Tea lounge, karaoke bar, karaoke boxes, Japanese-style pub, shop, open-air baths (available for private use during fixed hours) Wheelchair rental and shower chair rental are available. |
| Book a room | TripAdvisor.com |
| Access | 984 Shimodaira, Ashinomaki, Oto-machi, Aizu-Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Pref. 969-5147 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 45 min from Aizu-Wakamatsu I.C. on the Ban-etsu Expressway By Train: 45 min bus ride from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station on the JR Tadami Line or JR Ban-etsu West Line. (Or 10 min by taxi from Ashinomaki Onsen Station on the Aizu Railway Line) Mapcode for Car GPS: 433 710 571*35 |
Experience canoeing at Lake Hibara, one of Urabandai’s largest lakes! Outdoor Sports Club Bacss offers a range of fun tours and activities centred around Lake Hibara that you can join with family and friends, including trekking, canoeing and fishing.
What is 'Akabeko'?The akabeko legend started at Enzoji Temple in Yanaizu Town, in the Aizu region. The construction of this temple began in the year 807, but due to a huge earthquake at the end of the seventeenth century, it had to be repaired in 1617. It was during the reconstruction of the temple that the akabeko became a folk legend.It is said that moving the wood and other supplies necessary for the reconstruction work was incredibly difficult because materials had to be transported from various villages upstream of the Tadami River. The materials were heavy and the journey to the temple was long. Cattle were used to transport materials, but many struggled to bear their loads.Then, out of nowhere, appeared a cow with a red coat. (It should be noted that, in the past, the word ‘red’ was used to describe the color ‘brown’, so it is likely that it was a brown cow.) The red cow supported the other cows and helped the priests who were constructing the temple until it was completed. Then, it suddenly vanished.'Akabeko' means 'red cow' in the local dialect.A number of statues of the cow were built inside the temple grounds so that the people of Yanaizu could express their gratitude to the akabeko.In the years following, there was a range of legends about the akabeko, with stories such as families who owned akabeko being rid of sickness upon stroking the cows. They continued to hold their status of bringers of good luck and strength. Families bought or made akabeko toys for their young children to play with.Akabeko Painting ExperiencesIn recent history, the Aizu tradition of painting akabeko began. It is said that this tradition started as something to do for children visiting Aizu-Wakamatsu City as part of school trips. This was when the story of the Akabeko evolved once more, into its newest papier-mâché form. The stripes on the face and back of the papier-mâché Akabeko are said to represent strength and perseverance.There are a number of workshops in Aizu-Wakamatsu City where you can paint your own Akabeko. Most workshops offer the standard red, white, and black paint. These talismans for good health make very cute and lightweight souvenirs to take home for family and friends – or keep for yourself! Those who prefer to buy a ready-painted Akabeko will be able to find it at most souvenir shops.BookingIf you would like to book an akabeko painting experience at the Tsurugajo Kaikan (a shopping complex located next to Tsurugajo Castle), please access this page.
Suzuzen was established in 1832 as a lacquerware wholesale shop. Not only can visitors see process of lacquerware being finished using gold and silver dusted designs called 'Makie', but visitors can also have the opportunity to design their own lacquered product using Makie design techniques, which is perfect to take home as a souvenir. Booking & More InformationSuzuzen is made up of 6 kura (Japanese-style warehouses), which have been renovated. The Suzuzen warehouses include a gallery featuring pieces by contemporary artists who use lacquer in their work, and a cafe which is open for lunch. English-language signs also make the history of lacquer in Aizu accessible for overseas visitors.
Suzutake workshop tours began in the 1950s as a way of providing families with a chance to learn about the history and artistry of lacquerware. Even today, visitors are able to actually see artisans at work at three key stages of the Aizu lacquerware making process: 1) applying a base layer of unrefined lacquer or astringent liquid to wood; 2) adding additional layers of lacquer in a desired style, and 3) adding hand-drawn delicate designs ('makie') using either colored lacquer or gold and silver power (a technique called 'Sunken gold makie'). Visitors can also take part in a makie-painting experience.
Villa Inawashiro is a hot spring resort hotel, located in Inawashiro Town, at the foot of Mt. Bandai. It's possible to bathe in the onsen baths at Village Inawashiro each day until midnight. The spring flows from Mt. Bandai, and is called a "beautifying hot spring" and a "fertility hot spring." In the winter, visitors can enjoy winter sports at the ski resort located next to the hotel. Visitors can dine on original dishes made from the best ingredients grown on Villa Inawashiro's private farm. Located less than one hour from Aizu-Wakamatsu and Kitakata, and close to Urabandai, Villa Inawashiro makes an excellent hub for sightseeing in the Aizu area.
Hotel Listel Inawashiro is situated in Listel Park, a 700,000-square-meter property with its own herb garden, ski area, outdoor sports facilities, and more. This hotel offers a wide variety of enjoyment as an all-season destination resort.There are two types of accommodation within the hotel complex: the Wing Tower is an European-style, high-rise hotel, and the Main Building is a condominium hotel with a kitchen in each room. The spa facility is well-equipped with a number of onsen baths, including ones that guests can enjoy while wearing a bathing suit. An outdoor bath that commands a panoramic view of Lake Inawashiro is also located on site.
This resort hotel is located in the Aizu Highlands, at an elevation of 1,000 meters. The interior of the hotel is chic and modern, and the facility has a relaxed atmosphere. Guests can indulge themselves in a comfortable hotel lifestyle. Guest rooms overlook Aizu Kogen Takatsue Ski Resort, allowing for a variety of spectacular seasonal views.
Guest House Inawashiro Hanbog is an accommodation facility located 14 km away from Mt. Bandai, close to Lake Inawashiro and the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum.Some foreign visitors favor this modern guest house for its cozy wooden atmosphere, reasonable price, convenient location and privileged views of the mountains.But most choose it for what it stands for.The owner of this guesthouse, originally from Fukushima, lived some time in Korea and decided to come back to his hometown to promote tourism in his hometown and replicate the unique hospitality he received in guesthouses during his time abroad.Guest House Inawashiro Hanbog is a foreign-friendly guesthouse that offers more than a place to stay—it’s really a place to connect. Travelers wanting to explore outside of the box and make new friends over a few beers after a day out sightseeing should consider staying at Hanbog.Its amenities include free parking, a bar serving some of Fukushima’s local specialties, free Wi-Fi, an outdoor bonfire area, and Asian-style meals.Guest House Inawashiro Hanbog has three shared rooms: One for female guests, one for male guests, and a mixed room. Each room has two bunk beds and capacity for four people, for a total capacity of 12 people. It has two shower rooms and two washbasins.