Natural hot spring Senshu no Yu Kansai Airport — Attraction in Izumisano

Unexpected poor service in Japan

I recently visited a well-known onsen near Osaka airport, expecting a relaxing and authentic Japanese hot spring experience, but I was thoroughly disappointed by the poor service and misleading presentation.

One staff member, a man wearing blue glasses and noticeably overweight, displayed a shockingly unprofessional attitude. When I approached him with concerns about the facilities, he was dismissive and rude, refusing to provide his name or employee ID for complaint purposes. He claimed this was a matter of “privacy,” leaving customers with no proper channel to voice their grievances.

This lack of accountability is frustrating and unacceptable for a venue that supposedly prioritizes hospitality.

The service at the reception was equally abysmal. I waited at the counter for an unreasonably long time, with no staff bothering to assist or even acknowledge the guests. It felt as though we were being deliberately ignored. To make matters worse, the onsen’s actual condition was a stark contrast to the pristine photos advertised online. The facilities appeared worn and neglected, and the overall ambiance was far from the serene, inviting experience promoted.

This experience was a complete departure from the renowned Japanese hospitality I had anticipated. I strongly advise against visiting this onsen for anyone seeking a peaceful retreat, as the poor staff attitude and misleading portrayal utterly ruined...

The facilities are nice and the environment is relaxing, but it is spoiled by an extremely xenophobic, rude, and belligerent staff member.

As I was leaving the onsen at 12:00 AM (at closing time) to head back into my hotel room, I was racially discriminated and verbally assaulted by a young male staff member who ordered me to go step outside and get locked out the hotel, rather than allowing me to proceed back to my unit through the hallway connecting the onsen to the hotel. He used Google translate to inform me this in Chinese (assuming I was Chinese, I am not).

Thinking I did not understand Japanese, this staff member proceeded to continue mutter racist epithets in Japanese at me.

Considering this onsen is connected to an international airport hotel, it is ironic how poorly any non-Japanese Asian is treated here. Good facilities, but best to avoid this onsen if you're not a local, unless you're looking to be racially discriminated against for being...

Visited this onsen on the last night of our Japan trip while staying at Henn na Hotel Kansai.

Pro: Outdoor onsen has a great lookout for the Osaka bay and weather is cooling; making it a comfortable experience. Unfortunately that is the only pro I can think of this onsen.

Cons: Consider extending the hours a little longer to accommodate for travelers who arrived late at airport.

Staff's interpersonal skill at the onsen counter needs to be improved as we felt he was just planning to chase people out even though we were already planning to move soon (It was a middle-aged man with spectacles similar to what other local reviewers have highlighted here). My wife also had a similar experience on the ladies side. Certainly did not give an accurate impression on what Japanese hospitability is about (been to other onsen resorts and 3 star hotels and their staffs' service are much more eloquent) and that person should not be assigned to customer...