Yuzaemon (Japanese inn) — Hotel in Honshu

I have loved everything about my stay at Matsuriya Yuzaemon. The staff were so kind and welcoming, the room was lovely and spacious, the view of the mountain from my window was breath-taking, and the baths were relaxing and tranquil at night. The hotel's outdoor baths are open until midnight, so I was able to enjoy soaking alone for awhile before bed, and grab a bottle of milk from a nearby vending machine on my way back up to my room.

I took advantage of the option to eat a dinner and a breakfast at the hotel, and it was a truly worthwhile experience that I would recommend to any guest. The food was delicious, plentiful, and varied, with dishes that I never found available elsewhere on my trip - my favourites were the pickled eggplant and seafood custard (at dinner), and the miso soup and saba fish (at breakfast). Dinner also came with a shamisen performance by one of the staff, who also taught me how to play a few notes and took photos. I am sincerely considering trying to learn more!

I also loved wearing the light, short yukata provided in my room as I wandered around Iizaka Onsen. I wish I had looked for one at the hotel's beautiful gift shop! The hotel is well placed near several of the town's most notable spots, such as Kyu Horikiri-tei, as well as a foot path up to the shrine at the nearby Atagoyama Park. Additionally, the staff were incredibly helpful in helping me to find my way through the town, even helping me find a place to have breakfast on my last day in Iizaka Onsen, and they appear to have good relations with the local community - my first night in town, when I was trying to find my way to the hotel, a local woman was willing to drive me straight to my destination because she was friends with the owner. Everyone I have met at the hotel and in town were so kind to a confused foreigner (me), and they truly made my stay one of the highlights of my visit to Japan.

My only feedback for the hotel is to include more English instructions in the rooms for what amenities are included, where they are located, and how they work. I was a bit confused my first night, and didn't realize that I had a water pitcher and tea-maker in my room until the next day. Other than that small hiccup, though, I heartily recommend Yuzaemon to anyone wanting a lovely...

Iizaka Onsen (飯坂温泉) is an easy 25-minute train ride from Fukushima Station. It has numerous Onsen Inns, and Matsuriya Yuzaemon (祭屋 湯左衛門) is one of the good ones to choose from. With 34 rooms, I consider it medium-sized.||||Matsuri of Matsuriya means festival, so in the afternoon and evenings, we heard Japanese festival music. (In the morning, they switched to classic music, a nice subtle touch.)||||Matsuriya Yuzaemon has 1 indoor onsen, and 3 outdoor onsen for each of men and women. Hot water temperature was just right, and it was so relaxing. We soaked in 4-5 times during a single night stay. The hotel was full, but Onsen area was never crowded.||||Both dinner and breakfast were excellent. We ate at a private dining room on the first floor.||||On Saturdays, they provide a traditional taiko (Japanese drum) performance by local lads. It's a special style called Kenka (Street Fight), and it was the most energetic and excellent taiko performance I have ever watched.||||The room was clean and quiet, facing Surikamigawa River and hills behind the river. The room was stocked with the typical Japanese inn amenities.||||The staff are friendly and helpful in Japanese.||||Overall, Matsuriya Yuzaemon is a high-quality, fun place to stay in Iizaka Onsen.||||Matsuriya Yuzaemon is probably about 10 minute walk from Iizaka Onsen Station. They provide a shuttle bus service, but we opted to walk both ways, as there are interesting places in between.||||You should visit this traditional Onsen town, and if you stay in the area, I highly recommend...

We had an amazing time staying at yuzaemon. Even though we don't speak Japanese everyone took the time to translate everything on our phone and we didn't have any trouble communicating. The baths are the perfect temperature and very peaceful. For foreigners who might be nervous about using the bath this is the perfect place because everyone is so nice and helpful and you can visit later in the evening after 9 when there are less people till you get more comfortable. The food was amazing and they where very accommodating. This stay was a highlight of our trip to Japan. We hope we will be able to...