Lake Akan Tsuruga Wings — Hotel in Kushiro

Excellent onsen hotel with spectacular views, wonderful staff and exclusive access to view priceless artworks.

The best onsens I've experienced in my 8 years travelling throughout Japan.

I originally booked 3 nights in Winter, but I loved it so much that I extended for another 3.

I have to thank the Tsuruga group CEO for creating a gallery of the genius, Takeki Fujito, in the lobby, as this is what brought me to Akanko-Onsen. I was thrilled that I could finally see his work and was very happy that the Tsuruga hotels also included a gallery of another great Ainu genius master carver, Masamitsu Takeguchi.

I especially admired and appreciated how the Ainu language was used throughout Tsuruga Wings so that guests can learn, too. It's a subtle but supportive action to uplift Ainu cultural awareness. I applaud you. I hope we can do the same thing in Australia.

Tsuruga Wings is joined by the gallery to sister hotel Yuku no Sato Tsuruga, which rightfully showcases these artists who lived and worked in the nearby Ainu Kotan (village).

These artists have exhibited in Japan and globally, but have recently passed away, leaving a legacy of artistry and Ainu culture which is continued by their respective sons in the same family stores.

As the 2 hotels are joined, Tsuruga Wings' guests have access to all of the facilities including 3 onsens, bar, gardens, stores, shuttle buses, couriers and restaurants.

The 2 onsens in Yuku no Sato are spectacular. Think Ghibli "Spirited Away" spectacular. Access changes daily so both men and women get to experience each onsen.

In Winter, there are fireworks on the frozen lake, and you can choose to view them from the Onsen, the buffet/ restaurant or in the garden. It's magical.

The hotel is a 2 minute walk to the Ainu Kotan (please visit and talk to the owners they are a wealth of information), and boasts lakeside views from the onsens and restaurants.

The Ainu cultural experience via the Ainu Ikor theatre (please watch "The Lost Kamuy" it's a powerful piece) or a cultural tour with "Anytime Ainutime" tours is just a 4 minute walk from the hotel.

Compliments to these staff for being so helpful during my stay: Nakamura-San at reception who was so kind and professional during my stay, Masayoshi Kato- San - bartender who made an excellent bespoke mocktail every night, and Yasuhiko Nishiwaki- San at the hotel store who helped with arranging a courier for my luggage.

Thank you to all the staff, they have been fantastic!

Highly recommend staying here for the unique experience of nature, Ainu culture, magnificent gallery of work, exemplary service and facilities. I...

Stayed one night on a half board package which cost around£200.||Excellent service (valet parking JPY400 per night). One of the ladies on reception spoke excellent English.||Japanese style largish room with lake view. Initially set up for seating and then converted to bedding in the evening. Tiny toilet/shower room. Tea and coffee. No where to place luggage as the wardrobe was used to store bedding. Based on room alone it's only 4. ||Dinner was an extensive buffet with just about everything you could want. Very busy but very well managed with plenty of everything. Breakfast the same. I even managed to fashion a kind of full English knowing there was a lot of Japanese down the road.||The best bit is the outside onsen which is shared between men and women at different times. The front desk will explain when you check in. To get to this you need to go to the adjoining hotel (part of the same building). Don't go to the one in the wings itself which is pretty standard indoor. The outdoor ones swap between the ground floor one and the roof one. Choose these with the grind floor bring the best.||I gave it 5 on the facilities and buffet. Not sure we'll get a better onsen in our...

I'm actually shocked to say that I'm very disappointed in this hotel. It's way overly commercial, very crowded getting and combining two hotels actually subtracts from the end result. Whether it's the answer or the restaurant it feels like you're just a number here in the customer service level while still exceptionally high on an individual level with employees it's overall much less than what you experience across Japan and other properties. The buffet is massive and disappointing which is purely tied to the size of what they're trying to pull off. Again bigger isn't better.

The refurbished room that we had was actually exceptionally well done and designed. There are a few things that are way over engineered. Like the automatic motion control light at the entry which goes on in the middle of the night if you happen to want to go from your bed to the couch thus waking everyone else up! There's no way to shut this thing off without turning off the master. The coffee maker is a disaster.

It's also very disappointing that the big hotels are clearly crushed any local restaurants who have tried to establish presents here. They're basically is no town outside...