Izutsuya — Hotel in Shin-onsen

Was really nice to stay here again, but this time with Family (and young kids). Still did not disappoint. ||||Same great and warm reception! This time though we stayed in a Tatami Room so that my children can experience sleeping in the Traditional Tatami room instead of a Hotel room. ||||We however chose to have our meals downstairs in their restaurants, the inroom meals are a bit pricey. I also don't recommend getting these big Tatami rooms for smaller groups, it would not be cost effective I think.||||I have reviewed the Izutsuya before already, but I just want to add a few more details specially for foreign guests. Actually I have never seen a foreign guest in this Ryokan, ever, but I strongly recommend this if you are after a great traditional Ryokan. All other Onsen resorts that I would go to will be compared to Izutusya!||||Getting there: I am not sure how best to get to the place, because I usually come from Toyooka City and brought by our Host. I understand the nearest Station is Hamasaka Station.||Then take a bus or Taxi to Yumura Onsen.||||Yukata: They will give you a Yutaka when you arrive in your room, the hostesses will check if your Yukata is the right length, they even had small ones for my kids. I am still to date, confused as to how to wear Yukata, so best to ask the Hostess to help you, at least on which side of the top goes under and which one goes over. I was told that foreigners are really allowed a lot of lee way on mistakes about this. I was told that depending if you are Male or Female you one side goes over the other side. Then worse I was told that if you wear it incorrectly it is not ideal as only the Dead wears it like that (opposite). So please ask your hostess to help you.||||ONSEN: Of course before you go in the pool you are supposed to scub and shower first. The small towel that they give you is for scrubbing your body and to cover parts of your body you might be shy to show. But Don't bring the Towel into the bath, when you enter the bath you can either put it on the side or on top of your head, but never dip the towel in the bath. The concept is that you have scrubbed your body with it, so it's a bit dirty. ||||Some Onsen do not allow people with Tattoos, I am not so sure about Izutsuya, please check first when reserving.||||KIDS: If going to Onsen with kids, best to tell them not to play around and not to treat the bath as a swimming pool. No noise, no Horse play and no Swimming. It is a place to relax. I was lucky as my Kids had to join their Mom instead of me. But while at the Baths, I did see some kids with their father, and the Japanese kids would also still swim and run around, but it was tolerable and the father made sure they were not too rowdy. By the way, it was my kids' first time to try Onsen and they LOVED it!||||If you want more privacy, I think they also rent out private baths upstairs for Y10,000 or so for a few hours. I think that is good value, you get your privacy. You can also rent the room as a couple for a Honeymoon or something.||||Lastly, and I just learned this during this trip. Izutsuya is in the Shinonsen area where Yumura Osen is. Actually from what I understand Yumura onsen is the main source of Hot Spring water for the resorts around the area, including Izutsuya. ||||You can visit Yumura Onsen site, just by going down where the Onsen baths are in the resort, and then going outside, the resort provide slippers and umbrellas as well for this. You walk down and cross a street and you are there. It's nice and peaceful and you can even boil your own egg and dip your feet in the hot spring water. I am going to make a review of the place right after I finish this review.||||Oh, one more thing, I have never encountered internet access in the resort, which I think is a good thing, makes for a better and...

Was really nice to stay here again, but this time with Family (and young kids). Still did not disappoint. ||||Same great and warm reception! This time though we stayed in a Tatami Room so that my children can experience sleeping in the Traditional Tatami room instead of a Hotel room. ||||We however chose to have our meals downstairs in their restaurants, the inroom meals are a bit pricey. I also don't recommend getting these big Tatami rooms for smaller groups, it would not be cost effective I think.||||I have reviewed the Izutsuya before already, but I just want to add a few more details specially for foreign guests. Actually I have never seen a foreign guest in this Ryokan, ever, but I strongly recommend this if you are after a great traditional Ryokan. All other Onsen resorts that I would go to will be compared to Izutusya!||||Getting there: I am not sure how best to get to the place, because I usually come from Toyooka City and brought by our Host. I understand the nearest Station is Hamasaka Station.||Then take a bus or Taxi to Yumura Onsen.||||Yukata: They will give you a Yutaka when you arrive in your room, the hostesses will check if your Yukata is the right length, they even had small ones for my kids. I am still to date, confused as to how to wear Yukata, so best to ask the Hostess to help you, at least on which side of the top goes under and which one goes over. I was told that foreigners are really allowed a lot of lee way on mistakes about this. I was told that depending if you are Male or Female you one side goes over the other side. Then worse I was told that if you wear it incorrectly it is not ideal as only the Dead wears it like that (opposite). So please ask your hostess to help you.||||ONSEN: Of course before you go in the pool you are supposed to scub and shower first. The small towel that they give you is for scrubbing your body and to cover parts of your body you might be shy to show. But Don't bring the Towel into the bath, when you enter the bath you can either put it on the side or on top of your head, but never dip the towel in the bath. The concept is that you have scrubbed your body with it, so it's a bit dirty. ||||Some Onsen do not allow people with Tattoos, I am not so sure about Izutsuya, please check first when reserving.||||KIDS: If going to Onsen with kids, best to tell them not to play around and not to treat the bath as a swimming pool. No noise, no Horse play and no Swimming. It is a place to relax. I was lucky as my Kids had to join their Mom instead of me. But while at the Baths, I did see some kids with their father, and the Japanese kids would also still swim and run around, but it was tolerable and the father made sure they were not too rowdy. By the way, it was my kids' first time to try Onsen and they LOVED it!||||If you want more privacy, I think they also rent out private baths upstairs for Y10,000 or so for a few hours. I think that is good value, you get your privacy. You can also rent the room as a couple for a Honeymoon or something.||||Lastly, and I just learned this during this trip. Izutsuya is in the Shinonsen area where Yumura Osen is. Actually from what I understand Yumura onsen is the main source of Hot Spring water for the resorts around the area, including Izutsuya. ||||You can visit Yumura Onsen site, just by going down where the Onsen baths are in the resort, and then going outside, the resort provide slippers and umbrellas as well for this. You walk down and cross a street and you are there. It's nice and peaceful and you can even boil your own egg and dip your feet in the hot spring water. I am going to make a review of the place right after I finish this review.||||Oh, one more thing, I have never encountered internet access in the resort, which I think is a good thing, makes for a better and...

My stay was basically for business but as we arrived on a weekend, our host booked us at Izutsuya or Itutuya. The Hostess welcomed us when we arrived and we were given authentic fresh green tea. The Hostess spoke english and after showing us to our room, gave us a tour of the facilities, where the baths are and where we will have dinner and breakfast.||||I was told that typically Japanese prefer to go to the hot spring tubs 3 times, once before dinner, once after dinner and the last before breakfast the next day. After one soak and having dinner, we were all relaxed and tired and only got to do the pre breakfast soak.||||Some tips I learned, best to remove all jewelry and stuff, including watches and even eyeglasses (unless you really can't walk around with glasses). Leave them all in your room or in lockers provided. ||||I only got to go to the two main baths of this resort, the two baths are designated for Men and the other for women, but they switch the next day so that everyone can try the two main baths. I like going out on the outdoor baths as the cold air cools the head while the body is soaking in very warm water. There was even a nice wooden bath with Jasmine scent at the women's bath, which I got to try the next day.||||Dinner and breakfast was usual great Japanese food and presentation. Don't get this wrong coz I used the worse "usual" I meant, the food is what one expects in a nice resort in Japan, so that is saying a lot already.||||Our room was quite big, twin sharing with my wife, even has it's own humidifier. This resort still employs a Refrigerator that has sensors, so that when you pull something out, you can't put it back in already and it will be charged to your room, it also gets locked after you checkout, I couldn't open it anymore to take the complimentary bottle of water after most of our group started checking out. If ever you accidentally pulled out a drink and you didn't intend to drink it, just inform the resort. ||||One thing that the Hostess told us after touring is the first day, she said, oh, no need to lock your door, everyone is honest here. Of course they are, but then force of habit still made us lock our doors anyway. ||||There is no Internet available, that I know in...