Azare — Hotel in Takarazuka

Came here for the onsen after finishing the Takedao abandoned train track trail. Onsen was 1800¥/pax, opens from 11am-3pm.

The gentleman manning the front desk was welcoming. We paid and were given a small plastic-packaged towel and directed to the onsen. Bath towels are provided for free, grab them on the way in.

The dressing room was relatively small even though it had many lockers, I think maybe up to 30? Shoe lockers first, then put all your clothes in the locker. There are 3 sinks where you can wash your face/remove makeup in the dressing room. Makeup remover, face wash, "moist water" and "moist milk" are available, and so are cotton ear buds, hair dryers, combs, shower caps (?). There was also a guide on how to take a bath, the Japanese way (although from all the other resources I've read, they usually want us to shower thoroughly before going in?).

Entering the bath area, there is a place to rinse yourself, a row of approx 8 washing stalls, and an indoor pool which was quite hot. There is also a smaller outdoor pool which was less hot. I agree with another reviewer, that 4 people in the outdoor pool would be the maximum before starting to feel cramped/in each other's faces. There are bamboo privacy screens shielding the area from view from the opposite road.

My husband and I came on a Tuesday and had the luxury of respectively having the baths to ourselves, making it super value for money ❤️ hence why I could take some shots of the inside. We had a great experience!

When we were leaving, a kind elderly lady (on staff) asked us where we were from, and wished us a good trip. I thought that was a nice touch 😀

The hotel lounge area was very neat and had many seats to enjoy the view outside. The hotel is about 10 mins away from the Takedao rail station. Take the right fork upwards towards the reception. If you take the left road at the fork, there is also a small free foot-bath available...

It's a bit of a trek to get here, navigating Osaka's many rail lines but it's worth it. The walk from the station is only about 8-10 minutes, and it was relatively easy to find when we were on foot. We were traveling for 2 weeks and this was a much needed break for some quality R&R. Each room is equipped with a large private tub that's big enough to fit 2 people comfortably that runs hot spring water directly to your room. As someone with tattoos, this was a requirement for me. The room itself was clean, large, had free drinks and everything you would need to refresh after a long travel.

Our booking came with breakfast and dinner, each a traditional Japanese style meal that featured the day's fresh ingredients and was extremely filling and nourishing after many days of greasy, heavy food. The owner came to greet us after our meal and told us about her story of running the ryokan and was very warm and welcoming to weary travelers.

For those traveling back by train, there is a shuttle that can drive you back to the nearest station - which even though a short walk, was needed after soaking our fatigue away. If you have the time, I highly recommend making a stop here, even for a night. It's well worth the investment...

Our visit to Azare left us feeling fully recharged after a busy few days of traveling. The rooms were spacious with cozy lighting and large windows, providing panoramic views. It felt like we were in the forest. The baths were gorgeous, with the indoor bath smelling of cedar. Dinner and breakfast were presented beautifully with seasonal ingredients and in-depth explanations of what everything was. Though it is a bit out of the way, Azare is a great option for travelers looking for a...