The three main elements of a ryokan or hotel are facilities, food, and service. In addition to these, what makes a Japanese inn many times more appealing are the hot springs and baths.
In the coming season, soaking in a famous hot spring will relax your mind and body and set you up for a good year. In this 15th installment, we will introduce accommodations in Nagano Prefecture, "Bath-Proud Inns: Central Japan Part 6."

Shirakaba Resort Ikenodaira Hotel will demolish the main building that has been in operation since the hotel's founding in 1955 and completely renovate a new 10-story main building to open in the spring of 2023. As per the concept of "THE LAKE RESORT," you can spend a comfortable time on the shores of Lake Shirakaba surrounded by lush nature.

The hotel's large public bath is the "Natural Hot Spring Koten no Yu." You can enjoy the waters of Tarugasawa Onsen, a hot spring source in the northern Yatsugatake Mountains and Mount Tateshina. It is made up of three baths: the "Lakeside Mixed Bath Sora," and the indoor baths "Ki no Yu" and "Stone no Yu," which are alternate baths for men and women.

From "Lakeside Mixed Bathing Sora," you can enjoy the magnificent view of the plateau, and the infinity open-air bath where Lake Shirakaba and the water surface seem to merge. From "Observation Sauna -ku-," which is equipped with a self-loyly, you can also enjoy the view of Lake Shirakaba and be enveloped in the open feeling of a lake resort. The cold bath is filled with underground water from Mt. Tateshina, so sauna lovers should definitely check it out. In the mixed bathing area where swimsuits are required, you can enjoy bathing with family and friends.

The indoor baths are the "Wood Bath" decorated with Kiso Hinoki cypress and the "Stone Bath" based on natural stone. Men and women alternate baths, so if you stay overnight you can bathe in two different hot springs. Both baths are equipped with an open-air bath and a sauna with auto-louver. After bathing, you can relax with a glass of underground water and carbonated water from Mt. Tateshina at the "Meisui Bar" in the bath lounge. You can enjoy the nature of Mt. Tateshina to your heart's content.

Ikenodaira Hotel has a total of 241 guest rooms across the new main building, east building, and annex. A wide variety of guest rooms are available, from authentic suites to character rooms that children can enjoy.

At the indoor hot spring town "Shirakaba Nakamise," you can enjoy local beer and sake at the corner-drinking style food stalls, and there is an array of Shinshu folk crafts and local specialties. The dinner buffet is a resort food hall with 13 individual stores and corners, where you can enjoy a menu using Shinshu and seasonal ingredients prepared by chefs right in front of you.

Issa no Komichi Issa no Komichi Biyu no Yado Prefecture, features a hot spring that is a blend of three hot springs. It is a genuine hot spring that flows 100% from the source without adding water or heating, and the bathkeeper adjusts and manages the amount of water and temperature throughout the day. It was the first to be certified under the prefecture's own hot spring standards, and the standards are still strictly adhered to today.

Part of the indoor bath is a jacuzzi, which not only has a massaging effect on the body, but also enhances the "yumomi" (massage) effect of softening the water.

They also take SDGs into consideration. By passing the 60-90 degree hot spring water through a heat exchanger, the water becomes the right temperature, eliminating the need to dilute it with water and allowing 100% of the hot spring water to flow freely. The hot spring heat utilization system using this heat exchanger has been in place since 1990, and the water is heated with the heat from the hot spring and reused for hot water supply and heating in the building.

The cuisine served at this restaurant is seasonal and incorporates plenty of mountain produce, which is unique to this landlocked prefecture. The specialty of this restaurant is the "hand-picked log-grilled shiitake mushrooms," which are freshly picked shiitake mushrooms that are then grilled on a net. You can also take home any remaining mushroom seeds and grow them at home, making this a delicious dish that is enjoyed twice.