Yutagawa Onsen Kuhe Ryokan

Kuhe Ryokan is a small inn in Yutagawa Onsen, a quiet hot spring town in Tsuruoka. Along with an outdoor bath, it has two main baths, Yama-no-yu (山の湯) and Kawa-no-yu (川の湯), whose men's and women's sides switch partway through the day. A private bath is free for overnight guests, open through the night, and needs no booking, and some rooms, including maisonette-style suites in the moon-themed wing, have their own onsen tub. The water feels soft on the skin. The kitchen gets as much attention as the baths: meals are seasonal and carefully composed, served in a quiet, well-kept inn.