Daimaru Besso

406. Daimaru Besso, Futsukaichi Onsen, Fukuoka (pt.3 — onsen) Regarding the baths — the ryokan actually has two, but the second one is accessible either for specific room types or for a separate building. In my case, only the bath that appeared in the infamous news photos was available. The indoor L-shaped bath is in a spacious room. In the evening and morning there was a lot of steam — you couldn't see anything a few meters away. But breathing was still comfortable. Plus, there are windows along the edge of the bath that you can open to your preference. The main section has a deep area, followed by a shallow zone, ending with an utaseyu (you can sit on a chair or stand). The water is clear, temperature varies slightly depending on location — 41-43. Overall, it's pleasant to soak in this onsen. It's just one bath, but quite powerful. As a ryokan, the place is strong — service, kaiseki, Japanese garden, spacious room, and overall decor. For the onsen side, at this price range you'd want more, but I was satisfied overall.

406. Daimaru Besso, Futsukaichi Onsen, Fukuoka (pt.2 — garden) A really great feature of Daimaru Besso is the inner Japanese garden. It's small but pleasant to look at both during the day and late in the evening.

406. Daimaru Besso, Futsukaichi Onsen, Fukuoka (pt.1 — ryokan and room) Stayed overnight with meals. An infamously known ryokan. In 2023, after the discovery of falsified water quality inspection results for the onsen — which led to significantly elevated bacteria levels — the ryokan's manager took his own life. The ryokan itself is spacious and can accommodate a large number of guests. On Sunday night going into Monday, there were quite a few visitors — Japanese guests and tourists from nearby Asian countries. The staff doesn't speak much English but tries very hard with service — they show and explain everything from reception to the room and all the details. The room is spacious, with two table options — a traditional Japanese floor table and a regular one with chairs, which is extremely convenient for me. The room has a wooden bath (connected to regular water supply). The kaiseki was delicious, served in the room, and you can choose which table to eat at.