Wakamiro

Wakamiro is the only inn in this quiet spot at the foot of the southern Yatsugatake mountains, with an indoor bathing hall, gender-separated outdoor baths, and a private bath you can reserve. The spring runs cool, so each tub is split into a section left at that natural temperature and a section gently warmed, and bathers move back and forth between the two. The water is mineral-rich and kept flowing straight from the source rather than recirculated. On a clear day the outdoor bath looks out toward a distant Mt Fuji. The building is old-fashioned, built of Akita cedar with carved transoms that differ from room to room, and dinner leans on local, seasonal ingredients. Reviews describe warm, attentive staff and a nostalgic, well-kept feel, more like visiting family in the countryside than checking into a hotel.