源泉 水芭蕉乃湯 梅田屋旅館

A traditional ryokan on the road into the Oze marshland, with an indoor bath and an open-air bath on each side, men's and women's, that swap nightly, plus a private family bath that's free to use whenever it's open and lockable from inside. The alkaline spring water is soft, colorless, and known for leaving the skin smooth. In winter, only one outdoor bath operates, switching between the men's and women's sides at set times through the day. The inn belongs to the Association for the Preservation of Secret Hot Springs (日本秘湯を守る会, Nihon Hitou wo Mamoru Kai), and its baths, Himebasho no Yu (美人蕉の湯), Mizubasho no Yu (水芭蕉乃湯), and Hanaemi no Yu (はなえみの湯), are named for the mizubasho (skunk cabbage) flowers of nearby Oze. Many guests stop here on the way to or from a walk through the marshland, and the food and housekeeping get consistent praise.