Kotobukiso

Kotobukiso is a small ryokan on a rise above the Arakawa river in Sekikawa, Niigata, with just seven rooms, each done up differently. The family dug its own hot-spring well here in 1960, and the same source still fills the baths: the water runs clear and colorless, at a comfortable temperature, and keeps you warm well after you're out. Bathing is separated by gender, both baths looking out onto a garden, and there's a small private bath too, free to use but kept for guests staying the night. The inn is run today by the third-generation proprietress, and quilted wall hangings and silk dolls decorate the halls throughout. Past guests often mention how easily the staff put them at ease, and some rooms catch a sunset over the surrounding farmland.