Ushiosou

Ushiosou (海潮荘) has been receiving guests at this mountain spring for over 1,300 years, one of the oldest recorded hot springs in the Izumo region. It is a member of Nihon Hito wo Mamoru-kai (日本秘湯を守る会), the association that protects remote, lesser-known springs, and today is the only inn left from what was once a cluster of five. The water runs kakenagashi and leaves skin noticeably smooth. The outdoor bath is set among large natural rocks under an old-growth Shii tree, connected to an indoor bath, with a separate private bath available in the basement. Rooms are tatami, the dining room has an irori hearth, and the whole place has the quietly worn, wood-scented feel of a ryokan that has not tried to reinvent itself.