Kappa No Yado Ryokan Sanjiro

We booked our accommodation for the night at Ryokan Sanjiro in Togatta Onsen. Traveling down the Zao Echo Line from the top of Mt. Zao towards Miyagi, we arrived at Togatta Onsenkyo. Ryokan Sanjiro was built on a small hill on the east side of Togatta Onsen town. It is a medium-sized Japanese-style inn with a number of different paths to follow, each one of which was lovely with its own quaint space. From the large public baths, Katsupa no Yu and Togen no Yu, we had a magnificent view of the Zao mountain range. Dinner at a restaurant called Kamado was a seasonal kaiseki meal made with locally produced in-season ingredients, which we enjoyed in a relaxed atmosphere, along with some local Miyagi sake.

This was my first time at Togatta Onsen. The inn was located in the mountains and was filled with nature. We booked a room with a cypress bath, which was very popular with my family. The inn has a small number of rooms, but it is reassuring to be able to take a bath without being crowded. Above all, the view from the bath was great. There is a bath, but it is not open from late at night to the morning. However, the bath in the guest room is open late at night, so I took a bath at a time when I would normally be sleeping and enjoyed the extraordinary experience. The hot spring was great, but the food was also great. I splurged on Sendai beef steak and shabu-shabu. It is an old inn, so there are some damaged parts of the building and facilities, but it is not a problem. The hospitality of the staff was warm and homely, which was nice. The parking lot is a bit inconvenient, so it may be difficult if you are traveling with someone who has trouble walking or lowering their legs.