The popular Japanese manga "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba", which depicts the battle against demons, has been a hit not only in Japan but also in many countries and regions such as the United States, Taiwan, and Hong Kong since the movie "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train" was released in theaters in 2020. Furthermore, at the Ashinomaki Onsen in Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, there is a hot spring inn called "Ashinomaki Hot Spring Resort Hotel Ookawaso" that reminds one of the "Infinity Castle" that appears in "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba", and it is visited by many foreign tourists. In this article, we will report on the charm of "Ashinomaki Hot Springs Okawaso"!
A model for the "Infinity Castle" that appears in "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba"? An old inn standing along the valley
Ashinomaki Onsen, located in Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, is along the national highway connecting Aizu and Utsunomiya/Nikko, and along the prefectural park Okawa Line. This hot spring area, known for its abundant hot spring water and beautiful valley, is also referred to as the "separate parlor" of Aizuwakamatsu. There are inns and hotels along the river, and nearby are tourist attractions such as Tsuruga Castle and Aizu Samurai Residence, making Ashinomaki Onsen a great base for sightseeing. The "Ashinomaki Hot Spring Resort Hotel Ookawaso" we introduce this time is a long-established inn standing along the valley, boasting an open-air bath with a spectacular view of the Okawa Valley and kaiseki cuisine using seasonal ingredients purchased on the day.
After the broadcast of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Swordsmith Village Arc", the sight of a shamisen being played in the atrium of the entrance of "Ashinomaki Hot Spring Resort Hotel Ookawaso" became a hot topic, as it resembled the "Infinity Castle" featured in the anime and manga. The "Infinity Castle" is the fortress of the demon "Kibutsuji Muzan", the protagonist's enemy, surrounded by countless stairs. In the movie, a scene is depicted where a female demon playing the biwa resides in the center. Not just the entrance lobby, but also the open-air bath "Zekkei Open-air Bath Shiki Butai Tanada", where the bathtub is terraced, is attractive for its unique use of space and construction.
All rooms are next to the Ookawa River, allowing guests to enjoy the beauty of the valley from any room
There are 10 types of rooms in total, but the charm is undoubtedly that all rooms are located along a valley next to the Ookawa River. No matter which room you stay in, you can enjoy the valley surrounded by greenery.
The "Tsukimitei", a pure Japanese-style building with chairs arranged to enjoy the scenery from the window, the "Tsukimitei Special Room", which has two Japanese-style rooms and a reception room and can be partitioned by fusuma, making it recommended for group or three-generation family trips, the "Yoimachitei", which incorporates the essence of modern architecture into the Japanese style and has a sunken hearth, and the "Yoimachitei Special Room", which has two connected rooms and windows on two sides, suitable for two-generation or group trips. Each room has its own unique features, making it difficult to choose.
Comfort Twin (Capacity: 2 people, approximately 20 square meters)
The most popular is the "Comfort Twin". This is a twin bedroom renovated from a Japanese-style room in the main building's Tsukimitei, giving the impression of a stylish hotel while still being a ryokan.
If you want to stay in a higher-grade room, head to the "Yoimachitei Special Room (Sobuko KIRINOMA)" on the upper floors, a corner room filled with the warmth of paulownia wood. Although it's not a hot spring, it also comes with an "Observation Bath".
All rooms are equipped with basic appliances such as a refrigerator, kettle, and hairdryer, and amenities such as yukata, bath towels, face towels, toothbrushes, vinyl handbags, and indoor slippers are all available.
A Panoramic Open-Air Bath with a Beautiful Valley View
The source of the Ashinomaki Onsen, known for its abundant hot water, gushes out 1,000 liters per minute, of which the "Ashinomaki Hot Spring Resort Hotel Ookawaso" uses about 200 liters per minute. The quality of the spring is a colorless transparent sulfate spring, which is effective for neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, cuts, coldness, and fatigue recovery.
The inn has three types of hot springs: "Scenic Open-Air Bath Shiki Butai Tanada", "Kuchu Roten Buro", and "Indoor Bath". The open-air baths of "Scenic Open-Air Bath Shiki Butai Tanada" and "Kuchu Roten Buro" are sourced directly from the hot spring.
The most popular "Scenic Open-Air Bath Shiki Butai Tanada" is, as the name suggests, characterized by bathtubs arranged like terraced rice fields "Tanada" built like stairs. The roof is made of cypress, and the scent of wood drifts around, you can hear the babbling of the Ookawa River, and a large panorama of valley beauty spreads out in front of you. The structure is designed so that the water overflowing from the upper bathtub does not flow into the bathtub in the lower stage, but overflows at the end of the mountain side. There are three bathtubs for both men and women, each with a separate hot spring pouring in, and a bath guard manages the temperature.
The second "Kuchu Roten Buro" is designed to mimic the "Stage of Kiyomizu". It protrudes towards the Ookawa valley from high wooden clogs, offering an outstanding view. In spring, you can enjoy mountain cherry blossoms and Kobushi flowers, fresh greenery in early summer, autumn leaves in fall, and a snow-viewing bath in winter. You can enjoy various landscapes throughout the four seasons. In the afternoon, it is available for private use (45 minutes for 3,300 yen (tax included), advance reservation required), so you can monopolize it privately.
There is also a men's sauna using pink salt, one of the Himalayan rock salts, and a women's sauna using a type of quartz porphyry called 'maifan stone'. Both are low-temperature saunas, so even those who are not used to it can feel at ease.
The dinner is a Japanese course meal with a selection of specialties made with seasonal ingredients purchased on the day
Dinner is served in a Japanese Kaiseki style. With the desire for guests to enjoy freshly prepared meals, the hotel incorporates a "live kitchen cooking" approach where meals are prepared within the restaurant hall and delivered to your table while still hot. Based on the traditional Kaiseki style, the seasonal ingredients used are purchased on the day, offering dishes that allow you to experience the freshness of just-harvested produce.
As of February 2024, the recommended dish from the menu is the "Aizu Jidori Tsumire Nabe". The soup, which is a concentrated essence of Aizu Jidori (local) chicken, is a unique delicacy that can only be savored here, offering a deep and rich flavor. The dining venue is "Bimi Kyushin KAWADOKO", which has two types of dining areas: private rooms separated by fusuma doors and semi-private rooms that are more open. Depending on the number of people and the content of the meal, it will be either the "Large Banquet Hall (Japanese Dining)" or the "Small Banquet Hall".
The hotel offers about 12 types of local sake, including seasonal limited menus. Among them, we recommend "Sharaku" from Miyasen Brewery in our local Aizuwakamatsu City. The flavor of the rice is well balanced, spreads in your mouth, and leaves a refreshing aftertaste.
Breakfast is served buffet-style, featuring handmade dishes that highlight the flavors of local ingredients. The specialty popular menu item recommended is the "Aizu Local Chicken Egg Over Rice". Fluffy meringue seasoned and lightly torched is placed on top of hot rice, and then topped with the yolk of an Aizu local chicken egg. You can also enjoy the view of the valley from the breakfast venue.
There's also a souvenir corner featuring Aizu specialties and shamisen performances on a floating stage
As you enter the entrance, what jumps out in front of you is an open atrium. In the center, there is a floating stage where a shamisen player performs shamisen to welcome guests from 16:00 to 18:00 (check the schedule). The sound of the shamisen and the murmuring of the river create a comfortable space. At the back of the lobby, there is a large window where you can enjoy the panoramic view of the valley.
In the building, there are places like the tea lounge "Tonbo no Niwa" where you can enjoy the great outdoors through the windows, and the "Aizu Souvenir Corner". At the "Aizu Souvenir Corner", you can find a selection of Aizu products, from affordable to high-end, including pottery, lacquerware, and folk crafts that you can only get here in Aizu. There is also a "Sake Corner" stocked with local Aizu sake. When shopping, pay attention to the "floor" that is coated with Aizu lacquer.
At the beauty salon "Miroku", the hotel offers a "relaxation" menu including full body massage, foot care, head care, and hand care, as well as an "esthetic menu" including aroma body and aroma facial treatments.
Free shuttle bus from the nearest station & self-bar open only at night
There is a free shuttle bus operated from Aizutetsudo Aizu Line "Ashinomaki Onsen Station" or JR "Aizu Wakamatsu Station". From Tokyo, you can access the inn in about 4 hours in total by using the Tobu Railway "Liberty" departing from Asakusa and changing trains once at Aizu Tajima Station to "Ashinomaki Onsen Station".
If you want to celebrate birthdays or wedding anniversaries at the inn, the hotel can arrange cakes and bouquets. Cakes start from 3,500 yen for a No. 4 size (about 12 cm in diameter), and bouquets and arrangement flowers start from 3,300 yen. In addition, a self-bar open only at night was opened in the lounge in November 2023. You can buy a special coin at the front desk, insert it into the machine, and drink alcohol. The hotel has a variety of wines and delicious sake from Fukushima.
Spot Information
- Name: Aizu Ashinomaki Hot Spring Resort Hotel Ookawaso
- Address: 984 Shimodaira, Ashinomaki, Oto-machi, Aizu Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture 969-5147
- Access: About 5 minutes by free shuttle bus from Aizutetsudo Aizu Line "Ashinomaki Onsen Station", about 30 minutes from JR "Aizu Wakamatsu Station" (both require advance reservation)
- Check-in: 15:00 (Last check-in: 18:00)
- Check-out: 10:00
- Languages: Japanese only
- Official Website: https://www.ookawaso.co.jp/ (Japanese, English, Chinese (Traditional), Thai)
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