Many of Iwate's hotels and Japanese inns have hot springs. There are over 70 places to stay in the hot spring area alone. Here, we will introduce the characteristics of hotels and inns in the areas that are representative sightseeing spots in Iwate, and two carefully selected hotels that we especially recommend.
Hotels and Inns in Iwate
There are 6 sightseeing areas in Iwate. Specifically, the Appi-Hachimantai-Ninohe area, the Morioka-Shizukuishi area, the Kuji-Miyako area, the Kitakami-Hanamaki-Tono area, the Hiraizumi-Ichinoseki area, and the southern part of Rikuchu Coast.
Here are some of the features of the hotels and inns in these 6 popular tourist areas.
The Appi, Hachimantai, and Ninohe Area
Appi, Hachimantai, and Ninohe are located in the northern part of Iwate Prefecture. The Hachimantai Onsen Village and the Appi Kogen Onsen are famous hot spring resorts, and most of the hotels and inns there have access to the hot springs. However, since all the hotels and inns are far from the nearest station, you should use a bus or taxi to get there.
The price is about 4,000 yen per night for a guest house or economy type hotel. On the other hand, the Japanese inns and resort hotels start at about 10,000 yen per night, and some hotels cost more than about 50,000 yen per night. (As of October 2019)
The Morioka and Shizukuishi Area
Morioka and Shizukuishi are located in the area around Morioka City, in the center of the prefecture.
The Morioka area has many inns and hotels, and the Shizukuishi area also has pensions (small, inexpensive hotels) and villas. There are also many no-frills hotels around JR Morioka Station in the Morioka area. Therefore, if you are looking for a reasonable place to stay in Iwate, this area is recommended.
The price range is about 3,000 yen per night for the no-frills hotels, and about 10,000 yen per night for other hotels and inns. However, there are some luxury inns that cost about 70,000 yen per night. (As of October 2019)
The Kitakami, Hanamaki, and Tono Area
The Kitakami, Hanamaki and Tono area is just below the central part of Iwate Prefecture. This area has the most accommodations of the various tourist areas.
In particular, Hanamaki has the Hanamaki Onsen Village hot springs, so there are plenty of hot spring inns and hotels. In Tono, there are many quaint guest houses, hotels, and inns. All the inns are on the small side.
The price is about 7,000 yen per night in any part of the area. However, there are some inns that cost about 3,000 yen per night, and some about 30,000 yen per night.
Stay in APPI Kogen Onsen Hotel to Enjoy Magnificent Scenery and Outdoor Bath
The APPI Kogen Onsen Hotel is a highlands resort where you can see the Ou Mountains. There are two buildings with different concepts within the Appi Kogen grounds. You can also enjoy various activities such as tennis and camping throughout the year, while being surrounded by nature.
The biggest attraction of the hotel is Shirakaba no Yu. There are plenty of highlights here, such as the scenery of the natural highlands, an open-air bath where you can see the starry sky at night, and a large public bath that can accommodate about 200 men and women. The colorless and clear hot water is famous as being great for beautiful skin.
There are also three different style restaurants in the hotel. Among them, we recommend the buffet restaurant Yamaboshi. You can enjoy many dishes, including local dishes from Iwate Prefecture. In addition, you can see the white birch trees of the forest from the large window of the restaurant.
Spot information
- Spot name: APPI Kogen Onsen Hotel
- Street address: Hachimantai Appi Kogen, Iwate 028-7395
- Access:
- Iwate Hanamaki Airport → [Free Shuttle Bus] Approximately 1 hour 25 minutes
- Iwate Hanamaki Airport → [Airport Access Bus] approximately 45 minutes → Morioka Station → [JR Hanawa Line] approximately 60 minutes → Appi Kogen Station → hotel pick-up available
- Wi-Fi: Available
- Language: English, Chinese
- Credit cards: VISA, Master Card, JCB, AMERICAN EXPRESS, Diners Club International
- Check-in time: 15:00
- Check-out time: 10:00
The Iwate Yumoto Onsen Hotel Tairyukaku with a 100% Pure Natural Hot Spring
The Hotel Tairyukaku is a hot spring inn located at the foot of the Ou Mountains. There, you can use the 100% pure hot springs, including Takimi-no-Yu, which flows directly from the source.
There are 35 Japanese-style rooms of about 8-10 tatami mats in size. From your room, you can enjoy the scenery of the four seasons and the Waga River flowing by outside.
You should also pay attention to the course meals available. You can enjoy seasonal dishes such as Fukinoto (butterbur sprouts) in the spring, and a relative of salmon called Ayu in summer. You will be impressed not only by the taste, but also by artistic touch of the person who arranges the food on the plates. By the way, for dinner, private rooms are available, depending on the number of people and meal plan.
There are also many types of baths. In addition to the public baths and outdoor baths, there are steam baths and private outdoor baths. From all of the bathrooms, you can have a great view of the Waga River and the waterfall that flows into Lake Kinsyu.
Spot information
- Spot name: Iwate Yumoto Onsen Hotel Tairyukaku
- Street address: 9-79 Yumoto, Nishiwaga-machi, Waga-gun, Iwate Prefecture
- Access: Morioka Station → [JR Kitakami Line] approx. 40 minutes → Hotto Yuda Station → [Iwate Kotsu Bus] → approx. 12 minutes → Yumoto Onsen Bus Stop ... approx. 3 minutes on foot
- Wi-Fi: Unavailable
- Language: English
- Credit cards: VISA, MasterCard, JCB, Diners Club International
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