I was surprised to find that the small city of Ashikaga actually has two train stations: JR Ashikaga Station and Tobu Ashikaga Station. Since there are more train services from Tokyo to Tobu Station, we arrived there only to realize this Toyoko Inn was located next to the JR Station. We had to take a taxi (about a 20-minute walk) to get there. When checking in, because it was still 20 minutes before the 3 PM check-in time, the front desk staff made several groups of us wait in the small lobby until exactly 3 PM before allowing us to go to our rooms. A domestic hotel in my country definitely wouldn't make you wait like that. Aside from this somewhat uninviting aspect, the hotel is very good. There are restaurants and convenience stores nearby, and it's only one JR stop away from Ashikaga Flower Park, which is very convenient for seeing the wisteria. Although the room was small, it was exceptionally clean and had a large window. The room rate wasn't expensive, especially during the peak season for wisteria viewing. On the second morning, there was a 9 AM JR train to Tokyo, and the complimentary breakfast was decent. Overall, this hotel is a top choice for visiting Ashikaga to see the wisteria. By the way, the wisteria was incredibly beautiful and dreamlike – definitely worth seeing!
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