Tsukuba Onsen Hotel

I stayed here the day before trekking Mt. Tsukuba without meals. The lobby, room, bath, etc. were all well-cleaned and I had a comfortable stay. I would like to stay here again if I have the opportunity. Since it was a room-only stay, there are no reviews for the food. When I went trekking the next day, I asked the hotel to let me park my car, and they agreed, but since it was 400 meters above sea level and a 20-minute walk from the hotel to the trailhead, I parked in the paid parking lot for visitors to Tsukuba Shrine, which costs 500 yen per visit. If you are feeling energetic, please walk from the hotel.

Tsukuba Onsen Hotel 筑波温泉ホテル is located at Mt. Tsukuba, one of Japan’s most famous mountains. During good weather, visitors can see the Kanto Plain, Mt. Fuji and the Sky Tree from here. The hotel is a bit old, and there are not that many guests on the day of visit. As it is already very late, after putting our luggage inside our room, we immediately head to the restaurant 紫峰苑 for dinner. I have ordered a bottle of local sake 男女川 純米無濾過 生貯蔵酒 at 1,050 yen (half bottle) to go with the meal. The brewery is actually located very close to the hotel. The kaiseki dinner is actually quite nice, with a combination of dishes, featuring Japanese black wagyu cuisines including roasted beef and shabu shabu. Chawanmushi. As well as Sashimi. The Dessert is a bit mediocre with two small pieces of cake and a quarter of kiwi. Our room (Room 405) is of Japanese-Style type, 10-mat in size. An interesting thing is that we have to open the bed by ourselves. The first time we have to do this in Japan. The bathroom is very basic. But there is still a bathtub in the shower room to relax if desired. However, the water is not hot spring. As a result, I decide to go to the Public Bath. This hotel is the only one in Mt. Tsukuba with its own hot spring source. On the night there is no one, so I can enjoy the whole bath by myself. The hot spring water type is Simple. Apart from the indoor bath, there is also open-air bath facing the trees, including a pot bath where one can submerge in a large urn. The fragrant breeze from the mountains is so soothing and comfortable, helping me to get a good sleep on the night. Waking up to a beautiful day, we head to the same restaurant 紫峰苑 for our breakfast. Again, the dishes are tasty and I enjoy them a lot. The salad is fresh and appetizing. The tofu omelette is one of my favourites. Grilled salmon. Soft-boiled egg and natto. Local vegetables including carrot and lotus roots. Rice and sea**** soup. Assorted pickles to go with the rice. Fruit. After breakfast we walk around the hotel, the reception and lobby is very quiet. Some nice decorations at the lift lobby. And we also find a public phone that is on turn-dial. Amazingly, it is still working. The total expense is 43,750 yen including the room, dinner and breakfast, onsen tax, and beverages. A decent stay which I give a score of 6.2 out of 10.

I used the Anshin-wari discount. The facility seemed to have a long history, but it had been renovated appropriately. I made a reservation at short notice, enjoying two meals at the hot springs for just a few thousand yen per person. The access is via a fairly narrow road, which I think is a negative point.