I Looked Into Chichibu Onsen Daimasu Ryokan

So far on this blog, I've been researching a series of hot spring inns and day-use baths in Saitama Prefecture. Since I don't drive, I've been focusing my research on places I can reach by train or bus.

This time, I looked into Chichibu Onsen Daimasu Ryokan, located in Chichibu City. What caught my attention was that even though it has "Chichibu Onsen" in its name, it doesn't use its own source spring but rather transported water—that's what made me want to dig a little deeper.

What Kind of Inn Is Daimasu Ryokan?

On the official website, the main name used seems to be "Chichibu no Yado Daimasu Ryokan," accompanied by a catchphrase along the lines of "an inn where you can enjoy Manganno-yu Onsen." I had originally assumed from the name "Chichibu Onsen" that it was an inn with its own source spring, but when I looked into it, it turned out to be the type of inn that transports water from Chichibu Onsen Manganno-yu. It's located in the Nakamura-cho area of Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, apparently just a few minutes by car—or about a 10-minute walk—from Chichibu Shrine, so it seems to be close to the city center.

Check-in is from 3 PM and check-out is by 10 AM, which is a fairly typical ryokan style, and all 12 rooms are said to be Japanese-style. There doesn't seem to be a day-use bathing plan available—apparently the large communal bath is for overnight guests only—so it doesn't seem like the type of hot spring you can casually drop into for a day visit.

The Simple Sulfur Spring Communal Bath and a Dining Area with a Showa Atmosphere

As for the baths, there don't appear to be any open-air baths or private baths—just a simple setup with separate large communal baths for men and women, both indoor. The men's bath is apparently named "Nimaime" and the women's bath "Bekkin," and both let you enjoy the distinctive scent unique to simple sulfur springs. Sulfur springs are often said to leave your skin feeling smooth, which is another point I find appealing.

Meals are centered around kaiseki-style cuisine, with menus that appear to include Miyabi-ryu kappo cuisine, a seasonal kaiseki course, and what's described as the signature dish, "Mansai Nabe." Meals seem to be served in a large hall or dining area, and I came across mentions of a Showa-retro atmosphere remaining throughout the building, which gave me the impression that this is an inn where you can enjoy the old-fashioned charm of a traditional hot spring inn, rather than a modern resort hotel.

Facilities That Caught My Eye as an Indoor Person, and Nearby Sightseeing Spots

Wi-Fi is apparently available for free throughout the building, which is reassuring for someone like me who prefers staying indoors. There also seems to be free parking for around 10 to 20 cars, with no reservation required. Since I don't drive, this isn't really relevant to me personally, but it might be good news for anyone traveling by car.

Reservations can be made by phone, as well as through major travel booking sites. Room-only stays start in the 6,000-yen range per person, while stays with two meals included tend to run in the low 10,000-yen range depending on the season and plan.

Since the area is close to the center of Chichibu City, Chichibu Shrine is apparently just a few minutes away by car, and Michi-no-Eki Chichibu is about 5 minutes away. Hitsujiyama Park, known for its shibazakura flowers, and Chichibu Muse Park are both around 10 minutes away by car, and if you're willing to go a bit further, the Iwadatami rock formations and river-rafting in Nagatoro are apparently only about 20 minutes away—so it seems like a convenient base for sightseeing.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this inn's location using the official "My Area Communication Simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as "AAA." Since this is the result from a tool published by the company itself, I'll just share it here as is.

Perhaps because of its location close to the center of Chichibu City, the rating seems to be quite good. Even when checking information on your smartphone or contacting family or work during your stay, it seems like it should be relatively easy to use.

That said, signal conditions can apparently vary somewhat depending on where you are in the building and the time period. If you're concerned about it, you can check using Rakuten Mobile's official tool, so it might be a good idea to check before your stay.

Wrapping Up

To sum up, Chichibu Onsen Daimasu Ryokan struck me as an inn where you can enjoy a large communal bath of simple sulfur spring water transported from Chichibu Onsen Manganno-yu, along with kaiseki cuisine served in a setting that retains a Showa-retro atmosphere. Since day-use bathing isn't available, the large communal bath seems positioned as something only overnight guests can enjoy at leisure.

The Rakuten Mobile signal also came back with a good "AAA" rating, which gave me the impression that this is an inn that's relatively easy to use in terms of connectivity as well. Since it's close to central Chichibu and seems like a convenient base for sightseeing, I'd like to continue looking into similar types of ryokan going forward.

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Related Links

• Official Site