I Looked Into Ogano Onsen Echigoya Ryokan

This blog has been focusing on researching campsites, day-trip hot springs, and inns around the Chichibu and Nagatoro area that seem accessible without a car, but lately I've gradually started looking into hot spring ryokan (inns) as well.

This time, I looked into Ogano Onsen Echigoya Ryokan. I came across the unusual feature that it has a room dedicated to playing go and shogi, and as an indoor type myself, I got curious and decided to check it out.

The Short Version

It's a hot spring inn with its own natural spring source and a dedicated go/shogi playing room, and it seems like a good fit for anyone who wants a quiet stay.
The Rakuten Mobile signal came back as an AA rating on the official tool, which is a good result.

I've summarized the details below.

What Kind of Inn Is Ogano Onsen Echigoya Ryokan?

Apparently it's a hot spring ryokan located in Ogano, Chichibu District, Saitama Prefecture. It seems the name was written slightly differently in some past listings, but it currently operates under the name Ogano Onsen Echigoya Ryokan.

Standard check-in seems to be 3:00 PM and check-out 10:00 AM, but for stays intended for using the go/shogi room, there's apparently a plan allowing a slightly longer stay with check-in at 12:00 PM and check-out at 11:00 AM. This might be a consideration for guests who want to fully enjoy their games.

There are 9 guest rooms, apparently offering Japanese-style rooms ranging from 6 to 14 tatami mats in size. Here's what I could confirm regarding the facilities:

Room amenities: All rooms apparently come with air conditioning, a TV, an electric kettle, and a tea set, and some rooms have a sink, toilet, and refrigerator
Amenities: A yukata, bath towel, hand towel, and toothbrush set seem to be provided
Wi-Fi: Apparently available for free throughout the building and in all rooms
Approximate rates: One night with two meals starts at 9,350 yen per adult on weekdays and 10,450 yen on Saturdays and the night before holidays (tax included). Children seem to receive discounts depending on age
Reservations: Bookings can apparently be made by phone, as well as through the official website's reservation system or major booking sites

Komorin

Having Wi-Fi in every room is a quietly appreciated point for someone like me who tends to bring along laptop work, being an indoor type.

A Setup That Go and Shogi Fans Will Love

The thing that left the biggest impression on me about this inn was the room dedicated to go and shogi matches. Apparently there are as many as 40 go boards and 15 shogi boards, and I got the sense that many guests use it for match events or training-camp-style stays.

There also seems to be a large hall that can be used as a banquet room, so it looks like guests could take meals together in large groups or take breaks between matches. I barely remember the rules of shogi myself, but I think an inn with such a dedicated space is fairly rare.

The Bath, the Meals, and Local Ingredients Worth Noting

The bath apparently uses a simple sulfur cold mineral spring from its own source, referred to as Takane no Yu (Takane mineral spring), with separate large indoor baths for men and women. There's no outdoor bath, apparently, so anyone specifically looking for an outdoor bath might want to keep that in mind.

Meals seem to be served in the dining area or the large hall, featuring local dishes made with home-grown vegetables and local ingredients. In addition to items like miso-marinated pork, ceramic-plate grilling, hand-made soba noodles, homemade konjac, and oname, wild boar hot pot is apparently also served in winter. It seems like a good fit for anyone who wants to slowly enjoy local flavors.

Nearby, there seem to be spots where you can experience nature and history, such as the Ryokami Onsen Yakushi no Yu roadside station, the Ryusei Kaikan roadside station, Oga Shrine, the Ogano Tourist Exchange Center Honjin, Onouchi Gorge, the Yobake/Ogano Fossil Museum, Hossho-ji Temple, and Mount Ryokami. However, I wasn't able to confirm specific travel times in this research.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I entered the address corresponding to this facility's location into the official "My Area Connectivity Simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as "AA."

AA appears to be a good rating, so it seems like Rakuten Mobile could be usable comfortably during a stay at this inn as well. That said, the actual experience might vary depending on where you are inside the building and usage conditions, so it's probably best to treat this as just a rough guide.

Komorin

Seeing the AA rating put me a bit at ease. I only use Rakuten Mobile myself, so when I see a result like this, it really boosts my motivation to write the blog post.

See Rakuten Mobile Details

Wrapping Up

To sum it up again, my impression of Ogano Onsen Echigoya Ryokan is that of a hot spring inn with its own natural spring and a go/shogi playing room, offering what seems like a quiet place to stay. While there's no outdoor bath, it seems well equipped with everything needed for a relaxed stay, including an indoor bath, local dishes made with regional ingredients, and Wi-Fi throughout the building.

As for Rakuten Mobile's signal, the official tool showed an AA rating, so this could be an easy inn to consider for anyone concerned about connectivity too. If you're interested, checking with the actual address using Rakuten Mobile's official tool should give you a clearer picture.

Check Out Rakuten Mobile

This article includes a referral link for Rakuten Mobile's employee referral campaign. For details, please see our Disclaimer & Advertising Notice.