I Looked Into Izukogen Hotel Itsutsuboshi

In Komorin's Imaginary Travels, I've been researching a few 'hokansu' (hotel-vacation) detour spots that could work as a side trip whenever I hit a wall with camping. This time, I'm continuing that series with another one.

This time, I looked into Izukogen Hotel Itsutsuboshi, located in the Izukogen area. What caught my attention was the boldness of the name, plus the name of its natural hot spring, 'Bijin no Yu,' which made me want to search for more information.

This Hotel Seems to Draw You In With the Name 'Bijin no Yu'

Izukogen Hotel Itsutsuboshi is apparently located in the Izukogen area of Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture. According to the official site, the hot spring inside the hotel is named 'Bijin no Yu,' and it's classified as a hypotonic, weakly alkaline spring with calcium-sodium sulfate and sodium-calcium chloride properties, said to help with fatigue recovery and skin beautification.

The main bath apparently also comes with an outdoor bath and a sauna attached, which looked like a setup that could really help wash away the fatigue of travel. On top of that, there's reportedly a private reservation-only bath called 'the cypress bath,' aimed at families and couples. Since I'm an indoor type who doesn't drive, facilities where you can just hop into a bath right after arriving naturally catch my eye.

• Main bath: outdoor bath and sauna included
• Private bath ('the cypress bath'): for families, couples, and partners; reservation required
• Check-in / check-out: apparently 3:00 PM–9:00 PM / 11:00 AM (confirmed on the official site's FAQ page; this may vary depending on the plan)
• Parking: free, 18 spaces, apparently no reservation needed (though advance notice seems to be required if you're arriving with multiple vehicles)

Komorin

Just hearing the name 'Bijin no Yu' was enough to get me halfway sold on this hotel already. And since I can't drive, learning that parking is free and doesn't require a reservation was also great news for me.

As an Indoor Type, Here's What Caught My Eye About Spending Time Inside

Apparently, there's a massage chair and a free-to-use coffee machine placed in the front desk and lobby area. It seemed like thoughtful touches had been made not just for the baths, but also for making those little waiting moments more comfortable.

The dining area apparently has a semi-private style with partitions between seats, where you can enjoy an original course of creative and Japanese cuisine made with seasonal ingredients and fresh produce from Izu (in-room dining isn't available, apparently). There's also no dress code, so it seems like you can relax in loungewear such as a yukata or a samue.

For anyone who wants to move their body, there's apparently a sports room where you can enjoy a golf simulator, squash, and table tennis. There also seem to be amusement rooms like a karaoke room and a mahjong room, giving the impression that you could comfortably spend a whole rainy day just inside the hotel. The grounds, said to cover about 4,000 tsubo, also include a walking trail that apparently functions as a nature course where you can spot small birds and squirrels.

• Front desk/lobby: massage chair, coffee machine (free to use)
• Sports room: golf simulator, squash, table tennis
• Amusement rooms: karaoke room, mahjong room, meeting room, multipurpose room, banquet hall
• Walking trail: a nature course on the grounds (apparently you can spot small birds and squirrels)
• Guest rooms: designed with high ceilings for an open feel, and some rooms apparently offer views of the garden or Sagami Bay

That said, I couldn't confirm whether there's in-house Wi-Fi or get a detailed breakdown of amenities from the official site's facility information page. I did come across a note on a travel booking site saying free Wi-Fi is available throughout the building, but since I couldn't verify this officially, I'm leaving it here just as a reference point. If it matters to you, it seems like the easiest way to confirm would be to ask when you make your reservation.

Day-Use Bathing Also Seems Easy to Enjoy

There's apparently a day-use bathing plan that lets you enjoy 'Bijin no Yu' without staying overnight. Hours run from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM (last entry 8:00 PM), and pricing is reportedly 1,500 yen for junior high school age and up, 750 yen for ages 4 and up, and free for children under 4. Since free towel rental, use of the coffee machine, and a manga corner are apparently also included, it seemed like something you could drop into during a break on a drive.

There also seems to be a free shuttle from Izukogen Station that requires advance reservation. The outbound trip apparently accepts bookings starting from 2:45 PM daily, and the ride itself takes about five minutes by car, but the specific return times were only shown as an image on the official site, so I couldn't read them as text. If you're thinking of using it, it seems safest to confirm directly when you make your reservation.

• Day-use bathing hours: 3:00 PM–9:00 PM (last entry 8:00 PM)
• Pricing: 1,500 yen for junior high age and up / 750 yen for ages 4 and up / free under age 4
• Shuttle: from Izukogen Station, advance reservation required; outbound bookings apparently accepted from 2:45 PM

Nearby, there seem to be tourist spots such as Mt. Omuro, Jogasaki Coast, Lake Ippeki, and the Izukogen Cat Museum, all within a few minutes to about 15 minutes by car. I also found a few nearby food spots, like Guricha no Sugiyama and the Izukogen branch of Kaitenzushi Hanamaru, but I wasn't able to confirm the specific travel time from the hotel within the scope of my research.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

As a Rakuten Mobile user, this is naturally something I want to check, so I looked up this facility's location using the official 'My Area Network Simulation' tool.

The result came back as an overall rating of 'C.' If you're planning to use data a lot inside the hotel, or want to stay while working remotely, it might be reassuring to check this rating in advance too.

Komorin

Hearing a 'C' rating makes me brace myself a little, but since the hotel apparently has a massage chair, karaoke, and even a mahjong room, it might actually be well suited for a stay where you focus on entertainment rather than connectivity.

Wrapping Up

To sum it up again, my impression of Izukogen Hotel Itsutsuboshi is that it's a hotel where you can casually enjoy the natural hot spring 'Bijin no Yu,' not just as an overnight guest but also through day-use bathing. It also seems to have plenty of facilities for spending time indoors, like a massage chair, a sports room, and karaoke, which makes it quite intriguing to me as an indoor type.

On the other hand, there were a few things I couldn't fully confirm through the official site alone, like the specific room rates, whether in-house Wi-Fi is available, and the return times for the shuttle bus. This article is only an organization of what I found within my own research, so before actually booking, it would be a good idea to check the latest information through the official site or by phone.

The Rakuten Mobile signal came back as a 'C' rating, so if connectivity matters to you, it might be reassuring to check with the official Rakuten Mobile tool before you set out.

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Related Links

• Official Site