I Looked Into Kamogawakan

In my Komorin Daydream Travels series, I've been quietly researching lodgings and campsites that even I, someone without a car, could realistically visit.

This time, what caught my attention was "Kamogawakan," located in Kamogawa City, Chiba Prefecture. I heard it apparently has a rooftop hot spring pool where you can soak while looking out at the ocean, and I thought this would be worth researching as a potential stop for a hokans trip, so I put together the information here.

The Short Version

This looks like a place with facilities well-suited for a seaside hokans getaway, featuring two in-house hot spring sources and a rooftop hot spring pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
That said, I'll be upfront that the Rakuten Mobile signal came back as a C rating, so I want to be honest about that point.

I've summarized the details below.

What Kind of Place Is Kamogawakan

It's a hot spring inn located in Kamogawa City, Chiba Prefecture, apparently about a 7-minute shuttle bus ride from JR Awa-Kamogawa Station. By car, it seems to take roughly 1 hour 30 minutes from the Tokyo area via the Aqua-Line and Umihotaru, or around 2 hours via the Keiyo Road and Tateyama Expressway. Since I don't drive, having a shuttle bus from the station feels like a real plus for me. However, the shuttle apparently requires advance reservation by the day before, and you need to let them know your train arrival time, so if you're considering using it, it seems wise to contact them early.

Looking at the sample plans listed on the official site, room rates seem to range quite a bit — the Kaiseki course plan starts at 29,700 yen per person, the scenic view plan starts at 25,850 yen, and the special luxury room plan starts at 57,200 yen. There also seems to be a plan that includes a day-use bathing ticket starting from 4,000 yen, so it looks like there's an option to enjoy just the hot springs without staying overnight. Check-in is basically from 14:30 and check-out at 11:00, though apparently there's an extended stay plan that lets you stay until 12:00.

Komorin

Just having a shuttle bus from the station makes a place so much easier to consider as a destination for someone like me who barely drives.

Two In-House Hot Spring Sources and the Rooftop Hot Spring Pool "HARUKA"

The big highlight of this inn seems to be that it has two hot spring sources with different properties. One is called "Shiosai no Yu," a sodium chloride spring with a salty quality fitting for a seaside inn, said to have strong heat-retention effects. This source feeds two bathing areas, "Tokiwa no Yu" and "Migiwa no Yu," which apparently alternate between men's and women's use, and the variety of tubs seems impressively extensive — an open-air waterfall bath, carbonated bath, barrel bath, and far-infrared sauna among them.

Large bath hours: for overnight guests, until 24:00 the same day and 5:30–10:00 the next morning (6:00 onward in winter); for day-use visitors, 11:30–22:00
Private bath "Madoka no Yu": 1,100 yen for overnight guests, 3,300 yen for day-use, apparently available for 45-minute slots starting on the hour, by advance reservation

The other source, "Nagisa no Yu," is a sulfur-sodium chloride/bicarbonate cold mineral spring, said to leave your skin smooth after bathing. This is apparently the source used for the rooftop hot spring pool "HARUKA." It's a pool you enter wearing a swimsuit or designated pool attire, and it's built in an infinity-edge style overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Hours are 6:00–22:00, though it seems to be closed for regular inspection during the morning on the last Thursday of each month, so if you're planning your visit around it, it's probably worth checking the schedule. There's also mention that some rooms (20 of them) come with a semi-open-air hot spring bath using this Nagisa no Yu source.

There are also several dining options: a private-room restaurant called "Yoshidaya" with an open kitchen serving kaiseki cuisine, "MAIWAI" which can be used for breakfast buffets and lunch, and a tea house called "Awaji" where you can get things like late-night ramen. The property also seems to have a gift shop, a lounge, and a seasonal outdoor pool in summer, making it look like a place with plenty to enjoy indoors as well. Parking is free with no reservation needed, and there are apparently 2 EV charging spots.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked the location of this facility (Kamogawa City, Chiba Prefecture) using Rakuten's official "My Area Connectivity Simulation," the overall rating came back as C. Given the coastal location, it seems like a good idea to check the signal conditions ahead of time.

If you're planning on online meetings or streaming video during your stay, it might be worth checking in advance whether the inn has Wi-Fi. In my research this time, I wasn't able to clearly confirm details about in-house Wi-Fi on the official site.

Komorin

Since I use Rakuten Mobile myself, I'll admit that C rating is a bit concerning to me. If you're going with the mindset of focusing on the hot springs and the pool, it's probably not something to worry too much about, but I'd still want to double-check beforehand just in case.

See Rakuten Mobile Details

Wrapping Up

Putting it all together, Kamogawakan struck me as an intriguing candidate for a seaside hokans trip, centered around its two in-house hot spring sources and its rooftop hot spring pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The shuttle bus from the station is also a welcome point for someone like me who doesn't drive. If you're concerned about connectivity, it seems like a good idea to factor that in and check ahead of time as you plan your trip.

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