I Looked Into Oku-Shiobara Kogen Hotel

This blog has been looking into day-trip hot springs and slightly indulgent places to stay under my 'hotel-cation detour destinations' category, and this time I've put together another one in that same vein.

This time I looked into Oku-Shiobara Kogen Hotel. I was drawn in by the description of its 100% natural-source, milky-white flowing hot spring baths, and since it seemed like day-trip bathing was also available, I decided to check the whole thing out.

What Kind of Place Is This Hotel That's Proud of Its Milky-White Flowing Hot Springs?

Oku-Shiobara Kogen Hotel is apparently a highland hotel located in the Shiobara hot spring area of Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture. Shiobara seems to sit roughly at the center of the Nasu, Kinugawa, and Aizu areas, which makes it look like a convenient base for exploring the surrounding sightseeing spots.

The biggest draw is naturally the hot springs, and the official site prominently advertises the 100% natural-source, milky-white flowing bath water. I couldn't find the specific water type—such as whether it's a sulfur spring or not—spelled out in the official site's text, but the appeal of the cloudy white water itself came through clearly. In terms of facilities, there's a private outdoor bath, a regular outdoor bath, and an indoor bath, and the large communal bath has apparently been renewed. Guests staying overnight can apparently reserve the private outdoor bath at check-in, with each 40-minute session costing 1,000 yen, and it seems you can book a second session too. This also looks like a good fit for anyone who wants to take their time hopping between the different baths.

The hotel also accepts day-trip bathers. Regular bathing hours are listed as 12:00 to 15:00 (last entry at 14:00), with admission at 1,000 yen for adults and 500 yen for children (ages 2 and up). If you want to use the private bath as a day-tripper, there are two time slots, 12:00 to 13:00 and 13:30 to 14:30, priced at 4,000 yen per hour for two people. It sounds like even day visitors could take their time enjoying the milky-white water.

Komorin

I thought it was a quietly nice touch that you can reserve the private bath even as a day-tripper. Being able to have the milky-white water all to yourself without worrying about other people around—even as an indoor type, that's something I find appealing.

Checking the Guest Rooms and Amenities That Catch My Eye as an Indoor Type

Between the main building and the annex, there seem to be five room types available, including Japanese-Western style rooms, modern Japanese-style rooms, modern Western-style rooms, and barrier-free Western-style rooms, so it looks like a lineup you can pick from based on your preference. Every room apparently comes with Wi-Fi, and being able to work in an environment that feels close to being at home is something that catches my eye as an indoor type. That said, the building is two stories with no elevator, so if going up and down stairs is a concern for you, it seems worth checking the room type at the time of booking.

Meals are apparently a Japanese kaiseki course using seasonal and local ingredients, with both dinner and breakfast served in the restaurant. There are several pricing plans depending on the season, with listings such as a multi-night stay-in plan starting at 14,300 yen, a kaiseki plan with Tochigi wagyu steak starting at 24,200 yen (limited to 5 groups per day), and a standard plan for fully enjoying the cloudy flowing water starting at 20,900 yen. There's also a note that booking through the official site gets you the lowest price, so it seems worth checking there once before you compare options.

• Parking: Space for 22 cars, including 2 EV charging spots, apparently free for overnight guests
• Non-smoking rooms: The entire building is non-smoking, and if smoking is detected, a cleaning fee may apparently be charged
• Payment methods: Apparently credit cards, PayPay, and transit-based e-money are accepted
• Reservations: You can apparently book by phone, and online booking through the reservation system also seems to be supported

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this facility's location using the official "My Area Coverage Simulator," the overall rating came back as "C." This is the result as shown on the official tool.

The official site's FAQ section also had information about which carriers can make calls inside the building. I couldn't find any explicit mention of Rakuten Mobile there, but given that the actual measurement came back as a C rating, there's likely some variation in signal strength depending on where you are. For rooms tucked further inside the building, it might be worth planning to check the situation as you go rather than assuming it'll work.

Komorin

That C rating gave me a little jolt, but fortunately every room apparently has Wi-Fi, so maybe there's not too much to worry about connectivity-wise inside the building. That said, it seems worth being careful while traveling there or wandering around the area.

Looking Into What Getting There Is Like

If you're driving from the Tokyo area, the route apparently involves taking the Tohoku Expressway, exiting at Nishinasuno-Shiobara IC, and then continuing via National Route 400 and National Route 19. There was also a note that studless tires are required in winter, with 4WD recommended when there's snow on the ground, so it seems like some preparation is needed if visiting during the snowy season. Since I'm a driver in name only who barely gets behind the wheel, this is exactly the kind of thing I'd want to nail down ahead of time.

For train and bus, the route described goes from Tokyo via the Tohoku Shinkansen "Nasuno" to Nasushiobara Station, then transferring to a JR bus or taxi from there. There also seems to be a reservation-based shuttle from Shiobara Bus Terminal, so applying by the day before looks like it would make getting there easier.

Wrapping Up

To sum it up again, my impression of Oku-Shiobara Kogen Hotel is that it's a highland hotel where you can enjoy 100% natural-source, milky-white flowing hot spring water, whether in a private bath or the large communal bath. Since it also accepts day-trip bathers, it seems worth keeping in mind as a stop-by destination, not just as somewhere to stay overnight.

On the other hand, the Rakuten Mobile signal came back with a C rating, so it might be reassuring to keep the in-house Wi-Fi in mind and give yourself some extra margin when it comes to calls or mobile data. If it's something you're concerned about, you can check it yourself using the official Rakuten Mobile tool, so it seems worth taking a look before your visit.

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

Related Links

• Official Site