I Looked Into Unkaikaku

Besides camping, I'm continuing this series where I look into inns for those days when I feel like taking a detour into a "hocance" (hotel + vacance) getaway.

This time, the inn that caught my attention is called Unkaikaku. It's located on a hillside in Nasu-Yumoto Onsen and apparently features large baths fed by two separate hot spring sources. I was also drawn to its room-only style, so I decided to dig into it.

What kind of inn is Unkaikaku?

Unkaikaku is an inn located in Nasu-Yumoto Onsen in Nasu Town, Tochigi Prefecture, apparently set on a hillside one street back from the main road. It's said to be about a 3-4 minute walk from the "Yumoto 1-chome" bus stop, which was reassuring to hear since I don't own a car.

Its biggest feature seems to be that it draws from two separate hot spring sources—"Shika-no-yu" and "Okunosawa" (an alum spring)—each feeding its own large bath. Being able to enjoy both a sulfur spring and an alum spring at a single inn feels like a fairly rare setup. Since it's said to be 100% natural spring water with no recirculation, this could be especially appealing to hot spring enthusiasts.

That said, regarding the changing rooms, while plastic baskets are apparently provided, there's also information suggesting that hair dryers and shower-equipped faucets aren't installed. Amenities seem to be available in the rooms themselves, but the bathing area itself appears to have a fairly simple setup.

The room-only rate is apparently around 4,800 to 4,875 yen per person per night (tax included, bathing tax included), though it seems to vary by season. There's also mention that a separate heating fee may apply during winter. Check-in starts at 3:00 PM, and advance notice is required if arriving after 7:00 PM. Check-out is at 10:30 AM, and reservations can apparently be made by phone as well.

Komorin

Finding out that two separate hot spring sources feed into two different baths was honestly kind of impressive to me while researching this. Since it's a room-only inn, maybe that means more of the budget goes straight into the hot springs themselves.

A self-catering space that's all the more substantial because it's room-only

Unkaikaku apparently doesn't offer meals since it's a room-only inn, but in exchange, it seems to have a fairly spacious self-catering area. From what I found, the following facilities are available:

• Cooking equipment: a full set including a microwave, stovetop, oven, and more
• Tableware: plates, cups, etc.—apparently you don't need to bring anything except the food itself
• Refrigeration: shared refrigerator and ice maker available
• In-room amenities: TV, hot water kettle, tea set, shampoo and conditioner, toothbrush set, towels, and a yukata
• Restroom: apparently renovated with a washlet
• Other: a 100-yen coin locker at the entrance and a vending machine

There's conflicting information about the number of rooms—some sources say 9, others say 10—and I wasn't able to confirm which is accurate. Similarly, opinions on Wi-Fi were split, with some sources saying it's available for free and others saying it's not supported or unconfirmed, so this also doesn't seem to be settled information. If you need internet access for work, it might be worth confirming directly when you make your reservation, just to be safe.

There's apparently one free parking spot available with no reservation needed, but since I don't drive, I was naturally more interested in information geared toward getting there by bus.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this location using the official My Area Network Simulation tool, no result was displayed—instead, it showed a fallback message saying something like "currently undergoing temporary maintenance." This seems to be the kind of behavior that occurs when there isn't enough data for a given area, so in this case, I wasn't able to get either a good or bad reading.

For this survey, it seems best to mark the signal condition as "unknown." Since I didn't get a result showing good coverage, I want to be upfront about that.

Komorin

This was actually the first time I've seen the tool fail to give a result at all. As a Rakuten Mobile user, this is something I'm curious about, so if you have an actual stay planned, it might be a good idea to check again right before you head out.

Nearby places to visit

Right near Unkaikaku, there's apparently a public bathhouse called "Shika-no-yu" within walking distance that draws from the same hot spring source. Being able to walk around the hot spring town was a nice point for someone like me who doesn't own a car.

As for meals, a shop called Suzuki Shoten, about a 5-10 minute walk away, is apparently known for its diced steak. Since this is a room-only inn, it seems like a good idea to research nearby dining spots like this ahead of time to give yourself more options for how to spend your stay. If you're willing to go a bit further, places like Bakery Cafe Penny Lane Nasu, Cheese Garden Nasu Main Store, Nasu Animal Kingdom, and Nasu Heisei no Mori also seem to come up as options, though these appear to assume car travel, and I wasn't able to confirm the exact distances.

As for access, the guidance suggests taking a Tono Kotsu bus from JR Kuroiso Station or JR Nasu-Shiobara Station, getting off at the "Yumoto 1-chome" bus stop, and walking about 3-4 minutes from there. Being reachable by bus was reassuring information for someone like me who doesn't drive.

Wrapping Up

Summing everything up again, Unkaikaku struck me as a calm, room-only inn featuring large baths fed by two separate hot spring sources and a well-equipped self-catering space. The convenient access—just a 3-4 minute walk from the bus stop—was also a welcome point for someone like me who doesn't drive.

That said, there are still a few unconfirmed details, such as the exact room count and whether Wi-Fi is available, and the Rakuten Mobile signal condition also came back as unknown this time since no result was displayed. If you're planning an actual visit, it might be worth double-checking with the official tool or confirming directly when you make your reservation, just for peace of mind.

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