I Looked Into Wado Kosen Yu no Yado Wado

On this blog, I keep a category called 'Hocance Detours' — my own term for hot spring inns that let you unwind a bit more than camping does — where I look into places one by one and write up what I find. I've already covered a handful of day-trip hot springs and inns, but this time an inn with a bit more history caught my eye.

What caught my attention was the phrase "the oldest mineral spring among the Seven Hot Springs of Chichibu." I'm the indoor type, and I'm a total sucker for topics like the effects and history of hot springs, so that phrase alone was enough to hook me. I decided to look into Wado Kosen Yu no Yado Wado, located in Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture.

What Kind of Inn Is Wado Kosen Yu no Yado Wado?

"Wado" is a hot spring inn located in the Kurotani area of Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, and the nearest station is apparently Wadokurotani Station on the Chichibu Railway. The inn has its own private mineral spring called "Yakushi no Yu," which is said to be the oldest mineral spring among the Seven Hot Springs of Chichibu. Check-in is basically from 3:00 PM and check-out by 10:00 AM (11:00 AM for rooms with private open-air baths), though it seems like the exact times can vary depending on whether you book a plan with dinner or a room-only plan, so it's probably worth confirming when you make a reservation.

Room rates for one adult with two meals seem to range fairly widely, from around 16,200 yen to 43,780 yen or so per night. It looks like the price changes depending on room type, season, and plan, and with day-trip and room-only plans also available, it feels like there's something to fit different budgets. Reservations can apparently be made through online booking on the official website, or by phone. It also seems possible to book through various travel booking sites, including Rakuten Travel.

The Open-Air Baths Along the Yokoze River and Room Layouts

As for the baths, there are apparently two large communal baths — a rock bath called "Iwakagami" and a cypress bath called "Hiougi" — each with its own attached open-air bath. A key feature seems to be being able to soak while watching the Yokoze River flow by, and since the room descriptions also mentioned being able to spend time listening to the sound of the river, it seems like the whole inn is designed to make the most of its riverside location. There's also apparently a private bath with a terrace (50 minutes per session, for a fee) and a private stone-bed sauna room.

There are 38 rooms in total, and 14 of them apparently come with their own private open-air bath. The standard Japanese-style rooms come in several sizes ranging from about 6 to 12 tatami mats, and the rooms with private open-air baths seem to include types that combine a Japanese-style room with a bedroom, a Western-style room, or twin beds. Here's a quick summary of the facilities:

• Large communal baths: rock bath "Iwakagami" and cypress bath "Hiougi" (both with attached open-air baths)
• Private bath: with terrace, 50 minutes per session, fee required
• Private stone-bed sauna: available
• Wi-Fi: apparently free throughout the building, including in the guest rooms
• Meals: dinner is either "Wado Kaiseki" or creative cuisine, and breakfast is Japanese-style. Depending on the plan and room type, it seems you can choose between dining at the restaurant or having meals served in your room
• Other: large banquet hall, meeting room, karaoke room, gift shop, free parking (around 50 to 80 spaces)

As an indoor person, the fact that Wi-Fi is free even in the guest rooms was a quietly happy discovery for me. It seems like a place where you wouldn't run into trouble even if your idea of a trip is holing up in your room the whole time.

Nearby Sightseeing Spots and Roadside Stations

Near the inn, there's apparently Hijiri Shrine (known for its money deity) and the Wado Historic Site, both about a 10 to 15 minute walk away — likely the source of the name behind Wado Kosen. There's also reportedly a farm within walking distance where you can pick strawberries and grapes, so it looks like there's actually a fair amount to do even without a car. If you're willing to go a bit further, the Nagatoro rock formations, Hodosan Shrine, and Chichibu Shrine all seem to be about 15 to 20 minutes away by car. Roadside stations like Michi no Eki Chichibu and Michi no Eki Minano are also apparently about 10 to 15 minutes away by car, which sounds like a nice distance for a stop during a drive (since I don't actually drive despite having a license, I'd definitely need to check on shuttle service or public transportation before going).

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

I use Rakuten Mobile, so whenever I look into a place to stay, I make a point of checking the signal conditions too. When I checked the location of this inn (the Kurotani area of Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture) using the official "My Area Connectivity Simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as "AA."

Since this is based on the official tool, even though the inn has that mountain hot-spring-town image, the signal conditions seem to fall into the relatively good category. It should also be a useful reference point if you're thinking about streaming video or posting to social media there.

Wrapping Up

To sum it up, my overall impression of Wado Kosen Yu no Yado Wado is a long-established inn where you can enjoy a private spring said to be the oldest of the Seven Hot Springs of Chichibu, along with open-air baths along the Yokoze River. The balance of 14 out of 38 rooms coming with private open-air baths also feels like a nice touch for indoor types who want to spend their time relaxing in their room. There are also walkable sightseeing spots nearby like Hijiri Shrine and the Wado Historic Site, and the location seems well-suited for venturing out to the Nagatoro area if you want to go a bit further. As for Rakuten Mobile, the official tool gave it an AA rating, but if you're concerned about it, it might be worth checking the official Rakuten Mobile tool yourself for peace of mind.

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Related Links

• Official Site