We had stayed at Grandia Housen in Awara Onsen once before, and one of its touches of hospitality is still in place: until check-in, guests can wait at a complimentary drinks corner, which even serves draft beer.
Outside the window, a generous stretch of space has been given over to a photo spot lined with dinosaur figures. It was raining that day, but it was easy to picture children posing for dinosaur photos, the prefecture’s proudest attraction.
Room to roam
This is the room we booked on this visit, partly to take a closer look at how the ryokan works. There was more space than we knew what to do with, and two thick, comfortable beds. Cushions that double as legless floor chairs were set out on tatami, and the scent of igusa rush filled the air. All of it, a space large enough to walk around in, felt thoroughly clean.
A separate room is set up as a remote-work space, a sign of how readily the ryokan has adapted to the way people work now.
Surprisingly few places display an easy-to-read floor guide where you can actually find it. Here, the large baths and dining rooms could be located at a glance, which we appreciated.
The baths
Even on the approach to the large baths, a decorative window and seasonal flowers add to the atmosphere, a sign that the ryokan has time and care to spare.
Soft drinks are on hand for after the bath. The area was clean, and it was obvious at once that it had been carefully looked after.
The changing room has a floor that feels pleasant underfoot, tidy shelves for clothes, and bright lighting.
At the neat vanity counter, even the hairdryers had been put away with their cords facing the same way, the kind of detail that makes guests feel looked after. The mirrors had of course been wiped, and there was no sign of water marks around the basins. Being able to pick up a folded towel right there and carry it into the bath is a modern convenience that makes a real difference.
The photos below are taken from the ryokan’s website. Lit up at night, the large bath opens out into a series of tubs, laid out so that you are barely aware of other bathers, which gives it a sense of luxury. Lying in the shallow, cooler water of the neyu, a bath designed for reclining, in the open-air section, with the night breeze on our faces, was a special experience and a welcome change from everyday life.
At night, the large bath and open-air bath become a dreamlike space of illuminated water. The bathing area is so clean and spacious that, even when many people are bathing, you need not feel conscious of your neighbors.
The buffet
The slope leading to the dining hall is wide enough not only for wheelchair users but also to ease the burden on those helping them. It is small considerations like these that create real comfort at a regional ryokan.
Dinner is a buffet, and the number of dishes is extraordinary. Every counter was packed with food, and the sheer quantity was overwhelming. The concept is food served freshly made, and the smiles of the chefs cooking in front of us only added to the experience.
At the live counter, chefs make sushi in front of you, including Fukui salmon, a local speciality. Fukui, as everyone knows, is a seafood region with all the prized fish of the Sea of Japan, and with heaped sashimi and steak the line-up was hard to choose from. It goes well beyond Japanese food, and the many small dishes and eye-catching plates had families with children and couples in high spirits. The seasoning aims to please everyone; we did not find anything strongly spiced or prepared by any unusual method. Rice from Fukui is served from a kama, a traditional cooking pot, and children seeing white rice that did not come from an electric rice cooker were fascinated.
The bright, pop-art dessert corner catches the eye; some guests come for the desserts alone.
Breakfast
Breakfast, too, offers a huge number of dishes. First comes a bread corner of colorful, cute mini rolls, followed by warm dishes with all the comfort of home cooking.
Even those who never normally eat breakfast will fill their plates; the spread is overwhelming first thing in the morning. With Japanese, Western and Chinese dishes all on offer, guests are sure to leave happy. Among them, the onigiri rice balls made to order at the live counter drew a queue, as if by Japanese instinct.
Final thoughts
Almost every guest comes here looking forward to this buffet. A huge resort and its hot springs, with meals on this scale as well, add up to a very satisfying stay. Just one thing remains: if the feeling of being left to fend for yourself at check-in could be dispelled, it would be an even more highly rated ryokan.
The inner garden, seen from our room, is enormous. It was a shame that half of it was hidden from view by the eaves.
This review reflects a visit in November 2023; please confirm current details directly with the ryokan before visiting.
