Many of us would love to enjoy a course dinner in the ryokan/hotel. If that is the case for you, consider booking your stay with Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu (喜びの宿 高松) when you visit Kusatsu Onsen. The 11-level hotel is around a 5-minute walk from Yubatake. Because of its height, you can get a clear view of the township from your room, especially if it is on a higher floor. In addition, you can reserve one of the rooms with a hot spring bath or pay extra to utilize their private bath with a small Japanese stone garden attached!
About Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu
Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu, also known as Hotel Takamatsu, is an international tourist-friendly hotel. When we stayed there, many non-Japanese staff members spoke good English.
The lobby on the ground floor is stylish and the sofa area is the perfect spot for a bigger group of families and friends to chat after dinner (refer to the last two photos in the IG post).
Tip: Let the hotel know your dietary requirements when booking.
The Welcome Drink at Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu
When we stayed at Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu, all guests got a welcome drink from the lounge area in the late afternoon after checking in. In addition to soft drinks and tea, alcohol, including Japanese sake, is also available.
There is also a craft beer machine for those who fancy a beer.
As the service isn’t stated on the official website, please check with the staff upon arrival to see whether the free drink service is still on. We weren’t told when we checked in, but there was a poster advertising the service in the lifts.
The Guestrooms at Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu
If you plan to spend a night at Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu and need space and comfortability, reserve one of the rooms that have been renovated (like the one in the left IG post below) instead of the cheapest twin room. Their twin rooms need some upgrade and renovation to match our expectation (at least the one we stayed at). Our room was packed with all the furniture with limited space to walk. With 21,800 yen out of the pocket, we expect something better.
There was definitely issues with how the room was designed as there was pretty much no space between the front door and the bathroom door. You couldn’t have both door opened.
The bathroom and toilet needed some upgrade as well. The facility was very old and aged. It was almost a little bit gross to use the wash basin. Moreover, we could hardly find a free powerpoint in the room because the room was so old!
Looking at the bright side, the bed was very comfortable to sleep on. So, at least we had a good night sleep. The free buns on the table were nice, too.
Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu’s Public and Private Baths
Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu has two indoor and five outdoor public baths. Depending on which bathing area you go into, there may be 3 outdoor or 2 outdoor baths.
The indoor baths are made of stones, whereas the open-air baths are made from different materials, including Japanese cypress, rock, and ceramic. The sizes and temperatures of the baths differ as well, so you will surely find the one you want to bathe in!
Tips:
☛ If you want to try out all the bathing areas, you will need to bathe in the hotel for two days in a row. The hotel alternates the gender for each bathing area daily.
☛ Cold barley tea is available in front of the public bath for you to cool down and stay hydrated.
If you are a day visitor, the good thing about Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu is that you can utilize the hot spring facilities whenever they are open (most hotels in Kusatsu are only open to day visitors until 4 pm). This means you can bathe there at night, too! However, this might be a disadvantage for the hotel guests as the public baths will become more crowded.
The hotel also has a private bath for you to rent out if you require some privacy or if you have tattoos.
- The public baths are open from 2 pm to 9:30 am.
- Between 1 am to 4 am, the public baths are closed for cleaning.
- The private bath can be rented out from:
- 2 pm to 10:30 pm (last admission)
- 6 am to 8 am (last admission)
- The cost is 2,200 yen for 50 minutes.
Important: If you are a day visitor, remember to bring a towel!
The Dinner and Breakfast at Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu
The vegetarian dinner course that Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu prepared for us was averagely delicious. We really appreciate that the hotel accommodated our dietary requirements, but it would have been better if the tempura had been freshly fried instead of heated on the table.
In addition to what was placed on the table, there were a few more dishes that were to be self-served. However, as fish extract was used to cook the broth for ochatsuke and miso soup, we only got rice refills and seaweed from the self-service bar in the middle of the dining hall.
While the vegetarian dishes on the breakfast buffet were extremely limited, we were blessed with good weather in the morning and enjoyed the stunning autumn scenery of the hot spring town.
Yukata Rental at Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu
Another great thing about Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu is its Yukata Rental Service. What beats the experience of walking in a traditional hot spring town while wearing traditional clothing? Plus you can get special perks and discounts at various shops and restaurants if you visit them in Yukata!
Refer to HERE for more information about the few things you will want to know about Kusatsu Onsen, including the perks you will get by wearing the Yukata.
The Yukata rental cost is 1,100 yen.
How to Get to Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu
- Yorokobinoyado Takamatsu is a 5-minute walk from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal.
- You can call the hotel at +81-0279-88-3011 to be picked up from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal upon your arrival.
Discover Other Attractions in Kusatsu Onsen
After you have your accommodation sorted, the next step is probably finding out where in the hot spring town you want to explore!
In addition to the public bathhouses, Kusatsu Onsen has much more to offer. Whether it is soba noodles, traditional sweets or outdoor activities, such as obstacle courses and skiing, you surely won’t be bored at Kusatsu Onsen!
For more information, refer to our article on Kusatsu Onsen (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
