Yutorelo Bandai Atami

This ryokan sits in the Bandai-Atami Onsen district along the Gohyaku River, which flows from Lake Inawashiro. It welcomes guests with appealing offerings, including tasty meals made with Fukasawa’s famous spring water that bubbles up from the Gohyaku River’s valley mouth, plus hot springs, a Finnish sauna, and a selection of acclaimed sake from Fukushima, a well-known sake region.

The highlight is, of course, the open-air bath and large communal bath where you can enjoy Bandai-Atami Onsen. In the open-air bath, you can soak while enjoying the sounds and views from the nearby zelkova forest, and in the large communal bath there’s also a water station where you can enjoy Fukasawa’s famous spring water.

The property also has a Finnish sauna, and the water poured over the hot stones is also Fukasawa’s famous spring water. The steam-induced sweating effect helps moisturize the skin, offering a different kind of “totonoi” experience than a traditional dry sauna.

There’s also a kaku-uchi bar stocked with signature sake unique to Fukushima, where everyone from first-timers to true sake lovers can enjoy a one-coin lineup. It’s a great place to stop by as you wrap up your day of travel.