Let’s go to Saya no Yu Dokoro!
This is the first installment of the “Onsen (hot springs) accessible by car” series! This is a series of articles about hot springs that are literally accessible by car. By “car accessible,” we mean that there is a parking lot or it is located nearby. After cleaning your body at a hot spring, it would be nice to go home in the comfort of your own private space with the air conditioning working. In this series, I will introduce hot springs with parking lots, which are quite rare in the Tokyo area!
This time we would like to introduce “Saya no Yu Dokoro” located in Itabashi Ward, Tokyo. As you walk from the parking lot to the front entrance, you will see a Japanese garden in the back with lanterns hanging over the entrance. It looks like a ryokan (Japanese-style inn), which is sure to raise your spirits!
(Japan, 3 Chome-41-1 Maenocho, Itabashi City, Tokyo 174-0063)
Excellent soba noodles at Saya no Yu Dokoro
Before getting into the hot springs, we decided to have a meal first. The specialty here is soba (buckwheat noodles). If soba alone is not enough for you, we recommend the seiro katsudon. Simply put, you can eat both soba and katsudon (pork cutlet served on top of a bowl of rice) at the same time. The Katsu-don is a perfect combination of Soba and Sashimi, with the egg melted just right and the pork cutlet soaked in broth. The menu also offers a wide variety of other dishes, such as a combination of soba noodles and sashimi, or soba noodles and tempura. All of them are delicious, so there should be few disappointments. When eating, there is a Japanese tatami room from which you can view the garden, which makes it even more delicious.
If you make a reservation, you can order a private room or a course. (*Reservations for courses must be made at least two days in advance.)
Onsen (hot spring)
Now it’s time to get into the hot springs. In addition to the indoor bath, there is an open-air bath with natural hot spring water, as well as a sauna, so you will never get bored. The hot spring water will cleanse your skin, and the abundance of nature will surely relieve you of your usual fatigue.
Stone sauna
Although it is an option, bedrock bath is also available for 760 yen. Bedrock bath is a relaxation method in which visitors lie on heated natural or artificial stones to warm their bodies. The far-infrared rays emitted from the stones slowly warm the body from the inside, promoting perspiration. This improves blood circulation, and a detoxification and relaxation effect can be expected. Unlike saunas, the humidity is low and the temperature is relatively low, making it comfortable to use for long periods of time. There are four different rooms, spring, summer, fall, and winter, so change the room according to your mood! Don’t forget to hydrate yourself.
Massage
If you are still feeling tired even after taking a bath in the hot spring, you can also get a massage. Since it is likely to be booked up on Saturdays and Sundays, please check with the receptionist as soon as you have decided to use the spa. In addition to hand massage, they also offer aromatherapy and scrub treatment (akasuri).
Summary
This is the first installment of a series on hot springs accessible by car! How was it? In the first installment, we introduced Saya no Yu Dokoro, which the author also frequents. The facility is not large, as it is not a tourist spot, but it is very clean and has the feel of a ryokan (Japanese-style inn). It is a very good hot spring facility to feel Japan, so I introduced it as the first installment. I highly recommend it!
If there are any other projects you would like us to do, please comment.
See you again in the next article!
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