This ryokan was once a residence of an upper-class samurai family in the Aizu domain during the late Edo period. The building is several hundred years old and still preserves its original wooden architecture, along with many historical antiques on display. The ryokan continues to use the irori hearth to serve traditional meals, such as grilled fish and local specialties. The staff prepare each dish individually over the charcoal fire using regional ingredients from Fukushima and Aizu. I especially loved the miso, which is one of the region’s specialties and appeared in almost every dish. I also tried horse sashimi for the first time — surprisingly delicious. It was incredibly tender and melted in the mouth almost like fish. I was hesitant at first, but ended up loving it. It was truly a very memorable and impressive experience.

The onsen baths are small and very hot (over 40°C). The ryokan does not have an elevator. The stairways are narrow and steep, so carrying large luggage such as a 28-inch suitcase upstairs can be quite difficult and potentially unsafe.

Before my trip to Japan, I'd looked at a lot of ryokan before deciding on Ashina. It fulfilled my somewhat fussy criteria of a ryokan with traditional Japanese-style rooms, an open-air bath, good kaiseki fare (both dinner and breakfast), located somewhere in the mountains likely to have snow in late January/early February, while not being too far away from Tokyo by train, and also not in some town where everything closes at 1 P.M, etc. What made me decide on Ashina in particular was that it looked amazing during the winter, and it did not disappoint - the radiant heat of the sunken hearth and the warm vapor of the free-flowing spring water gave me an immense feeling of comfort. The food was extraordinary. The staff were gracious and accommodating despite the language barrier, and I had no issues conducting business or making requests (they let me borrow a phone charger because the one I had wasn't compatible with Japanese outlets). The city of Aizuwakamatsu has a lot to see, so if you arrive in town early with luggage, make sure you take advantage of the inexpensive courier service from the train station to the hotels in Higashiyama-onsen.

I was so transfixed by the food that I forgot to order any booze during dinner... don't repeat my mistake! Also, sitting on the floor is strenuous if you're not used to it (The only way I can do that for an extended period of time is by sitting cross-legged, but if you're wearing a yukata that's not an option, for what should be obvious reasons)

囲炉裏でのお食事 地元の食材を使っていたり、炭火での調理が一層美味しさを引き立てていました。どれも美味しかったです。 設備も綺麗でした。

特にございませんが、強いてあげるとすれば、囲炉裏での食事なので足腰がきつくなるため、浴衣よりも作務衣のようなものの方が良かったかもしれません。 あと、虫を何匹かみました。

食事の提供が丁寧だった。

食事のお品書きがなかったので、どの位 時間が掛かるか？何をどの程度食べて良いか 分からなかった。