One autumn I decided to treat myself to a couple of nights in Kinugawa Onsen, and set about finding somewhere to stay, looking for a balance of comfort and facilities and affordability. Of the many options available, I settled on Kashobou Fukumatsu, and thoroughly enjoyed my stay there.
Check in is slightly late, opening at 4:00pm, but when I got there it was smooth and friendly; the staff who checked me in spoke excellent English and was able to tell me about nearby restaurants. The lobby is a pretty interesting place, with a great view over the river, hand-made accessories for sale at reception, and a charmingly eclectic mix of decor; prints, traditional dolls, ceramics, musical instruments, a colourful hammock to laze around in, and plenty more.
My room was a very good size, with plenty of space to spread out: I had a little entrance hall, a traditional tatami area with low table and floor cushions, then twin beds and a table and chairs close to the window, also with a nice view of the river. It was showing its age - there were odd little knocks and chips on the fittings and nicks and frays on the tatami - but the low low cost more than made up for this.
Kinugawa Onsen being a hot spring resort, most hotels boast public hot spring baths, and this is no exception. The indoor bathroom was nice to relax in, though the sauna was temporarily closed; the outdoor bath was phenomenally hot, leaving me with a line across the top of my torso where my lower 80% had been poached red. I enjoyed the switch between the cold air and hot water, though there was a limit to how long I could stay in that water!
