Takarazuka Onsen

Takarazuka

Takarazuka is well known in Japan for having a live Broadway-like show which has a long history with an all female cast. Tickets are hard to get and people come journey from all over Japan to check it out, but we didn’t go for the show but rather stay at an Onsen (hot springs) resort. We were traveling with the wife’s parents, wife’s sister and her 3 year old son so it was a fun family affair.

Takarazuka was only about 30 minutes by train from Osaka Station and is located in Hyogo prefecture, which includes Kobe. We headed out after M’s school on Friday and stayed for a night at the Takarazuka Onsen Wakamizu. This was a very friendly place, and the service was even beyond the usual politeness you get in Japan. We also had dinner and breakfast at the hotel, which is always perfect after a soak in the baths. The stay wasn’t cheap, running around $200 a person but includes a kaiseki dinner so it felt like a pretty great deal.

Dinner

Kaiseki dinners are multi course meals on a seasonal theme, and the one here at the hotel was quite yummy. First up, was assorted sashimi and appetizers, including chrysanthemum leaves. Who knew you could eat them! The grill on the right side was used to make a broth/tea with Matsutake mushrooms, which have a unique aroma. Presentation is always an important part of the experience, including which complimentary dishware, combo of colors and garnish is used.

Next up was fried Fugu. If you haven’t seen the Simpson’s episode, then I highly recommend it. Fugu is the famous poison puffer fish, which requires some special training and a license to serve. Luckily, no one died eating Fugu tonight. Also had some seasonal vegetables, like kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), which were cut into the shape of local autumn leaves.

Usually the last course is a rice dish, in this case just some local white rice and pickles, and miso soup. You can also see the tea pot from the Matsutake tea, which was quite amazing. For desert, there was a slice of persimmon and one grape. Fruit can be fancy too.

What did the kids have? Well this was no Happy Meal. They got some of the same stuff as the adults, but also some sausage, ‘hamburg’ (Japanese meat loaf) and fried shrimp. It was way too much food for them, so the adults got to get extras.

The Room

Typical ryokan style room with Tatami mats. It was quite spacious and could easily accommodate a larger family. They laid out the futons at night for us while we were eating dinner.

A unique feature of this place, each room had a massage chair! This got a lot of use, and I mean a lot.

We also had a nice view of the river and the theater across the way. It was a great little hotel, and felt intimate and cozy. The onsen area was practically empty, so it was like a private bath all to ourselves.

Breakfast

Traditional breakfast at a place like this is pretty neat too. Common are the miso soup, rice, grilled salmon and various pickles. A unique dish here is the tofu being cooked up in the ceramic pot. I don’t know the science behind tofu making, but apparently it uses a coffee filter and a heat source. After a few minutes, we were scooping out fresh hot tofu with a spoon and eating it with soy sauce.

Summary

This was a great place to stay, we might go back someday for a quick getaway from the city. It was quite peaceful and the service felt genuine and nice, without any hint of snobbery. They even had some giant Koi in their garden!