EKINARIYA RYOKAN - Articles (1)-
| The original founding of Ekinariya Ryokan dates back to the late Edo period, making it a long-established inn with a history of 140 years. At that time, Kusatsu Onsen’s Yubatake area, extending to where Ekinariya now stands, was within the domain of the local magistrate’s estate. After World War II, the ryokan was initially opened as a ryotei (Japanese-style restaurant). In 1969, the current owner’s predecessor officially registered Ekinariya as an inn, marking the beginning of its new chapter as a ryokan. The current building is unchanged from 1969, and it is said to have been built by a shrine carpenter who visited Kusatsu as a hot spring cure guest. The current president, Mr. Masateru Uchibori (born in 1969), is the 4th generation, when counting from the ryotei era. After studying the fundamentals of ryokan and hotels at the Tokyo YMCA International Hotel College, he trained for two years at a ryokan in the Shima Onsen hot spring area before joining the inn. For 17 years, he has played an important role in Kusatsu's town events outside of the inn, while working as the executive director. Then, in 2008, he became president. President Uchibori is the owner-chef, holding the kitchen knife himself, so to speak. His dishes are not flashy, but they reflect his sincerity, just as his personality is. Ekinariya Ryokan is a small inn with only 6 rooms. However, it is filled with many charms. The previous president started the private baths in 1989. At the time, it may have been the first in Kusatsu. Since the inn was not originally large enough to accommodate groups of guests, the private baths were favored by many guests. The success of the private baths led to the opening of more and more private baths at other ryokans in Kusatsu Onsen. In 1993, the number of rooms was reduced from 8 to 6. The rooms that were reduced were used as private dining spaces. From a business standpoint, reducing the number of rooms meant a decrease in revenue. However, rather than decrease revenue, they shifted the focus to increase guest satisfaction. While in-room meals are fine, if grilled or hot pot dishes are on the menu, they will smell in the room. However, it is natural to want to dine in the privacy of one's own room in a relaxed atmosphere. That is why they have private dining places. This inn is deeply committed to customer-first philosophy. Guest satisfaction directly leads to an increase in repeat guests. In fact, the inn is supported by a wide range of customers, from couples in their 60s and 70s to couples in their 40s. Recently, the number of young people in their 30s or younger is on the rise. In other words, there seem to be many guests who are like a couple. This is probably because the emphasis is on privacy and the desire to let people spend a relaxing time without any worries. The system of private baths at this inn is also quite unique. Normally, private baths are rented by the hour, and multiple guests take turns using them. However, at Ekinariya, the system allows one group of guests to exclusively use the private baths. This also means that the bathtub is changed every day, the water is clean, and the bathtub is available for exclusive use for the entire day, rather than a private bath where one does not know who has entered. The Kusatsu Onsen Ryokan Cooperative Association has currently declared its “ spring quality first” and is promoting it both domestically and internationally. The main points of the declaration are that secondary use of hot spring water is strongly prohibited, and that circulation of hot spring water and the use of hot spring water that has overflowed from one bathtub in another bathtub are also forbidden. This is something that is difficult to do in other hot spring areas, even if they wanted to. This is because it would be impossible to use hot spring water not only in small bathtubs such as private baths, but also in large bathhouses for men and women, which are used by many people, unless there is an absolute abundance of hot spring water. This town-wide promotion of hot springs is the reason why Kusatsu Onsen always remains one of the top three most popular hot spring destinations in Japan. Within Kusatsu Onsen lies Ekinariya Ryokan. Here, you can enjoy casual conversation with your significant other, soak in the superb hot water, have a delicious meal, and enjoy the time that passes slowly. Ekinariya Ryokan offers this kind of luxurious experience. I asked the president about the origin of the name “Ekinariya”. He replied that neither he nor his predecessor knew where it came from. One might simply imagine that “Eki” comes from “benefit” and “Sei” comes from “success,” but even so, the characters must be auspicious. But it seems to me that “benefit” which cannot be replaced by money is what this inn provides to its guests. I am grateful that this small gem of an inn exists in Kusatsu Onsen. |
EKINARIYA RYOKAN Travel Journal
Articles
The original founding of Ekinariya Ryokan dates back to the late Edo period, making it a long-established inn with a history of 140 years. At that time, Kusatsu Onsen’s Yubatake area, extending to where Ekinariya now stands, was within the domain of the local magistrate’s estate. After World War II, the ryokan was initially opened as a ryotei (Japanese-style restaurant). In 1969, the current owner’s predecessor officially registered Ekinariya as an inn, marking the beginning of its new chapter as a ryokan. The current building is unchanged from 1969,......
Private & Open-air Bath Reports
Each room at Ekinariya comes with its own private bath. Upon check-in, guests receive the key to their private bath along with their room key. In other words, for every 6 guest rooms......
Facilities & Hot Spring Reports
Kusatsu Onsen, located in the northwestern part of Gunma Prefecture, Jyoshu, is a well-known hot spring in Japan. It has 6 main sources, including “Jizou”, “Yubatake”, “Shirahata”, “Sainokawara”, “Bandaikou”, and “Wata-no-Yu”......
Guest Room Reports
There are a total of 6 guest rooms, all in traditional Japanese style. Each room has a slightly different layout. In wooden buildings, sound can sometimes travel between rooms, but at this inn, there is no need to worry about that......
Cuisine Reports
At Ekinariya, meals are generally served in private dining rooms located near the guest rooms. However, since there are only 5 dining rooms for 6 guest rooms,......
Extra Reports
Located in the heart of the hot spring area, “Yubatake” is a symbol of Kusatsu Onsen. It is a hot spring source that flows in the town center, surrounded by a well-maintained rotary. By the way,......
| Keywords for this ryokan | |||
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| 6 guest rooms and 6 private baths | |||
| All bathtubs are 100% free-flowing hot spring water | |||
| Large public bath “Benten-no-Yu” filled with the aroma of hinoki cypress | |||
| A private and secluded inn for adults | |||
| The owner-chef's exquisite cuisine made with carefully selected local ingredients |
| Check-In | 2:00 p.m. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Check-Out | 10:00 a.m. | ||
| Card usage | Available | ||
| Room Views | Mountains, Townscape | ||
| In-room Meal | Not available (private dining room) | ||
| Dinner | Japanese cuisine | ||
| Breakfast | Japanese cuisine | ||
| Official website's online reservation benefits | 【Best Rate (Lowest Price) Guarantee】The most economical rates are available for reservations through official website. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Packages | For details of special offers such as official website limited plans and limited time plans, etc., please check the Official Website★ | ||
| Plan A guest room (Capacity of 2 persons) |
From 24,350 yen Up Charge for the day before holiday 2,200 yen ※Layout is 10 tatami mats Japanese-style room + Veranda + T + Private bath with free-flowing hot spring water |
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| Plan B guest room (Capacity of 2 to 4 persons) |
From 26,550 yen Up Charge for the day before holiday 2,200 yen ※Layout is 12 tatami mats or more Japanese-style room + Private bath with free-flowing hot spring water |
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| Establishment / Reconstruction | Established: 1969 / Reconstructed: 2008 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Rooms | All 6 rooms | ||
| Number of People Accommodated | 16 persons | ||
| Private bath | Charge : Free of charge for overnight stay Usage hours : 2:00 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. the next day Reservation method : Each room is given a key to 1 private bath (you can occupy the private bath). View : Garden |
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| Large public bath and other | Public open-air baths for men and women: None Large public “hinoki” baths for men and women: Available (※Switching between men and women: not available) |
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| Parking Area | 6 cars | ||
| Pets | Not allowed | ||
| Barrier Free | Not supported | ||
| Esthetics / Massages | Massages: Yes(4,000 yen/40 min. tax not included) | ||
| Internet | Wi-Fi available | ||
| DVD | - | ||
| TV Channels | NHK: 2 stations, Private Broadcasting: 5 stations, NHKBS: 2 stations | ||
| Facilities | - | ||
| Refrigerator System | Declare only what you use (space for drinks you bring in/freezer not available) ※At breakfast, it is checked once Drinks in the refrigerator: Medium-bottled beer, Juices (orange, cider, coke) |
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| Vending Machine | - | ||
| Sales shop | - | ||
| Yukata | ◎ | Bath towels | ◎ |
| Towels | ◎ | Soap | ◎ |
| Body wash | ◎ | Shampoo | ◎ |
| Conditioner | ◎ | Rinse in shampoo | ◎ |
| Shower cap | ◎ | Toothbrush | ◎ |
| Hair dryer | ◎ | Brush | ◎ |
| Comb | ◎ | Razor blade | ◎ |
| Cotton bud | ◎ | Toilet with washer | ◎ |
| Wheelchair | － | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Child | Children's slippers / Children's yukata / Children's tableware / Hot water for powdered milk | ||
| Foreign Languages | English | ||
| Recommended Souvenirs | Hanayura lotion | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearby Convenience Store | 1 min. on foot | ||
| Cellular Antennas | ◎docomo | ◎au | ◎softbank |
| Charges | － | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Usage time | － | ||
| ※With meal plan (reservation required) | |||
| Charges | － | ||
| Meal Details | － | ||
| Settlement Date | － | ||
| Usage Time | － | ||
| Other | － | ||
| Spring quality | Acidic, Sulfur containing ― Aluminum ― Sulfate/Chloride springs (Shirahata source / Yubatake source) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature of the source | 53.6～53.9℃ | ||
| Output rate | － | ||
| Hydrogen ion | pH 2.0 | ||
| Total dissolved substances (excluding gases) | － | ||
| Gushing of the source | Sources centrally controlled in Kusatsu town and then distributed to each ryokan | ||
| Add water / Circulation Filtration | All baths are 100% free-flowing hot spring water | ||
| Water heating | No | ||
| Disinfection of bath | No | ||
| Replacement of hot water in bathtub | Once every 5 days (once every 2 days for private baths) | ||
| Bath Additives | No using | ||
| Indications by Spring Quality (Revised on July 1, 2014) | Plaque psoriasis, Impaired glucose tolerance (diabetes), Epidermal suppuration, Atopic dermatitis, Chronic eczema, Cuts, Peripheral circulatory disturbance, Sensitivity to cold, Depression, Dry skin | ||
| General Indications for Bathing (Revised on July 1, 2014) | Chronic pain or stiffness of muscles or joints (chronic phase of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, neuralgia, frozen shoulder, bruises, sprains, etc.), muscle stiffness in motor paralysis, sensitivity to cold, peripheral nerve disorder, decline of gastrointestinal function (slow digestion, intestinal gas formation, etc.), mild high blood pressure, impaired glucose tolerance (diabetes), mild hypercholesterolemia, mild asthma or emphysema, hemorrhoidal pain, autonomic instability, various symptoms from stress (sleep disorders, depression, etc.),convalescence stage of illness, recovery from fatigue, promotion of health. | ||
| Color of water | Somewhat cloudy white | ||
| For drinking | Cannot | ||
| Indications for drinking | ― | ||
| Smell / Taste | Sulfur smell | ||
| By Train | JR Azuma Line Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station, 25 min. by JR bus to Kusatsu Onsen BT, 8 min. walk from Kusatsu Bus BT | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Shuttle bus | Available (bus stop) | ||
| By Car | Kanetsu Expressway Shibukawa-Ikaho IC, approx. 90 min. | ||
| Nearby Sightseeing Spots | Yubatake, Nishi-no-Kawahara, Mt. Shirane (except in winter) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Recreation (tourist farms, parks, etc.) | Japanese-style village, Indoor baths tour | ||
| Sports | Kusatsu International Ski Resort, Kusatsu Country Club, Kusatsu Kogen Golf Course | ||
| Staff messages | Message from Ms. Akie Uchibori, the young landlady Besides public baths for men and women, each room has its own private hot spring bath. There is no time limit, so you can enjoy the hot spring “anytime” and “as long as you like”. |
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| Date of Interview | Nov. 11, 2008 | ||
| Date of Information update | Jul. 04, 2023 | ||
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※When making a reservation, please mention that you saw "kashikiri-onsen.com" |
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Article creator of this ryokan
CEO of Onsen.com Co.,Ltd.
For more than 30 years, he has been visiting hot spring ryokans all over Japan, persuading innkeepers of the need for "private baths". He is still a traveler who spends half of the year at a hot spring. In addition to being a article creater, photographer, and drone pilot, he also designs websites and provides consulting services.
