As per previous threads (but none for a long while), our next trip to Japan will be our 4th and we'll have 5 whole weeks there, mostly to be spent self-driving around Hokkaido and through Tohoku, north to south. We'll also have a few days in Tokyo at the start and end of the trip.

I'll turn [mumble] years old whilst there and would like to splurge a little to celebrate.

I'm currently holding rooms (for 2 nights) in both Hotel Jogakura and Hoshinoya Oirase Keiryu Hotel and struggling to choose. These are both in Aomori Prefecture. Previous stop is Aomori and following stop is Nyuto Onsen.

• At Jogakura I'm holding a Twin Room with Private Bathroom (including wooden tub). At the Hoshinoya I've got a Superior Twin (no tub that I can tell).
  
• Both are on HB basis (with buffet for both meals).
  
• Pricing is not too far apart - ¥134,844 at Jogukura versus ¥124,000 at the Hoshinoya.
  

I'm usually pretty good at deciding (and this is the last stop where I've still got two rooms held as we're two months out and I prefer to give rooms back waaaay before actual cancellation dates). I am sure one of our regulars here has stayed in the Hoshinoya and raved about it (but may have eaten in the French restaurant rather than their buffet one) but not sure I've seen Jogakura mentioned.

Anyone have any experience at these two and can help resolve my Analysis Paralysis?

Thanks!

We have stayed at the Hoshinoya Oirase Keiryu but that was 15 years ago. Great location along the river with nice river views from your room. The place is a little dated but looks better to me than Jogakura. Meals all depend on the chef in these ryokan/hotels but they were great at Hoshinoya. If you are going for the koyo I envy you. Hope your timing and luck are with you. You are in for a special treat in koyo viewing...possibly the best in Japan along the shores of Towada-ko.

Aloha!

I have stayed at neither. Those prices are for two nights?

The "Oirase" in the name tells me that I would like that location, next to Oirase Stream (Keiryu, I just learned, means mountain stream).

Japanican shows "Superior Twin Room" and "Twin Room with Semi Open-air Bath"
At Hoshino webage I see "Twin Room with River View Indoor Bath" and "Superior Room" with twin bed
Up to you if you want to pay more for a room that definitely has a private bath (soaking tub)
No tub in Superior Room, see photos:
Oirase Keiryu Hotel | Hoshino Resorts | Book Best Rate Guarantee

The agoda photos of the room at Jogakura looked oddly narrow even though good sized 42sqm. It took me a minute that there is a wall between the living area and the beds.

Differfent room types at their site. The Standard Twin is 21sqm and is same as the bed "room" i saw at agoda.

Rooms | Hakkoda Jogakura Onsen Hotel Jogakura [Official]

>> koyo viewing...possibly the best in Japan along the shores of Towada-ko.
and along Oirase Stream according to what I read.

From what I am reading, koyo is arriving later and later. We'll be in Hokkaido latter half of September and then Tohoku early October so I think we'll be too early for Koyo but who knows? Thanks so much for your post, I hadn't realised it was quite so long ago you were at that hotel, I know I originally became aware of it through reading one of your old posts!

Yes, prices are for two nights, and HB for both places. Both breakfast and dinner are served buffet style, I believe. Certainly for Hoshinoya I'm booked for buffet dinner rather than in their French restaurant.

For Hoshinoya, I definitely just have a Superior Twin (no bath) and they don't really do comp upgrades in Japan so fairly confident that's what we'll get. I definitely don't want to spend more than the prices I gave but more importantly, availability would not allow me to change room types at this stage anyway. I don't think our room will have a view of the stream but the public areas of the hotel will provide that and the location / setting looks amazing all round!

I agree that the room looks a bit narrow in Jogakura but I think (if I'm looking at photos correctly) the room kind of has two parts to it, the bed area and a separate seating area.

I'm leaning towards Hoshinoya I think!

You may be able to get a better price with a Hoshino Resort membership. Some information here: https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/sp/faq/

Aloha!

>> I agree that the room looks a bit narrow in Jogakura but I think (if I'm looking at photos correctly) the room kind of has two parts to it, the bed area and a separate seating area.

Yes. I thought that there was a wall between the living area and the beds. But I couldn't figure out where the tub was.

The floor plan shows the bath is between the bed area and seating area making them relatively narrow!]

Aahaah, thank you, didn't think of that!

Your Google Fu is strong! I hadn't found a floorplan so this is helpful!
Thank you again!

ht, have you been to Yubara Onsen?

Kavey, how/where did you book Hoshino?

I tried to use their website to book. They require 2-night stays during certain times. The calendar shows some availability on consecutive nights. When I select those dates, it indicates that I would have a different room type for each night. That's fine, but I can't go on and book it. I have not found an OTA that shows an availability calendar for a lodging. In this case, I think they also are not able to show 2-night stays involving different room types.

I have wanted to visit Towadako for a long time. Had to cancel a daytrip there from Aomori due to injury. Now am thinking (too late) about trying again in late October. I might leave for Japan sooner than planned to do it. That hotel is at/near a bus stop on the way between Aomori and Towada which makes it ideal for me. There are several other interesting stops on that road including a ropeway.

mrw, no we have not been there yet but will be near in Hiroshima this fall. At that time we're also visiting Ureshino Onsen and Imari which we have never been to. Any suggestions?

Aloha!

Ureshino Onsen was a good place to stop for me after visiting Unzen Onsen and before going on to Yufuin. The Seibold no Yu is kind of interesting. I stayed at the Fairfield Inn which is attached to the JR (shinkansen) station, so extremely convenient for that. It is not convenient to the town. You could walk it, but I took taxis. Had dinner at a place that featured hambaga steak. I liked it because it was a locals, family place and I got fed.

The Fairfield was inexpensive and the senior rate was better than using points. Comfortable room and bed, so good value. The location made it easy to go to Nagasaki to use the ropeway (it was cloudy when I visited years ago). It was also convenient to go up to Takeo Onsen. The old-timey bath there is pretty cool. From there I went to Saga and had an excellent dinner of Saga beef a block from the station.

It was as much a laundry stop as it was a stop on the way elsewhere. You will find more better to do, eat, and stay.

There some scenic trains around there
TWO STARS 4047｜JR KYUSHU RAILWAY COMPANY

from mrwunrfl.....
"There some scenic trains around there
TWO STARS 4047｜JR KYUSHU RAILWAY COMPANY"

Thanks, great info - maybe some new train trips for my 2026 Japan trip - there are quite a few interesting trains in Kyushu - I've only been on Yufuin No Mori and Umisachi Yamasachi.....

I booked Hoshinoya directly on their own website. I always wanted to stay 2 nights so didn't get any messages about that as I didn't try for one night. I was able to book the same room type for both nights, I assume because availability was there. I booked as soon as I could, probably a good few months ago. I would say booking now for October for a brand like Hoshinoya is quite late given how popular they are. I suspect that is the problem. Try for December or January to see if it's an October availability issue?

I haven't been to Yubara Onsen, or that region of Japan. I have been to Kurokawa Onsen in Kyushu.

On this trip we will also visit Nyuto Onsen and Ginzan Onsen, one night each.

Am planning to return to Kurokawa in October.

>> Nyuto Onsen and Ginzan Onsen, one night each
I think we discussed that part of your itinerary but am not sure I made the following comments. You are smart to spend a night in each.

I made two daytrips to Nyuto Onsenkyo. The first was probably closer to 29 years ago than to 15 years ago. I took the bus all the way to the top and stopped for a soak. Saw several ryokan along the way that looked attractive (those properties being in the onsnenkyo). That was a great day.

The second visit was two years ago and I took the bus only up to (the famous) Tsurunoyu ryokan. There were way too many daytrippers. I think you know there is a very local bus circuit that guests at one of the ryokan can use to visit the others. There were other daytrippers like me who bussed up from from the station, but Tsurunoyu had a surprisingly large and well used parking lot. It accommodated car daytrippers, quite a few that day, I think. I would be great to stay overnight.

Ginzan is a gem, charming after the tour buses leave. I was surprised last fall to see ~40 people waiting in line for their tour bus. My guess is that they were daytripping from Akita. My ryokan price included a taxi from Oishida station to the onsen village. There is It is quite a distance and was surprised that I had to pay my taxi ride back to the station next day (could have taken the bus). You will have a car and you might look into where you will park. My taxi went past the parking lot(s) and found a way through the bus/car traffic to the first bridge, i.e. a short, flat walk to my ryokan. The parking that I saw, IIRC, was uphill and a longer walk to the village than I would have liked. But, this is nbd. I would have thought that finding easy and convenient parking was to be expected in a village in that region of Japan, but it was more popular than I expected. There might be an option to park in a lot that is a distance away and then take a bus into the village to at/near that bridge. Wrote all that when I could have just said that parking could be an issue at Ginzan.

Good. There is also a Seven Stars train but am not clear if it operates in Western Kyushu. That is a gourmet/luxury type train that runs like a cruise ship, multiple stops and overnights. Really fancy and would be ht's speed I think. Might be able to do day trips on it, IDK

I will echo mrw's sentiments on Ginzan Onsen. A beautiful onsen town built up along the river that has charm and a feel of "old" Japan to it. We stayed at a ryokan there(Fujiya I think was its name) about 8 years ago and they will pick you up and drop you off at the car lot with their van just outside the town as will the other ryokans in the town.
We stayed at the famed Tsurunoyu minshuku in Nyuto onsen for two nights a while back also. I think I did a trip report about them on this site. Tsurunoyu did have a lot of day trippers but after they are all gone for the day the place is magic. Over 400 years old, you can really put yourself back in time there. We were just in Yamagata a couple of weeks ago and stayed at Saikatei Jidaiya ryokan. The chef there at Saikatei is FABULOUS!!! Lucky we stayed for two nights as we got to experience the fish/seafood dishes one night and their spectacular Yamagata beef dishes the second evening. You look like you have a wonderful birthday trip planned, enjoy and Gambate!

Mrw, the seven star train looks nice. We may have to check them out this trip. BTW we will be in Kurokawa Onsen early Nov at the Sanga ryuokan which is just outside of Kurokawa onsen village there by themselves in the forest....beautiful place. We were there a few years back https://www.sanga-ryokan.com/en/

Aloha!

Cancelled Jogakura and keeping Hoshinoya Oirase Keiryu Hotel.
Dithered SO MUCH!

Good choice. I was just wondering about this yesterday.

Also wanted to mention a Fukuoka restaurant.
Hakata Ryotei Chikae | Japanese Traditional Restaurant | Hakata Ryotei Chikae | Japanese Traditional Restaurant

Last time I was there I chose to have a kaiseki dinner instead of the fresh seafood. It was quite good but then I realized that it was maybe not the best choice as I was going to have kaiseki at ryokan for three of the next five dinners.