Route Inn Grantia Akita Spa Resort

Route-Inn Grantia Akita Spa Resort is a relaxing spot that helps you forget the city bustle even though it is located right near Kawabata, Akita City’s downtown entertainment district, and it also features the attached super sento-style health complex "Hana no Yu." Access is about a 15-minute walk from JR Akita Station (with a shuttle wagon available) or about 5 minutes by car. A large parking lot is also available, making it convenient for travelers driving through the region. The hotel’s standout appeal is its bathing facilities. At "Hana no Yu," you can enjoy two types of indoor baths, three types of open-air baths, two saunas, and a permanent ondol. An ondol is a therapeutic warming method where hot spring water is piped beneath the floor and you lie on top to warm the body, promoting perspiration and other heat-related effects. The hotel’s ondol keeps the room at around 40°C and is themed around "Spring Sea," with careful interior design touches. The interior finished with "hwangto" (yellow earth) is studded with amethyst, which is said to generate abundant far-infrared rays that promote blood circulation and metabolism. It is also said to help stabilize the mind and provide benefits for neuralgia, joint pain, kidney strengthening, and diabetes. In addition, a central pile of rock-salt blocks is warmed by internal lighting, drawing in water molecules from the surrounding air and ionizing them, generating negative ions to create a fresh-feeling space. It is recommended for those who find high-heat saunas hard to breathe in.