Hotel Shi-on

Hotel Shion is an accommodation located about 25 minutes by car from Morioka Station. From all guest rooms, you can enjoy views of Lake Gosho, the mountains of Iwate, and seasonal scenery. The hotel offers several onsen experiences, including an open-air bath where you can soak while taking in the superb view, the adjacent "Hitorijime no Yu," and the "Nanbu Magariya no Yu," a free-flowing (gensen kakenagashi) hot spring themed after traditional Nanbu curved-roof farmhouses—said to be a "beauty bath." It can be used not only by overnight guests but also for day trips. Lake Gosho, visible from the rooms, is a dam lake that stores clear water flowing from the Ou Mountains; walking paths are maintained around it, letting you enjoy rich seasonal plants and trees. Along the mountains of the Tsunagi Onsen area, the Yakushi deity of Tsunagi Onsen Shrine is enshrined. Around the hotel, you can reach "Morioka Handcraft Village" in about 5 minutes by car, where you can see, touch, and make crafts. About 15 minutes by car away is Koiwai Farm, where you can try horseback riding and feeding ponies; the farm’s fresh-milk soft serve and the souvenir "Moist Butter Castella" (available only at Koiwai Farm) are also recommended.