Yunomori Hotel Shidotaira

Yunomori Hotel Shidotaira is one of Hanamaki’s signature onsen hotels. It has been ranked before in the Facilities category of the "Professionals’ Choice: Japan’s Top 100 Hotels & Ryokan" (59th place). The hotel offers many activities that everyone—from small children to seniors—can enjoy together. There are indoor and outdoor heated pools, a bread workshop where you can experience real bakery-making, and a fantasy theater where you can learn about the world of Kenji Miyazawa—making it an entertainment-rich stay. The hotel also boasts the largest total bath area in Iwate Prefecture. Its "Tenga no Yu" bath lets you take in Iwate’s magnificent natural scenery, with seasonal colors so vivid they can feel like a giant framed landscape painting. Another favorite is the atmospheric riverside open-air bath that preserves the ambiance from the hotel’s early days after opening in 1955 (Showa 30), and it is said to still have many devoted local fans. Access is easy from the Shinkansen and airport—both within about 30 minutes—and nearby sightseeing spots such as the Miyazawa Kenji Memorial Museum are also within reach. From Hanamaki Minami IC, it’s about a 15-minute drive west. Shuttle buses are available from Shin-Hanamaki Station and Hanamaki Station as well.