Higashi Ishikawa Ryokan
東石川旅館
Does Higashi Ishikawa Ryokan allow tattoos? In a private bath
Higashi Ishikawa is a small storehouse-style inn at the foot of Asama Onsen whose private open-air tub is built of Kiso cypress the inn dates at about 350 years old.
Higashi Ishikawa publishes no tattoo rule. Its private open-air bath, a Kiso cypress tub fed straight from the source, is free to staying guests whenever it is empty, for up to 45 minutes a turn. A tattooed guest can bathe there and leave the shared baths alone.
The bath
The private open-air bath is the one to plan around. The tub is Kiso cypress, from timber the inn puts at about 350 years old, and the water runs into it straight from the source with nothing recirculated. There is no sign-up: when the bath is empty a staying guest may go in, and the inn asks that a turn stay within 45 minutes. It costs nothing.
The shared baths are split by sex, each side with one indoor bath and one open-air bath. The open-air tubs are set in bluish stone and face the garden. The inn describes all of its water as 100 percent natural hot spring, and every bath can be used at any hour of the day or night.
The spring is a simple alkaline one, colorless and clear, drawn from sources the inn gives as 42 to 53°C. It lists the water for stomach and bowel complaints, skin and respiratory conditions and recovery from fatigue.
The hotel
The inn is built in the style of a white-walled storehouse and has 12 Japanese-style rooms on two floors: seven of ten mats, three of eight mats and two large rooms that sleep up to seven. Breakfast is served in Akari, a folk-craft hall designed by Furihata Hironobu, an architect known for restoring old farmhouses. Dinner centers on Shinshu wagyu grilled on a ceramic plate, with local Iwanami sake on the list. Wi-Fi reaches the whole building. Check-in is from 3 p.m. and check-out by 10 a.m.
Good to know
- The private bath is free, with no booking; a turn is 45 minutes at most.
- Every bath is open around the clock, the private one included.
- Parking is free, with room for about 20 cars.
Getting there
From Shinjuku take the JR Chuo Line limited express Azusa to Matsumoto Station, then the Asama line bus from stand 23 at the station's Oshiro (castle) exit plaza to the Shimo-Asama stop; the weekday-only Shin-Asama line from stand 22 stops there too. The inn is 1 minute from the stop on foot; it publishes no time for the bus ride. From the Asama Onsen Iriguchi stop on the Shindai-Yokota loop the walk is 4 minutes. From Nagoya the limited express Shinano reaches Matsumoto in about 2 hours.
Matsumoto STN · JR Chuo Line (Azusa limited express)
Not walkable.
Asama line bus from stand 23 at the station's Oshiro exit plaza to Shimo-Asama, then 1 minute on foot.
Where it is
Asama Onsen bus stop
- Azusa limited express 2 hr 35 min
- Alpico bus 25 min
- Shinkansen tickets Seats between any two stations, booked by date.
- JR East Pass from ¥35,000 · 5 or 10 consecutive days Covers the Azusa, JR’s limited express from Shinjuku to Matsumoto, with a reserved seat.
- Miso factory tour and lunch in Matsumoto A guided half day at Ishii Miso, a miso maker more than 150 years old, with lunch.
- Japan Rail Pass from ¥53,000 · 7, 14 or 21 days For a trip that takes in several regions by Shinkansen and JR lines.
What happens when you arrive
Skip the shared baths and use one of the private baths. No reservation needed. Check the sign to see which are free.
How we know
Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published Checked on the official site (: the hot spring page describes the private open-air bath, used whenever it is free, 45 minutes at most)
Best for: a free private open-air soak in a Kiso cypress tub, with no booking to make
The private bath takes no reservation: the inn says to use it whenever it is free and to keep to 45 minutes. Its stay plans list the private bath as free. The shared side has one open-air bath and one indoor bath each for men and women. All baths are open 24 hours. The whole building is non-smoking.
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