THE RYOKAN COLLECTION

Of course, the other reason to come to Kaihourou – besides the premium service, exquisite cuisine and “ahh”-inspiring comfort – is the onsen hot springs. All the rooms have their own in-room baths, including Jacuzzis inside and rotemburo outdoor baths on the balcony overlooking the bay (a fine experience, soaking in both the view and the bath), and there is also a bigger, swimming pool-size bath, or daiyokujo, on the ground floor for a more expansive bathing experience. The main baths (the women’s and men’s are separate) look out onto a pretty garden through huge floor-to-ceiling windows, which open to give a rotemburo-like, virtually-outdoor bathing experience. There is also a cedar dry sauna and a bracing cold pool.
The big onsen bath can be reserved for 50 minutes at a time for private bathing, which is available twice a day, morning and evening. Reservations can be made at check-in or at any other time.
The path to the daiyokujo is spectacular in its own right, with its “glass garden” – a stylized trickling brook with glass rocks and a waterfall that cascades three stories down one wall.