From the Kanto region and northward, access is convenient by bus (10 minutes) or cab from Ashiharaonsen Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen and Hapi Line Fukui. In addition, there is a bus route from Komatsu Airport to Komatsu Station or Kaga Onsen Station to Ashiwara Onsen Station, although it requires more transfers. The airport is running a boarding campaign until March 31, so those who like to fly are recommended to take advantage of this campaign. By car, it takes about 15 minutes via the Kanazu Interchange on the Hokuriku Expressway.
Rakuten STAY Awara Onsen is located almost in front of Awara Yunomachi Station on the Echizen Railway Mikuni Ashihara Line, the center of the hot spring resort. It is only a short walk (officially about a 3-minute walk) through the “Awara Onsen Yunomachi Plaza” in front of the station.
Awara Onsen is located in the northern tip of Fukui Prefecture, on a plain at the mouth of the Kuzuryu River, which has its source in the Northern Alps. While most hot spring resorts in Japan are located in mountainous areas, Awara Onsen is located in a marshy area with rice paddies, giving it a fresh and unique open atmosphere. The proximity to Tojinbo, a scenic spot of scenic beauty, and easy access by car and train have made it a popular spot as an out-of-the-way resort in the Kansai region since the discovery of the hot springs in the Meiji era (1868-1912). Currently, 74 hot springs are in operation, and each facility uses its own source. Each facility uses its own unique hot spring, and each is said to offer a different kind of hot water.
We were able to try out the newest addition, “Rakuten STAY Awara Onsen” (309, 1-chome, Onsen, Awara City, Fukui Prefecture), before its grand opening on February 27, and here is our report.
Rakuten STAY is a lodging brand produced by Rakuten, Inc. Since its establishment in 2017, more than 40 facilities have opened nationwide, from Miyagi in the north to Okinawa in the south.
Four types of guest rooms, each with a dog-friendly room where you can stay with your dog
The five-story building has a hall on the first floor with tablets for inquiries, as well as a restaurant “Harbor Dining Shioso” exclusively for guests.
Until now, Rakuten Stay has not had a restaurant attached to the hotel, but this latest attempt seems to have been made because there are few restaurants in the area. The restaurant is operated by a popular Rakuten Ichiba “Shop of the Year” award-winning restaurant, where guests can enjoy a course meal featuring a blend of Japanese and Western cuisine that makes use of marine products from Wakasa Bay. Reservations for the course meals must be made by 24:00 four days prior to the stay, but rice bowls and set menus, such as Kaisen-don (bowl of rice topped with seafood), can be prepared by making a reservation by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the course.
The 2nd through 5th floors are guest rooms, each with one A/C/D type room and three B type rooms (two on the 2nd floor only), with all rooms on the 2nd floor being “dog-friendly rooms”. All rooms on the second floor are “Dog Friendly Room” specification. These rooms are equipped with pet cages and food bowls, and the tatami mats are specially designed to be stain-resistant, so you can spend time with your dog with peace of mind.
As with other Rakuten Stay facilities, there is only an electronic lock at the entrance to the facility. You enter the building and your room using the PIN code sent to you by e-mail. Check-in and check-out are done on a tablet in the room. It is nice to know that there is no need to wait in line at the front desk when it is crowded. In case of trouble, you can also use the tablet to make a video call to the support staff online.
After actually entering the room, I tried the aforementioned check-in procedure and found it to be very smooth and easy. I felt it was really easy not to take time for check-in when I was tired from traveling. However, since there is no manned front desk, you cannot leave your luggage before or after check-in, nor can you enter the building before check-in. I would like to keep this in mind beforehand.
Type A rooms are equipped with a sauna as well as natural hot spring baths. We used Type A rooms, which are the most spacious, with 76m2 for six persons, a large living room space, a dining area with a large table for six persons, and a mini kitchen equipped with a sink, refrigerator, rice cooker, etc. The bedroom has a double-size bed. The bedroom can fit two double beds, and two futons can be laid out in the living space, making this layout suitable for a family plus grandparents traveling together for two or three generations. In addition, a 15m2 terrace is available outside the living room, making it a space for a relaxing “okomori” experience. The bathroom is so spacious that a small hotel would call it a large bathroom. A large bathtub is placed by the window overlooking the town of Ashihara, where you can freely enjoy the natural hot spring water from the in-house source without any hesitation. The hot water is a mixture of three sources on the premises, and is a “sodium calcium chloride hot spring” that is colorless and odorless. Although the water is heated and watered to keep the water at 42°C, locals say that there used to be a public hot spring facility here, and the source has been “highly rated” since that time. When you actually enter the hot spring, you will lose track of time because of the impression of soft and gentle water on your skin. I enjoyed it many times during my stay. Type A rooms also have their own sauna, and there is even a water bath in the bathroom. The temperature can be freely set, and waxing is also available, so you can “get ready” whenever you want.
Type B for families The largest number of rooms are available in this type, with a 58m2 room equipped with a living room and mini-kitchen as in Type A, and a capacity of 6 persons. The bedrooms are arranged with two double beds and two bunk beds on top of the two double beds, making it a family-friendly arrangement.
Type C is suitable for a small group of 4 people. The bedroom and dining table are arranged for a small number of people. The size of this type is 53m2, similar to Type B, and allows for a relaxing stay.
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