Ookawaso

Ookawaso

Ookawaso is located in the Ashinomaki Onsen resort nestled along the beautiful valley of Okawa River.

As you step into this inn, you will be welcomed by a live performance on the shamisen, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument.

Attentive service is provided by female attendants (called nakai-san) dressed in kimono, which is another of the charms of this old-fashioned Japanese inn.

For dinner, you can enjoy a Japanese-style set menu rich in locally produced ingredients.

The open-air hot spring facility Shiki Butai Tanada consists of multi-level baths set up like terraced rice fields overlooking the valley. Here you can enjoy basking amid the beautiful nature of the valley.

Ookawaso also has large baths and lie-down saunas, both of which are perfect for relaxing and soothing the body. Another open-air bath Kuchu Roten Buro looks similar to the famous stage of Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto and commands a magnificent view.

After enjoying dinner and hot spring bathing, guests can experience a mochi (rice cake) pounding event, which is a typically Japanese traditional communal activity.

When the pounding is completed, freshly-made mochi will be served to the participants on the spot. Please enjoy to the full everything that a Japanese-style hot spring resort hotel has to offer.  

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttp://www.ookawaso.co.jp/en/
Contact

Ookawaso

(+81) 242-92-2111

Accommodation details

Capacity: 136 rooms (Space for 710 guests)

Room styles: Japanese-style

Room charge: One night with two meals: 15,900 yen per person (week days, double occupant, tax included)

Check in / Check out: 3:00 PM / 10:00 AM

Meals: Dinner: Japanese-style course / Breakfast: Buffet style Japanese and Western food

Hot springs: Sulfate hot spring

Pets: Not allowed

Related infoForeign Language Support Available: English
Facilities: Tea lounge, karaoke bar, karaoke boxes, Japanese-style pub, shop, open-air baths (available for private use during fixed hours)
Wheelchair rental and shower chair rental are available.
Book a roomTripAdvisor.com
Access Details
Access984 Shimodaira, Ashinomaki, Oto-machi, Aizu-Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Pref. 969-5147
View directions
Getting there

By Car: 45 min from Aizu-Wakamatsu I.C. on the Ban-etsu Expressway

By Train: 45 min bus ride from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station on the JR Tadami Line or JR Ban-etsu West Line. (Or 10 min by taxi from Ashinomaki Onsen Station on the Aizu Railway Line)

Nearby

The World Glassware Hall
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Watersports at S.A.Y (Lake Inawashiro)

A wakeboard shop located on the northwest shore of Lake Inawashiro in Fukushima Prefecture. It offers easy access from the Kanto region, bypassing major traffic congestion. Individuals and beginners are welcome. A specialized beginner's course is available, allowing even first-timers to enjoy their time on the water, and all necessary equipment can be rented. Bookings can be made even for 1 person. Why not spend a day enjoying the beautiful, clear waters of Lake Inawashiro, one of the most breathtaking lakes in Japan?

The World Glassware Hall
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Chinkin Taiken (Sunken-Gold Design Experience)

The Tradition of Aizu lacquerware in Fukushima Prefecture has continued for 400 years. Try out creating a design on Aizu Lacquerware with a technique called Chinkin ("Sunken-gold") at Tsunoda Lacquer Art Studio. Sketch your design on tracing paper, and then mark it onto the lacqerware with a needle. Tsunoda san will help you fill the grooves created by your needle with gold and silver powder to create your design. Alternatively, try painting your own design on Aizu lacquerware at the studio. Either experience will create a great souvenir of your trip in Japan. These experiences take about an hour.

The World Glassware Hall
Cultural Experiences

Paint Your Own Akabeko

What is 'Akabeko'?The akabeko legend started at Enzoji Temple in Yanaizu Town, in the Aizu region. The construction of this temple began in the year 807, but due to a huge earthquake at the end of the seventeenth century, it had to be repaired in 1617. It was during the reconstruction of the temple that the akabeko became a folk legend.It is said that moving the wood and other supplies necessary for the reconstruction work was incredibly difficult because materials had to be transported from various villages upstream of the Tadami River. The materials were heavy and the journey to the temple was long. Cattle were used to transport materials, but many struggled to bear their loads.Then, out of nowhere, appeared a cow with a red coat. (It should be noted that, in the past, the word ‘red’ was used to describe the color ‘brown’, so it is likely that it was a brown cow.) The red cow supported the other cows and helped the priests who were constructing the temple until it was completed. Then, it suddenly vanished.'Akabeko' means 'red cow' in the local dialect.A number of statues of the cow were built inside the temple grounds so that the people of Yanaizu could express their gratitude to the akabeko.In the years following, there was a range of legends about the akabeko, with stories such as families who owned akabeko being rid of sickness upon stroking the cows. They continued to hold their status of bringers of good luck and strength. Families bought or made akabeko toys for their young children to play with.Akabeko Painting ExperiencesIn recent history, the Aizu tradition of painting akabeko began. It is said that this tradition started as something to do for children visiting Aizu-Wakamatsu City as part of school trips. This was when the story of the Akabeko evolved once more, into its newest papier-mâché form. The stripes on the face and back of the papier-mâché Akabeko are said to represent strength and perseverance.There are a number of workshops in Aizu-Wakamatsu City where you can paint your own Akabeko. Most workshops offer the standard red, white, and black paint. These talismans for good health make very cute and lightweight souvenirs to take home for family and friends – or keep for yourself! Those who prefer to buy a ready-painted Akabeko will be able to find it at most souvenir shops.BookingIf you would like to book an akabeko painting experience at the Tsurugajo Kaikan (a shopping complex located next to Tsurugajo Castle), please access this page.

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