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The ONLY Shogun-approved onsen town less than 1 hour from Tokyo!? #JTstoriestokai

Updated: Dec 11, 2020

Atami (熱海), located in Izu Peninsula (伊豆半島) in Shizuoka prefecture (静岡県), is a famous onsen resort area in Shizuoka Prefecture. Just 50 minutes away from Tokyo by Shinkansen, it is an excellent choice for day trips.


The chloride springs of Atami Onsen (熱海温泉) have long been revered as far back as the Nara period (710-794) when Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) is said to have actually taken casks of the water back to Edo (now Tokyo). This fame is not unknown to other Daimyo (feudal lords) and literary figures who visited during the Meiji era.

Classified as a Chloride Spring or Enka Butsusen (塩化物泉), the atami onsen waters contain dissolved chlorine in a ratio of 1,000 mg/kg or more. Depending on the cation, the onsens can be further classified as calcium-chloride onsen, sodium-chloride onsen, magnesium-chloride onsen, etc.

Therapeutic properties of Chloride onsens include healing cuts, peripheral circulation failure, excessive sensitivity to cold, depression, dry skin.


Accomodation

With no lack of good and reasonably-priced onsen hotels/resorts and ryokans, it took us quite a while before we settled on TKP Hotel and Resort Lectore Atami Koarashi (レクトーレ熱海小嵐) FB

Image from agoda.com


As the Lectores properties of TKP Group, all located in the best resort areas in Japan, actually targets the business travellers and MICE segments, we expected the facilities to be modest. Little did we know we were mistaken

Feel free to help yourself to the bathroom amenities, and customize the yukata (浴衣) and obi (半幅帯) for your stay. See the full range here .


Unwind at the self-service beverage station in the lobby


The room was probably the biggest hotel room we have stayed in all our trips to Japan. We booked a Superior Twin Room with Tatami B and en-suite bathroom through Agoda at JPY 13,862 (inclusive of VAT ¥ 1,259.00 | Not included in price (collected by the property): Hot Spring Tax ¥ 300.00) and snagged some cashback from Shopback.

The hiroen（広縁) faces east, allowing you to catch the glorious sunrise from the comfort of your spacious room. Image from agoda.com

Spacious genkan (玄関, げんかん), enough for 20 pairs of shoes, and sufficient space behind the divider to lay open 2 large suitcases. Image from agoda.com


After a hearty dinner at a nearby Izakaya Osakana Shokudo (おさかな食堂), we unwound in the hotel's in-house natural onsen.


The property has a natural low tonicity, hyperthermal onsen, of a Calcium-sodium chloride/ sulfate content. "Efficacy". Therapeutic properties include: Nerve pain, muscle ache, joint ache, frozen shoulder, motor paralysis, stiff joints, burning, contusion, twisted joint, chronic digestive diseases, hemorrhoid, excessive sensitivity to cold,, arteriosclerosis (excluding high temperature bathing of high arteriosclerosis), and Chronic skin disease, recovery from illness, soothing effect, health enhancement.

Onsen images Image from agoda.com


Fancy a game of ping-pong?


Vintage vending machine dispensing local fruits?


We initially planned to play CODM, but we unexpectedly dozed off on our beds and woke only in the morning. Little did we know the magic lay in the hotel’s beds. Can you imagine that a hotel dedicated an entire webpage speaking about their commitment to ensure their guests have a good night’s sleep. This is a whole different level of Omotenashi (お持て成し)! Mind-blown!



Toilet with the best sea-view in Japan?


In our opinion, that prestige lies with the toilet of Atami Castle (熱海城, Atamijō). Unbeknownst to the uninitiated, Atami Castle is not built during feudal times, but only as recent as the mid 1900s as a purpose-built tourist attraction, leveraging on the tourist wave of Atami. Nevertheless, one cannot deny the magnificent panoramic view of Sagami Bay (相模湾, Sagami-wan) from this vantage point.



Garden with the best sea-view in Japan?


Look no further than Akao herb and rose garden (アカオハーブ&ローズガーデン). A heavenly flower paradise a top a hill overlooking Sagami Bay (相模湾, Sagami-wan) with over 10 kinds of theme gardens, a must-see when you visit Atami. The Akao Herb and Rose Garden was the first garden in Japan to be awarded the “Excellent Garden Award” by the World Rose Federation, which organised the 17th World Rose Conference in which 39 countries from around the world participated. Depending on the season, entry fees start from Adults ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for children

Within Akao herb and rose garden also sits a lovely cafe, Coeda House(コエダハウス), which has won several architectural accolades. Coeda House is one of the many food stops you need to make when in Atami.

View of Sagami Bay from COEDA House



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