Aoki no Saka
Another gem discovered in Shizuoka is Aoki no Saka (やすらぎの温泉宿 青木の坂), perfectly located to experience the best of not only Kawazu’s famed cherry blossoms but also the amazing public river onsen Nanadaru Onsen with views of the Nanataki waterfall.
Situated right by the renown Kawazu Nanataki Loop Bridge, this charming small onsen ryokan has been running for nearly 50 years and only has 7 traditional Japanese rooms. It is run by the sweetest, darling Japanese couple (Shoji Suzuki & his wife) who will welcome you as though you’re entering their own personal home, giving you a truly local Japanese intimate ryokan experience.
TRADITIONAL INTERIORS
Enjoy the beautiful touches within the ryokan of gorgeously painted Fusuma traditional sliding doors, with depictions of sakura and other nature scenes paired with other Japanese elements, from the lacquered tea storage boxes, to the giant sake barrels.
ONSEN BASKET BAG
I do love an onsen ryokan when they provide sweet basket bags to carry your towels, toiletries & other bits & bobs to take to the onsen. You’d be surprised that this isn’t always available in onsen ryokans, instead a lot you simply receive a colorful plastic drawstring bag.
Onsen ryokans always got a little bonus tick in my book, when they have the basket/nice carrier of things to enjoy onsen. It’s the little things.
THE OUTDOOR ROTENBURO
I will always go for an outdoor rotenburo, and I was especially pleased that for such a small onsen ryokan, a nice sized rotenburo awaits guests with a lovely Japanese garden, and at the time visited, some vibrant koyo leaves.
This is a public onsen, but considering it is a smaller onsen ryokan resulting in a smaller number of guests, one can have a higher chance of enjoying the onsen privately.
An indoor onsen is also available. Both men & women’s bath have indoor & outdoor.
If you’ve been to Shizuoka before, or have read perhaps a couple of my other blog posts, you will know that I absolutely adore staying at onsen ryokans in the Izu side of Shizuoka, as being surrounded by the famed Suruga & Sagami Bay, the seafood quality and abundance is divine. Particularly famous is the kinmedai (a red snapper), ise-ebi (think small lobster/giant prawn) and various other delicacies that if you’re a seafood lover you’re in heaven.
Local wasabi & sake (nihonshu) are also very well loved, due to the freshness of the water in the area as it trickles down from the snow that melts from atop Mt Fuji in Spring. Subsequently it is used in the planting and harvesting of wasabi, and the production of the sake. The quality of water is one of the most important ingredients for these two products.
MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS
FOOD
If you have looked at the photos above, you can pretty much guess I have absolutely nothing bad to say about the food at Aoki no Saka because it was DELICIOUS!!!! The only issue I would say is that make sure you have a lot of room in your stomach for dinner (perhaps skip on lunch). Dinner was an absolute smorgasbord of local delicacies, fresh seafood, home made dishes - a couple large steamed kinmedai were served, along with two giant sashimi boats filled with many local types of white fish (think different types of snapper & kingfish) and then when you think surely no more can be served, out came the grilled ise-ebi, along with the shabu shabu and much more. This amount was for 6 people.
The meal was a wonderful example of a combination of an elevated washoku (home cooking) & kaiseki, perhaps not with the presentation finesse of a luxurious onsen ryokan but rather the experience of more intimate cooking. I loved it, was perfectly suited to this small family run business. Breakfast was equally delicious and thankfully of a usual portion size.
ONSEN
Wonderful and relaxing, the perfect size for the property. I was actually especially pleased that they had an outdoor rotenburo as sometimes with smaller, casual onsen ryokans, it can be only an indoor onsen (which obviously is fine) but I love outdoor onsen the most. There are no private onsen available, but with the number of guests allowed to stay, you can generally enjoy the onsen to yourself at some point.
ROOM AMBIANCE
Traditional Japanese rooms are available at Aoki no Saka, with tatami floors, low tables and chairs. One enjoys sleeping on fluffy soft futons. Simple, spacious, decorated with beautiful Japanese elements, its a perfect choice for those who want to enjoy a more local, quintessential Japanese stay. Please be aware that there are no private baths, ensuites. Some of the rooms have toilets if memory serves. You will have to be comfortable with showering and bathing in their public onsen.
VENUE AMBIANCE
Homey and welcoming, Aoki no Saka is for those who love a cozy, casual stay, filled with warmth and personality. If you’re someone who prefers everything brand, spanking new this may not be the onsen ryokan for you. However for those, who love a bit of a story, a bit of history, intimacy and age, then this is for you. For those looking for a quick overnight stop on their travels with a local experience, the premises are clean and simple, with the delicious food, relaxing baths, and enjoying meeting the locals.
SURROUNDING AREA
The location is ideal for those who want to experience the Kawazu famed cherry blossoms in late February, for those who enjoy hiking and nature as the Seven Waterfalls of Kawazu is easily accessible, along with finishing the hike at the picturesque Nanadaru river onsen right by the waterfall. Extremely popular during spring and autumn for those outdoor lovers,
AOKI NO SAKA FACTS
COST: ~starting from 10,500～ per person per night
MEALS INCLUDED: Breakfast & Dinner
CHECK IN/CHECK OUT TIME: 1500 / 1000
PAYMENT: cash & credit card accepted
ROOMS: 7 (all Japanese style rooms of various sizes)
ENGLISH SPEAKING STAFF: No
WEBSITE: no official website - book via JALAN or call 0558-35-7187 - more details here
IG: n/a
