Series: Wajo Waraku | Vol. 21: Introducing Izumiya's Top Recommended Onsen Ryokan
Kamagaya Welcomes the Long-Awaited Narita Sky Access!
Izumiya Owner's Top Recommended Hot Spring Inn
Kamagaya City in Chiba Prefecture, with its proximity to Tokyo within an hour's reach, has seen its population grow as a bedroom community for those commuting to the city. Once a rural town dotted with pear orchards, it is now seeing a surge in dining establishments as the Hokuso Railway, which runs through Kamagaya, prepares for its extension to Narita Airport on July 17th (Saturday). This opening will connect Narita Airport directly to Haneda Airport, drastically reducing the travel time between the two airports from nearly two hours to a planned fastest direct route of under an hour by limited express. In response, hotel construction and road development are rapidly progressing.
Text and Photos by Wajo Waraku
The Allure of "Takefue," a Hidden Hot Spring Amidst Aso's Majestic Nature
Six years ago, Izumiya also relocated its store to Kamagaya City to better share the appeal and enjoyment of sake with a wider audience, coinciding with the opening of a bypass. We have reached today thanks to the wonderful encounters with brewers and customers.
Recently, I received an offer from the president of "Takefue," a hidden hot spring inn in Kumamoto and a customer of ours, to review and propose improvements for their alcoholic beverage offerings, including sake. Despite the distance, as a hot spring enthusiast, this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up, combining my hobby with work! It was a truly magnificent hot spring, so this time I'd like to introduce the charm of "Takefue," a hidden hot spring nestled in the grand nature of Aso, to everyone.
Takefue is a secluded inn spread across approximately 4,000 tsubo (about 13,200 square meters) of lush grounds embraced by bamboo forests, featuring only 11 guest rooms scattered throughout. It feels like a luxurious, secret hideaway.
The corridors winding through the bamboo grove on the 4,000-tsubo grounds create a truly magical atmosphere, offering a sense of being enveloped in negative ions.
All guest rooms are designed in a traditional Japanese farmhouse style and feature private, free-flowing hot spring baths from their own source, each with a distinct character. The baths are luxuriously spacious, almost unbelievably so for a private room.
Meals are enjoyed at the irori (sunken hearth) in each room, featuring Higo beef, horse sashimi, local vegetables, and seafood, paired with seasonal sake. This mariage is perfection, a truly blissful moment.
Even the post-meal coffee is meticulously prepared, starting with grinding the beans using a stone mill! The key is not to worry about time...
It was an exquisite inn where one can enjoy the passage of time, melting into nature, within a "private space" undisturbed by anyone.
By all means, please visit if you have the chance.
Izumiya Owner's Top Recommended Hot Spring Inn!
Shigyo Shirakawa Minamoto Sanso Takefue
5725-1 Manganji, Minamioguni-machi, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture
Tel. 0967-44-0383
Izumiya
4-5-31 Higashihatsu, Kamagaya-shi, Chiba Prefecture
Tel. 047-443-4503
Fax. 047-445-2826