Mukaitaki

This hot spring inn is well-known in Aizu-Wakamatsu’s backroom, Higashiyama Onsen. In Edo Period, Aizu Domain used this Kitsune-yu as its designated resort, which was later sold and opened as a hot spring inn in 1873.

The main bathroom has Kitsune-yu that soothed Aizu Domain’s warriors and Sarunoyu where you can enjoy looking out the nature through the window. Both of them are separated for male and female sections and a family bathroom is also available for rental. Any of these bathrooms use a 100% natural hot spring and no tap water is added or heated artificially. They are not open as a public bathhouse and the guests in the inn can enjoy them to themselves.

The building is a national tangible cultural property. The interior is the Japanese style with the tatami mattress, the typical of traditional hot spring resorts. The famous Hideyo Noguchi from Fukushima Prefecture brought his mother Shika here, and his writing remains in a separate room. Traditional local vegetables are used in their Aizu cuisine, which is brought into your room for your comfort.

The courtyard surrounded by the hallway and rooms are beautiful with cherry blossoms in spring, fireflies in summer and a candle-lit snowscape.