Ryokan Tarobee

Koan Gorge is a popular scenic spot known for its beautiful fresh greenery and fall foliage. A V-shaped valley formed by deep erosion on both sides from the fast-flowing Minase River, it’s especially famous for the unmissable “Koan Gorge Great Geyser,” where scalding water and steam spout from cracks in the sheer cliffs.

Tarobee at Koan Gorge Onsen, located within the gorge, is a long-established hot-spring inn now in its 12th generation. Led by the signature large bath “Yakushi-no-Yu,” featuring 100-year-old Akita cedar beams and paving stones from Aso, Kumamoto, you can enjoy a wide variety of bathing options, including a rustic open-air bath with natural stonework and a unique bath lined with “Kurikoma-yaki” pottery from Kurihara City, Miyagi Prefecture.

Most guest rooms are calm, traditional Japanese-style rooms. A top pick is the spacious 14-tatami Japanese-Western room, perfect for relaxing. Dinner and breakfast, made with mountain vegetables, river fish, and seasonal ingredients, are all handmade by the proprietress. With the upgraded plan where you can choose in-room dining or a private dining room, the main dish is served as a sirloin steak of the rare locally raised Japanese Black beef, “Minase Beef.”