Tsuruga Higashiyamasohonzan

Beautiful gardens, stately buildings, delicious food, and warm customer service. Each experience was more than I could have imagined.Of all the hotels and inns I have stayed at while traveling all over Japan and around the world, it is definitely one of the top five.

We stayed here to celebrate his birthday.Every year, we go on a trip for our birthdays, but when we decided to go to Tohoku for the first time and searched online, we found this inn that said it only accommodated one group per day. When I found this, I couldn't wait to stay and made a reservation.The result is...I'm very satisfied.As soon as we arrived, we started our time at Tsuruga Higashiyama Sohonzan by having tea made in the tea room and admiring the beautiful Japanese garden. Rather than just starting, time in the outside world mysteriously stopped, and it felt as if I had wandered into the good old world of the Showa era. And when I stepped into the guest room, I was greeted with the biggest surprise of the day!From the previous Showa era to a spacious, modern Japanese royal suite that is soothing and relaxing!At first, when I heard "underground," I thought, "Huh?", but it seems like I just assumed it was a closed space.Only those who have experienced it can understand the emotional impact of that image on the cap. And for dinner, enjoy Aizu brand horse sashimi and various local Aizu dishes while looking out at the illuminated garden. The horse sashimi in particular has a melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes you wonder, "What kind of horse sashimi have you ever eaten?" I was surprised at how delicious it was. . .I enjoyed talking about Aizu with the concierge butler, and I think the service I received from all the staff can be summed up in one word: "Hospitality."This is because there is only one group per day, so I was convinced by what the manager and butler said about giving their all for that customer.The surprise cake and presentation really warmed my heart.I heard that the beautiful Japanese garden also changes in autumn, winter, and spring.It was my first time in Tohoku, and I definitely found the best inn I've ever been to. I would definitely like to visit Higashiyama Sohonzan in a different season!

Sorry for lowering the rating...Since I was traveling with an infant, I chose to stay with only one group per day to protect my privacy and not cause any inconvenience to other guests.We were welcomed by the manager, butler, and head chef.Everyone greeted me kindly and with a smile...I apologize for the low rating, but I decided to write a review in hopes of improving.①About cooking.・Anyway, it had a monotonous taste. I get bored of it quickly. Also, when it came to tempura, everyone in my family ate one bite and had leftovers. Anyway, the clothes were bitter.・The order of the small bowl menus and the order of serving is inconsistent, and the explanations should just be written by the manager, so I don't think it's necessary to write about high-class or Japan's best...・The horse sashimi was very delicious.However, my father, who loves horse sashimi, complained that the seasonings on horse sashimi were not suitable, so he left it alone.・Most of the dishes were inedible.The manager said, ``Everyone leaves when they're full, but there's a lot of food, so please don't worry about it,'' but I think it's probably a matter of taste.② Regarding the manager's words and actions.There is only one group per day, so I think many people stay here to maintain their privacy. I think celebrities also stay here because they are concerned about what others think of them. During dinner, what is the intention behind naming celebrities that everyone knows and telling us who they came with and what they talked about?No matter how cheap a business hotel is, even the smallest details of personal information are kept strictly confidential. Also, the personal information I was talking about was incorrect.I heard the names of some people I knew, but all I could do was pretend I didn't know them."I have a guest who has a gluten-free reservation for next month, and it's scary because I don't know what's in it...", but I feel like it's more scary when an inn doesn't know what ingredients are being used. I did.Due to my job, confidentiality is always a heavy burden, so there are many things I cannot share with my family.However, there is a difference between not talking about it and lying about not knowing, so I really didn't want to lie to my family and it was painful.In the first place, I didn't understand the point of continuing to talk when I had already changed the subject, and even though I said, ``I'll call you if there's anything else,'' he persisted and kept talking, and during dinner, he was in pain. There was only one.He said, ``Compared to luxury hotels like the Ritz-Carlton and Hyatt, the language and customer service are no match, so I think we should compete with communication!''...I have eaten with the person who was the chairman of the hotel I was talking about several times, but I never talk to him about other people.In terms of communication skills, he is knowledgeable, has a good sense of humor, and has an excellent sense of conversation.I'm sorry, but I don't think it's a match.Also, I think it's best to stop talking about people who aren't there. She said, ``Is your husband working? That's too bad. Please show him off when you get home.'' However, my husband did not die during my pregnancy. When I couldn't answer anything, my mother answered, "Eh...I'm at work..." so as not to make the atmosphere worse, but after the manager left, she said, "I'm sorry..." Ta.If we were alive, we could have gone anywhere together, and there's no way we wouldn't go on a family trip together...I made my mother lie to me, and I was very sad because it seemed like I had left my husband alone on the trip.③About drinks that have expired.This surprised me the most.The beer in the refrigerator in the room was almost past its expiration date.The next morning, my father said, ``The beer tastes weird, isn't it expired? Lol.'' I laughed and said, ``That can't be true,'' but I realized that my father was drinking beer that had expired more than six months ago. I was there.When I took out all the beer and juice and checked the expiry date, it was almost expired...The server's sake was 2.3 years old.When I called the manager and asked him to confirm, he said, ``Sorry, I thought I checked...but I'll bring you a new one now.''I told her that I didn't need it because I didn't drink it in the morning, but when I told her that the coke would run out in a few days, she said, "Yes, the cola is fine." lolAt breakfast, it was reported that the drink was past its expiration date, but it seems that the employee had saved it for drinking and put it in the guest room.I had a lot of things I wanted to say, but I thought it would be a waste of time to talk about it, so I decided to end it.For breakfast, I was afraid of the ingredients, so my whole family left it almost untouched.④About the room.There were a lot of mosquitoes, so I asked her, ``There are mosquitoes in my room, so do you have a one-push insecticide?'' and she said, ``I'm so sick right now...I'm surrounded by nature, so there are a lot of them.''If you are surrounded by nature and there are many insects, please keep it on hand.If you have a customer who doesn't like insects, do you have to call someone into the room to take them out?Also, there is mold growing everywhere, so the air quality is very bad.There was mold growing inside the trash can.When I asked if I could get extra towels, she said, ``We have 4 of each!?'' If they don't have it, then it doesn't exist, and if there is an additional charge, I would like them to show me the amount and ask me how many they need.Mr. Butler did a perfect job of not talking more than necessary and kindly taking care of the child as he moved around.When the manager talked about salt, he mentioned where Mr. Butler lives, so please stop saying that. It's unnecessary information, and all of it is a leak of personal information.I was forced to pay 350,000 yen to drink a drink that was past its expiration date (it was 340,000 yen because the drink price was discounted by 10,000 yen), I was given mental pain, and my throat hurt from mold, so I thought it was an amazing inn in a sense. .On the way home, there were spider webs in my car, so I asked the manager if I could find a broom or something to take with me, and I said to the manager, ``You can get so many spider webs in one day...a broom...'' Sometimes I say, ``Wow, my Maserati is surrounded by nature...''That's enough, I decided to get out of here as soon as possible, so I left early.When you go to this inn, don't think of it as a luxury inn, but if you go there with the mindset of going to a pension, I don't think you'll be too disappointed.Also, be sure to bring insecticide with you.I understand that the manager is working hard, but please do your best to have proper conversations, respond, and strictly respect personal information.

Aizu Tsuruga Higashiyama Sohonzan (henceforth referred to as "Sohonzan") is located in Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima, the Southernmost prefecture among the six that comprise the Tohoku ("Northeast") region on the country's main island of Honshu. It only serves one group of guests at a time, leading to a very bespoke and intimate stay. We were graciously hosted by Mr. Monoe, the GM, as well as Ms. Sakata who was our room attendant. I would definitely place Sohonzan among the top ryokans in Tohoku.The buildings and grounds are like a scene from an ancient fairy tale – the garden and pond was gorgeous as was a separate structure that serves as the tea room and an adjacent tatami room. The main house a 3-story structure with a myriad of different rooms (tea room, a Victorian-era Western style lounge, etc.), with the primary living quarters on the first floor.The Suite room itself is in the basement, but the back of the building (where it’s located) is on an embankment and faces a river, so it felt bright and airy, and was modern with great technology - electronically-controlled curtains, glass windows and heated tatami floors were all there. There are two separate bathrooms, with one that doubles as a woman’s vanity area. There is a sprawling deck with lounge chairs and an electric fire pit for colder evenings. On a separate deck sits the Onsen bath and a sauna room.In terms of in-room amenities, no expense is spared. There are booze dispensaries that serve up various sake, wine and champagne, and the minibar has a vast array of options and quantity – the juice, water, cold coffee and tea, soda, beer and milk selections are out of control. There was even a fantastic fruit shortcake. The only thing that's missing are some bathroom items, such as toothbrush, shower cap and shaver/shaving foam. Hopefully will address this oversight by the time we return.Dinner is lavish. Several of the courses are known as Aizu Buke Kaiseki Cuisine, which is a traditional meal formerly served to Daimyo (regional feudal lords.) This includes Aizu Kozuyu, a soupy dish that consists of dashi broth made with Scallops and contains a variety of local vegetables. Most of the ingredients in every course was locally sourced, unique and wonderfully plated. Fish wise, the Tohoku region is renowned for its Ayu (Sweetfish) and Iwana (White-spotted Char), the rarest and most prized freshwater fish in all of Japan. Ayu in particular is usually farm-raised, but not at Sohonzan - they serve salt-grilled, line-caught wild Ayu, and it was amazing... juicy, plump, flavorful and edible from head to tail. Basashi (horsemeat sashimi) was also quite varied, with raw cuts of filet, liver and "tategami" (the area below where the mane grows), with the latter being especially memorable. This makes sense – the Aizu area is known for its horsemeat, and Sohonzan’s owner gets his primary revenue from several horsemeat cuisine restaurants, including one located in Tokyo.Breakfast was equally sumptuous. Aside from the standard rice, condiments, rolled egg omelette, chawanmushi (savory egg custard), Tofu, salad, and a grilled fish dish, Sohonzan served Iwana sashimi and Eel that was grilled by the chef behind the counter. Iwana is not often served raw because fresh-water fish get fishy extremely quickly. This speaks to the high-quality approach to the dining experience at Sohonzan.This ryokan has great service, is gorgeous inside and out, an amenity-laden room with a killer minibar and onsen, offers umami-infused local cuisine, and spares no expense in its appointments.

day-only special stay

Since I had some time off, I went to Aizu Higashiyama Onsen ♨️.One group per day to the inn!We arrived at the inn while the snow was falling.First of all, you will be welcomed in a tea room with an elegant atmosphere. We opened the shoji doors and had tea 🍵 while looking at the snowy scenery. It felt good.I was shown to a room on the B1F, and it was surprisingly spacious and open.It comes with a smoking room, which is great for smokers. 😀There is also a terrace, and the bath is semi-open-air (windows open and close electrically!).There is also a sauna for one person.The good news is that this inn offers all-you-can-drink drinks. What is it?The glasses are also the best, using local glasses.The food was local Aizu cuisine and everything I ate was delicious. I was surprised that the liver came out from the horse sashimi. The fins are also large and melt-in-the-mouth!The soba noodles at the end are delicious. I was full.We had breakfast on the second floor.The head chef grills the eel, and it's the best breakfast no matter what you eat.I've been to hot springs ♨️ all over Japan, and this is one of the best. I was able to slowly get back into shape.I would like to thank the concierge for taking care of me and teaching me about the history, and the head chef for cooking delicious food for the two of us.It was a nice stay. ☺️I would like to provide more information, but I will do so when I go again.thank you for helping me.

A restaurant located in Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture where you can enjoy kaiseki and kaiseki cuisine featuring Aizu's local cuisine.“Tsuruga” is located in Fukushima prefecture and Tokyo.There are 6 stores in total + 1 (department store underground store)The other stores are kappo or small restaurant style.Only Aizu Tsuruga Higashiyama HeadquartersBoth the main residence and annex were built by shrine carpenters.Quaint appearanceFrom a private room with a hearthLooking at the beautiful gardenA perfect restaurant style restaurant where you can enjoy Aizu local Kaiseki cuisine prepared with care by the owner.My companion loves Aizu horse sashimi.First visit to celebrate my birthday ⸜( ´ ꒳ ` )⸝The proprietress of the store will meet you at the parking lot.I was guided to●Bettei Meiseian (tea room annex)●The luxuriously decorated table catches the eye first.After being guided to the guest room, we went to the tea room.A light snack served by the landlady.(How many decades has it been since I last had tea in a formal tea room?How to make a tea ceremony...um...( ˙꒳​˙ ٥))Even in such a case, "Please stay warm (..◜ᴗ◝..)"He will guide you with kind words.The host and the entertainedIt's good if you can convey your feelingsDon't worry about etiquetteI felt the warm consideration of the landlady♬After enjoying delicious matcha●Move to the main residence Jōseian●I had a reservation"Owner's choice course Kisaragi night seat" ¥11000 × 2(Price including tax when booking in January 2022)(Prices are currently subject to change; please see website for details)Other than ↓↓■ is the course content↓↓■“Aizu Kozuyu”Kozuyu is a traditional celebratory dish of Aizu.In a flat Aizu vermillion-lacquered vesselWith elegant soup stock made from dried scallopsThere are 7 to 9 ingredients in odd numbers, and seasonal dishes are served.I came to Fukushima Prefecture and ate ``Kozuyu'' several times, but the flavor of the soup stock here is exceptional!It was the most delicious✨■``Ayu hearth grilled with Okuaizu Seiryuko''The hostess said, ``Please eat without removing it from the skewer,'' and it was completely covered! !Ayu carefully and slowly grilledIt has a plump body and aromatic skin...Huh? Huh? Soft even to the core!Maybe...someone you can eat the whole thing? !(The theory that ``Ayu is edible, including the head and back bones'' isIt was a joke to me)✨First time in my life✨Everything from the head to the backbone, internal organs, fins, and tail."all! Salt-grilled sweetfish that you can eat without leaving any leftovers”❗The taste of the fish roe was impressively surpassed by the juicy flavor coming from the backbone and the aromatic flavor of the head and tail.Recommended for those who want to eat salt-grilled sweetfish without leaving any leftovers✨■Aizu style Hassun□＝Hassun contents□“Sakura horse spinal cord with salmon roe”A rare part that can only be taken from one horse.I ate ``horse spinal cord stab'' for the first time.It has a plump softness and elasticity.When you bite into it, it has a crunchy texture, and then pulp fluid comes out and it becomes soft and delicate enough to swallow.This is an unknown taste, and I can't think of a good analogy for it (lol)The texture of the salmon roe bursts with bubbles.Delicious delicacy that goes well with the salty taste of dashi soy sauce□“Herring pickled in Japanese pepper”Already? Eating herring pickled in Japanese pepper hereYou won't be able to eat it at other restaurants (lol)The so-called preserved food in the mountains, ``herring pickled in sansho'', is a hard and flavorful dish made by reconstituted dried food.This one is completely different from that one.The soft texture of the marinated meat, which was dried overnight, and the delicate seasoning reminiscent of Kyoto cuisine are exquisite.□“Sujiko pickled in sake lees and pickled greens”“Kutatena” that I learned about after coming to Fukushima PrefectureLocal vegetables available from spring to early summerI like it because it has a unique refreshing aroma and texture, and it has a crunchy texture that leaves no residue in your mouth.Sujiko, which has a strong sake lees flavor, is perfect for serving with sake.□``Sashimi'' Tokiwa sea bream and soleThickly sliced ​​translucent sea bream and flounderThe sashimi is well-aged and has a chewy texture. I think salt would go well with it.□“Otama Yukimi Poem”Parmigiano cheese dressing□“Kimizuke radish, truffle salt”Good taste of pickled plum yolk and texture of radish truffle salt.□“Asatsuki under the snow, homemade vinegar miso”It has a unique texture that makes a clicking sound when you bite into it.By preserving under snowAsatsuki has no harshness and doubles the sweetness.It goes perfectly with vinegared miso and is delicious! !□``Cherry meat shigureni''Shigure-ni of horse meat simmered with homemade spicy misoIt's quite spicy! hard! picture? hard! but…The seasoning itself is not strong, but the taste is addictive, making it an excellent sake that goes well with sake.■``Mijitojiru''“Mizuitto” is a dialect of the Aizu Yamato region.Horsemeat and Japanese parsley soup hotpot, whose name refers to the crispness of Japanese parsley.With a flavorful dashi soup made from good salted plums.The nice aroma and texture of Japanese parsley is ◎.I put too much pepper and the soup tastes bad...■“Aizu Brand Horse Sashimi”□Fin (Chateaubriand)□Mane □LeverRare part "Fillet meat" The best part of the fillet - Chateaubriand sashimiCharacterized by a soft and chewy textureA part that has a refreshing taste and is enjoyed more for its texture than for its umami flavor.Koune...I didn't really like this one, but this one's fat is so sweet✨Delicious✨It melted in my mouthMy first time eating horse liver sashimiLess smelly than beef liver sashimiHas a crispy texture and smooth textureNow that I can no longer eat beef liver sashimiTry horse liver sashimi♬❈Birthday present from the shopkeeper❈Horse meat liver sashimi with sesame oil and garlicSeasoned with ginger soy sauceThis was also delicious, different from having it with dashi soy sauce ♬■``Sakura Nabe''High-quality horse meat that can be eaten as sashimiSukiyaki-style hotpot using futaego partsQuickly heat and serve medium-rare horse meat.Mix egg whites and egg yolks into meringueServed with fluffy egg wash■``Firefly Squid Meal''Hagama-cooked rice with firefly squid and fukinotouThe best! Too delicious✨■``Asari soup''Gotsuke with a more impressive aroma and sweetness of sake lees than shellfish soup stock■``Konomono''Sangohatzuke is a local dish of Fukushima, Yamagata, and Akita prefectures.The yellow daikon radish is pickled together with ``Mizunasu persimmons'' from Fukushima Prefecture to give it color and fragrance.Delicious pickles including yacon, a specialty of Tenei Village■``Homemade rice ice cream''Contains rice from AizuInteresting ice cream with a crunchy texture and sweet rice flavorRefreshing sweetness served with brown sugar soybean syrup■``Aizu Anpogaki''Moist and sticky texture, best natural sweetness■“Brown sugar kidney beans and mugwort mochi”As expected of Japanese craftsmanship, the boiled beans are seriously delicious! !Mugwort mochi was like warabi mochi.■ 『Coffee』●“Kita no Hana Sake Brewery Dry Junmai Kura Taiko” ¥935Kitakata local sake●“Hanaizumi Sake Brewery Special Pure Rice Sake” ¥935Local sake of Minamiaizu●“Draft beer” ¥935 × 2●“Non-alcoholic beer” ¥715●＋10% service chargeReceive unforgettable hospitalityThe best local Aizu kaiseki restaurantMeasures against coronavirus such as temperature measurement, hand disinfection, and social networking are also available◎There are many local Aizu restaurants inside and outside of Fukushima Prefecture, but please try it here.There is Aizu Higashiyama Onsen nearby, so we recommend staying overnight at the hotel and having a meal here.I'll visit you again, thank you for the meal ٩(* 'ω' *)