Hotel Urashima-so

This was a last minute booking to one of 3 most beautiful places in Japan, according to most ratings. It is a short drive out of town and is very easy to find. There are only 4 rooms with a nice public bath and 2 co-ed, private baths that can be reserved for 50 min. We were greeted with our name in Romanji on a reader board next to 3 others all in kanji. Our bags were carried upstairs and placed in our room. There is a nice walking trail near by that goes along a bluff and through some woods. There is also a small marina nearby. On the negative side, two railroad tracks are near and the trains can be heard in all rooms. A traditional breakfast and dinner were included and the food was excellent and plentiful. All of the ingredients and fish were fresh with a wide variety of dishes. The town of Matsushima-shi is a 5-10 min drive and is beautiful. A boat ride through the islands is a must. There is a 40 min ride and a 1hour and 20 min ride. We found the shorter to be plenty. There are also several hikes/walks around islands connected by bridge. They are beautiful and easy. In the towns there are plenty of restaurants of all types and many shops. There are also several temples and shrines. This is a great place to stroll. We did, however, find the night life limited. The whole place shuts down. We had to go to the fringes of town just to find an place to have a drink. We will return here.