♨️ Our First Soak in Tohoku – A Warm Welcome at Manekinoyu

Koriyamayudokoro Manekinoyu was the first onsen we visited on our current trip to tohoku—and it turned out to be a wonderful and relaxing experience for the whole family. From the moment we stepped in, the staff were incredibly friendly and eager to help, despite our very limited Japanese. They patiently guided us through the process, which made things so much smoother, especially for our first soak of the trip. The bathhouse seemed to be popular with the locals, which we always take as a good sign. It had a nice, authentic community feel—people chatting quietly, unwinding after their day, and going about their routine. It made us feel like we were getting a true slice of everyday Japanese life. Inside, there were a variety of pools, each designed for different purposes—some hotter, some with bubbles or jets, and others more for a calm soak. Everyone in the family found something they liked, and it was such a great way to ease the travel fatigue, especially after hours of moving around. While it wasn’t a fancy or luxury-style onsen, Manekinoyu felt genuine, clean, and welcoming—everything we were hoping for from a local public bath. It was a perfect first dip to start our onsen journey this trip. #summervacay #manekinoyu #koriyamaonsen #japanpublicbath #localonsenexperience #familyonsentime #traveljapan2025 #relaxinjapan #koriyamabathhouse #firstonsendip #japanesecultureexperience #japan #japantrip #tohoku #tohokutrip #travel