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When we walked passed Kokuya the previous evening, we saw the soft boiled eggs, cooked in the spring water, available to passersby, for a nominal 50 Yen.
I had selected Kokuya as our venue for the onsen experience because it was reputed to be used to non-japanese customers, and provided us with the luxury of a room with our own private mineral bath on our balcony, together with the run of the baths (private and public) in the ryokan. Should we so choose, we also had access to all nine of the public mineral baths in the streets of Shibu Onsen. And when we arrived after being collected from the station, our bags indeed had been transferred from Shimaya all ready for us. Shoes were duly removed, and stowed, as we were fitted out in the indoor slippers, and measured for yukata. Times for meals were arranged, the schedule for the ryokan's public baths (blue curtain for boys, pink curtain for girls, and a swap at 9pm) and private baths (green curtain, call reception to reserve), then we were led through the rabbit warren corridors of the 400 year old ryokan, to our rooms - for Minuk & I, 'Sakura' and for Stephen & Clare, 'Momiji'.
I had selected Kokuya as our venue for the onsen experience because it was reputed to be used to non-japanese customers, and provided us with the luxury of a room with our own private mineral bath on our balcony, together with the run of the baths (private and public) in the ryokan. Should we so choose, we also had access to all nine of the public mineral baths in the streets of Shibu Onsen. And when we arrived after being collected from the station, our bags indeed had been transferred from Shimaya all ready for us. Shoes were duly removed, and stowed, as we were fitted out in the indoor slippers, and measured for yukata. Times for meals were arranged, the schedule for the ryokan's public baths (blue curtain for boys, pink curtain for girls, and a swap at 9pm) and private baths (green curtain, call reception to reserve), then we were led through the rabbit warren corridors of the 400 year old ryokan, to our rooms - for Minuk & I, 'Sakura' and for Stephen & Clare, 'Momiji'.
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/7/8/16787882/8776048.jpg)
'Sakura' was quite spacious, with the tatami mat room, in addition to a small sitting area. The shower was outside(!), next to our small cedar lined mineral bath in the courtyard. Under the small table in the tatami room, a very welcome electric heater to make our tootsies toasty warm. Tea was served and we were left to our own devices until dinner time. We elected to make use of both our private bath, and the reservable public bath just around the corner. Ours was very warm indeed - one had to s l o w l y lower ones self into the bath, and hop out every now and then to cool down (bear in mind the outdoor temperature was about 7°C. The public bath was just a little cooler, but still pleasant. So duly relaxed and comfortable, it was time to brave the 10+ courses of our kaiseki dinner.