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After leaving Narita City on May 16 our first stop was a three night's stay at Naruko Onsen, some three hours north of Tokyo by train. Our ryokan had two public indoor onsens (one for men, one for women) and one private outdoor onsen (which you reserved in half hour increments, so both of us could use it together); our room also contained a hinoki (cypress wood) o-furo, so we weren't short of options for a good soak.
During our stay at Naruko Onsen, we saw the Kokeshi Doll Museum on May 17 (when it was raining all day), and Sendai, Matsushima & Matsushima Bay on May 18 (when we had great sunny weather all day). In addition, we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary on May 16 (which also happened to be the only day in which Jane had Japanese food that she did not care for -- salmon stomach).
Naruko Onsen
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You wear your slippers all throughout the ryokan, until you get into the foyer of your own room. At that point, you take your slippers off and walk on the tatami mats and hard wood floors in your socks (no bare feet on the tatami!). Notice the wood slats running along the left and top of the picture; they are there to allow you to step from your room into either the side room containing the sink/shower/bath (to the left) or the side room containing the toilet (straight ahead) without your feet touching the (dirty) floor.
This picture was taken from our room looking out onto the foyer.
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