Ishiyama Onsen Bodaiju

Bodaiju stands at the gate of Ishiyamadera, the temple in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture where Murasaki Shikibu is said to have begun writing The Tale of Genji. The inn faces the Seta River, the only river flowing out of Lake Biwa, with the sacred mountain of Ishiyamadera rising behind it. Opened in 1950, this purely Japanese-style ryokan built in the sukiya manner is one of only two lodgings drawing on the Ishiyama hot spring.

The water is a simple radioactive spring (radium spring), colourless, odourless and tasteless, with a soft, non-irritating feel that suits bathers with sensitive skin. The source emerges at just 14 degrees Celsius, so the undiluted spring water is heated before being fed into the baths. Output is 131 litres per minute from a single source. It is traditionally recommended for neuralgia, muscle and joint pain, gout, bruises, fatigue and poor circulation.

Bathing facilities include an indoor bath, an open-air bath and a private bath, all with views towards the Seta River. With around twelve guest rooms, the inn remains small and quiet, serving kaiseki meals built on Lake Biwa produce such as funazushi, carp soup and freshwater clam broth. Rates start at roughly 11,000 yen per person with two meals. Free parking for ten cars is available. Day-use bathing plans are currently suspended, so the baths are essentially for overnight guests.