Mimatsukan (Omotenashi no Yado Mimatsukan) is a 21-room inn in Ikaho Onsen, Shibukawa, Gunma, about 3 minutes on foot from the Stone Steps. Its landlady writes that it is a small inn that wants guests to feel warmth. Before you book, three things matter: it does not accommodate food allergies; it takes many credit cards but no electronic money; and its rooftop open-air bath has no washing area, so you wash in the indoor bath first.
Mimatsukan at a glance
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Address | 131 Ikaho, Ikaho-machi, Shibukawa, Gunma 377-0102 |
| Rooms | 21, all non-smoking (smoking space in the building) |
| Check-in / out | 15:00–19:00 / 10:00 |
| Baths | Rooftop open-air bath, indoor bath, private open-air bath (extra fee) |
| Food allergies | Not accommodated |
| Payment | 10 card brands; no electronic money |
| Parking | 15 covered spaces, free, no booking |
| Phone | +81-279-72-2655 (8:00–21:00 Japan time) |
| English pages | None (site and booking page are in Japanese) |
From the official site, read October 20, 2026.
Which room types does Mimatsukan have?
The room page shows four types. All rooms have a toilet with a bidet seat, a fridge, TV, safe, yukata, towels and Wi-Fi; a bath is listed as “in some rooms,” without saying which.
| Room | Type | Guests | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yamabiko | 15-mat Japanese room + twin-bed room (special room) | 4–9 | Meals in the dining hall |
| Kodama | Japanese room, 10–12 mats | 1–5 | In-room meals possible for up to 3 |
| Hatsune | Japanese-Western, twin beds, 10 mats | 1–4 | Fully renovated 2024; shower booth; no view |
| Ukifune | Western, one semi-double bed | 1–2 | No view; the inn calls it quite tight for two |
Ikaho sits at about 700 m, and the inn warns that corridors get very cold in winter. Bringing your own food into the inn is not allowed.
The baths at Mimatsukan
What is the rooftop open-air bath like?
Ukigumo, on the top floor, has two baths, Akagi-no-yu and Haruna-no-yu, which switch between men and women (on some days they do not switch). It is open 15:00 to 9:30, with breaks at night and for cleaning. There is no washing area and no shampoo; it is for soaking only.
What about the indoor bath?
The indoor bath, Zaan, has a floor of Ryukyu tatami and the same 15:00 to 9:30 hours, with shampoo, conditioner, body soap and hair dryers. The water is a simple hot spring (metasilicic acid) from Ikaho’s Shirogane-no-yu source, clear and odorless. Ask the front desk how busy it is.
Is there a private bath?
Yes. The private open-air bath Komochi-no-yu costs 2,200 yen per group (tax included), from 15:30 to 22:00. Apply at the front desk on the day; you cannot pick a time, and to book ahead you phone the inn. Check the length of a session with the inn when you book.
Can I bathe with a tattoo?
The official pages do not mention tattoos. Ask the inn before you book; our tattoo and onsen guide explains what to ask.
Meals at Mimatsukan
What is dinner like?
Dinner is the Joshu Kakaa-zen, a set meal where you choose your main dish; the base is Joshu mochi pork shabu-shabu, and Joshu beef mains cost extra (beef and pork from 1,100 yen, beef shabu-shabu or sukiyaki 2,200 yen, tax included, per the dining page). Check the surcharge on your plan. Dinner is at 18:00, 18:30 or 19:00, chosen at check-in; breakfast is Japanese, at 8:00 or 8:30. Guests arriving after 19:00 may eat in a separate room.
Where are meals served?
Meals are in the dining hall, except in Kodama rooms, where up to 3 guests can eat in the room. If you want the dining hall there, write it in the booking notes. Extra dishes, such as Akagi chicken yakitori, are on the menu.
Can the inn handle allergies or a special diet?
No for allergies: the inn states that it does not accommodate food allergies. The official pages say nothing about vegetarian, vegan or halal meals.
Prices, children and rules at Mimatsukan
How much does a stay cost?
The home page shows the year-round Joshu mochi pork shabu-shabu plan from 13,000 yen, without saying whether that is per person or per room. Live prices are on the booking page. On top, adults pay a bathing tax of 150 yen; Shibukawa City exempts children under 12. See our onsen bathing tax guide.
What do children cost?
Elementary school children pay 70 percent of the adult rate with a meal like the adults’; ages 4 to school age pay 50 percent with a kids’ meal; age 3 and under pay 40 percent with a meal and no bedding, or 1,100 yen with neither. The Q&A says junior high students and up pay the adult rate.
What is the cancellation policy?
The fee is 20 percent from 3 days to 1 day before, 50 percent on the day and 100 percent for a no-show. Groups of 10 or more pay 20 percent from 10 days before. See our hotel cancellation guide.
How do I pay?
The Q&A lists JCB, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, UC, DC, NICOS, Diners, UFJ and Saison. Electronic money cannot be used. The official pages do not say when you pay.
Can I bring a dog?
Small dogs only, on a dedicated plan, at 2,200 yen per dog per night, with proof of vaccination. Our hotel pet fees guide covers the wider picture.
What else is there at Mimatsukan?
A free Japanese art gallery shows the collection of the previous owner. Paid extras include table tennis (550 yen per 30 minutes), karaoke (2,200 yen per hour for up to 4) and the low-temperature bedrock bath Honoka (2,200 yen for one, 3,300 yen for two, 60 minutes). Booking on the official site adds perks on dinner plans, applied for at the front desk and not on every day: a free colored yukata, free table tennis on weekdays, and Honoka for two at 2,200 yen.
Getting to Mimatsukan in Ikaho Onsen
From JR Shibukawa Station, take the Kan-etsu Kotsu bus bound for Ikaho Onsen from platform 3 to the last stop, then walk downhill, turn left, then right, and keep going down a little to the inn. The official pages do not give the ride time or fare. A direct bus, the Ikaho Liner, runs twice a day each way between Takasaki Station’s east exit and Ikaho Onsen. No shuttle is mentioned. Drivers get 15 covered spaces, free, no booking; staff park the car, and there is an EV charger.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Mimatsukan
- There are no English pages; the website and booking page are in Japanese.
- If you have a food allergy, plan around it: the inn cannot accommodate allergies.
- Bring a card; electronic money is not accepted.
- Arriving after 18:00? Phone ahead (+81-279-72-2655, 8:00–21:00), or dinner may not be ready.
- Wash in the indoor bath before the rooftop bath, which has no washing area.
Frequently asked questions
Can Mimatsukan cater for food allergies?
Can I pay with a credit card at Mimatsukan?
What time is check-in at Mimatsukan?
What is the cancellation policy at Mimatsukan?
How do I get to Mimatsukan by public transport?
Bottom line (2026): Mimatsukan is a 21-room inn near the Ikaho Stone Steps, with a rooftop open-air bath, a Ryukyu-tatami indoor bath and a Joshu-pork dinner. It cannot handle food allergies and does not take electronic money, and its pages are in Japanese only.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Mimatsukan’s official pages: home (Japanese), rooms, baths, dining, facilities, Q&A, bus access, official-site perks and the official booking page, plus Shibukawa City on bathing tax. All were read on October 20, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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