Published date: December 27, 2025
A Successful Trip for a Head Spa at the Hotel
Room Type Stayed
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Experience of the stay
A 2-day, 1-night solo train trip (with a bit of car sharing)
▼ The Purpose of the Trip is the Head Spa
I have been going to Legare, the beauty salon in Ishioka City next to Tsuchiura City where BEB5 is located, for a haircut, treatment, and head spa for six months. This time, I decided to visit the Ushiku Great Buddha, which I had always wanted to see, and booked an overnight stay.
▼ The Deciding Factor for the Reservation was a Limited-Time Event
Since my purpose was a beauty salon, I honestly didn’t care where I stayed. That’s when I found out about a limited-time Christmas event called “Chalix” at BEB5 Tsuchiura on Instagram, which influenced my decision to book there. Chalix involves choosing three colored threads and pedaling a bicycle to weave them. The addition of silk and washi threads made it fun to watch as strands were gradually woven into something that resembled a Lillian. The method of weaving differs for the heel and toe, making it genuinely entertaining. It was a 15-minute workshop. It appears they brought the opportunity from Nara, and I’d love to visit their store in Nara someday.
▼ The Double Room is Compact but Comfortable
Wanting to spread out on a large bed alone, I chose a double room. I thought the train noise might be annoying since it was directly connected to the station, but I was comfortable the entire time. I had heard you could rent pajamas for 200 yen, so I assumed the room amenities would be minimal; bringing my own drip coffee and bath salts was a good decision. The heating was set at 17°C, making it uncomfortably warm to sleep at night. While it was cold outside, turning off the air conditioning was just right.
▼ I Want to Stay Again
I’m also interested in the year-round event of spectacular sunrise cycling. I want to regularly receive head spas, so I would like to stay at BEB5 again to combine sightseeing.
Experiences during the trip
▼ Ushiku Great Buddha (Ushiku City)
I didn't expect there would be so few buses, so I hurriedly contracted and reserved a Times Car Share at Ushiku Station. I could have rented one at Hitachinaka Ushiku Station too; it’s something to be careful about when traveling by train. The Great Buddha was incredibly large and majestic, making me smile. Apparently, on clear days, beautiful views can be seen from the window located on the chest of the Buddha. I wished I had time to try sutra copying as well.
▼ Gaburi-tei (Tsuchiura Station)
I actually wanted to eat eel, but it was raining, and I wasn’t feeling energetic. The flexibility to change plans is one of the joys of solo travel. I researched shops around the station on Instagram and discovered a place that serves my favorite “oyadori” chicken. It was right in front of the station, so I could go without getting wet. When I asked for a cut of oyadori, it was cut even more than I expected, so it wasn’t very photogenic, but it paired perfectly with highball.
▼ I Got My Dream Sweet Potato "Kōtenchi" at the Supermarket in Front of the Station! (Tsuchiura Station)
My goal for the trip was to try the sweet potato "Kōtenchi," introduced on Threads by Legare, the beauty salon. I was determined to eat it. Luckily, there was a Kasumi supermarket on the first floor of the city hall building right in front of Tsuchiura Station, and I successfully got one. As expected from the sweet potato kingdom, Ibaraki! It was so sweet and sticky that it seemed like I could eat it with a spoon. I’m sure it would taste great even when chilled. This might just be my personal preference, but I enjoyed the Kōtenchi more than a Mont Blanc costing over 1000 yen, which I could buy for just 300 yen.
▼ Katsuobushi Kawazu Shop (Ishioka Station)
I recently purchased a bonito flake shaver but couldn’t get it to work well. Classes held by big stores in Tokyo cost nearly 10,000 yen, so I hesitated. I recalled that Kawazu Shop set up a stall at the Ishioka festival, so I emailed them for advice. They kindly responded and taught me how to shave bonito at their store. Freshly shaved katsuobushi is something entirely different from the packaged ones. They said they wanted to increase the number of people who can shave bonito, and if I emailed them when I come back to the salon, they would adjust the blade for me. The staff were truly wonderful. I feel like the dream of eating freshly shaved katsuobushi on hot white rice is about to come true.
▼ Takoyaki Yūrak (Ishioka Station)
One of the places I absolutely wanted to visit, which was introduced by Legare on Threads. The fluffy and creamy takoyaki had soft and tasty octopus inside. Most people probably come by car. Since there was no private room like a car, I asked if I could eat inside the shop, and they kindly said, "Sure!" since it was a quiet time during the weekday. Besides being delicious, I was also delighted that the staff were so kind.
▼ Beauty Salon Legare (Ishioka Station)
The destination of this trip. I have been using a hundred-yen shop product called "Hoippurun" from Legare, which changed my hair quality just by altering my shampoo method. I really wanted to experience their head spa. I visited in July for a day trip by highway bus, but I was disappointed I couldn’t wander around the neighborhood. Following Legare on Threads brought me more and more information about places in Ishioka City that I wanted to visit. It’s nice to travel where one thing leads to another. Once again, I enjoyed a full course, including a haircut, treatment, and a head spa that made me take a nap! The shower had evolved compared to my last visit; my hair became even shinier. Despite normally dreading beauty salons and not going for two years without hesitation, the one-on-one attention made me happy, and it felt like a blissful time just for me.