Yoshii Ryokan

Excellent

Not much. Bathroom window a bit tricky to open. A bit of dust there

The accommodation is renovated from an old building. The facilities may look old from the outside, but they are maintained in a very good condition. Everything is in a traditional Japanese ryokan style, providing an authentic accommodation experience. The indoor area is spacious and we had a small garden outside, though we couldn’t directly walk out there from our room. However, there is no independent bathroom in each room (but there was a very spacious toilet in the room), so you have to reserve a time to use the “public” bathing facilities with the staff. We were lucky to be the only guests of the reserved date, so we had the luxury to “own” the whole space and enjoyed the “one-on-one”service. The staffs were helpful and nice and I appreciated their help during my stay there.

The Ryokan is about 1.5-2 km from the train station. Carrying large luggage and walking there would be very inconvenient. We contacted the accommodation asking if there would be shuttle service and the answer was no. Though taking a taxi from the station to the accommodation was not that pricy, it would be more convenient if there would be shuttle service. The dinner at the property was fantastic. The staff was so warm hearted and kind of enjoyed chatting with us. It was a little pressured for putting ourselves in a conversation and felt like we needed to eat all the food on the table to show respect even though we were quite full at that time. I appropriated being taking good care of by the staff, but I would also value some space of freedom during the meal.

Our room had an adjoining garden, which was peaceful and lovely. The room was comfortable and well-appointed. The meals were traditional and delicious, with polite and kind staff. The bath was very enjoyable too.

The ryokan has little atmosphere and, though our room was lovely with a small garden view, it felt in need of attention. Our main gripe was that it is poor value for money. Service was okay but we felt rushed at meal times, including being called earlier than we’d indicated. We had no water in our room the first night and it was clear they knew about it when we reported it. Yet the second night there was a patronising note telling us which way to turn the tap (to red obviously) and telling us to let it run for two minutes (we’d tried longer). The bath was good temperature the first night but lukewarm the second. Perhaps all this is due to Covid-reduced tourism but this Ryokan will need to up its game considerably to be worth the money. Location is great but, as the historical quarter is small, staying in it is not crucial.

Location was fantastic and room was nice

The big issue was value for money. Perhaps the ryokan has not recovered from Covid as we were the only guests one night. We felt rushed at meal times and the food was average. There was no hot water in the room and when we mentioned it, it was obvious they knew. It was repaired but we got a patronising note implying we didn’t know which way to turn the tap or let the water run long enough. The bath water was great one night but tepid the other. And the housekeeper threw away my own toothbrush even though it looked very different from the ones provided. Very disappointing.

We spent 3 nights at this wonderful ryokan in Kurashiki, using it as a home base for visiting other places in the area. Located right in the heart of the old district, it was delightful to walk the streets in the evening after all the tourists had left. Service was impeccable - loved the Japanese breakfasts. After our first night dinner, we were consulted about what kind of meals we would like our other 2 nights (we chose a hotpot meal and a grilled meal). We took two of the meals in our room but, because of its nature, the hotpot meal had to be in one of the private dining rooms. All were fabulous and beautifully presented. We were given samples of different sakes before choosing the one we preferred. They were all good choices. The staff were lovely - because we spoke no Japanese, management made sure there was someone on hand who could communicate with us, which was outstanding. They were wonderful in assisting us organize our travel on our day trips to Naoshima and Hiroshima. Our room was comfortable and quiet and the bath divine. I would come and would highly recommend anyone choose this ryokan when in the area.

Small traditional ryokan in the heart of Kurashiki. Excellent location, just steps from many shops. While the facility did not have a lounge, the guest room was very spacious with chairs overlooking a quiet courtyard. Dinner and breakfast were tasty and very filling. Enjoyed the use of private bath which you can reserve in advance.

It got an location that cannot be beat with excellent coursed dinner. The room was reasonably priced consider the dinner provided and excellent service in a traditional Ryokan. I highly recommend this place for anybody.