Shibu Onsen KOKUYA

Location: Hirao 2200, Yamanouchi, jp

Star Rating: 5 Stars

Property Type: Ryokans

About this Property

Policies

Check-in: 03:00 PM - 08:00 PM

Check-out: 10:00 AM

Amenities & Facilities

• Free beach shuttle
• Offsite parking discounted rates available
• Parking
• Non-smoking rooms
• Air conditioning
• Restaurant
• Room service
• Luggage storage
• Safety deposit box
• Fax/photocopying
• Massage services
• Ski storage
• Hammam
• Karaoke
• Non-smoking throughout
• Kid meals
• Public Bath
• Entertainment staff
• Staff adhere to local safety protocols
• Guest rooms disinfected between stays
• Cleaning standards that are effective against Coronavirus
• Physical distancing rules followed
• Cashless payment available
• Fire extinguishers
• First aid kit available
• Sanitized tableware & silverware
• Guests can opt-out any cleaning services during stay
• Smoke alarms
• Guest room sealed after cleaning
• Physical distancing in dining areas
• Key access
• Process in place to check health of guests
• Access to health care professionals
• Screens / Barriers between staff and guests for safety
• 24-hour security
• Thermometers for guests provided by property
• Ski storage
• Front desk (limited hours)
• Self parking (surcharge)
• Free beach shuttle
• Offsite parking discounted rates available
• Spa tub (surcharge)
• Internet access
• Housekeeping on request
• Reception hall
• Snow sports gear
• Bicycle-friendly property
• Vegetarian menu options available
• Accessible shuttle
• No accessible shuttle

Rooms Available

• Standard Japanese-Style Room with Shared Bathroom

  This family room features air conditioning.

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Minibar
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Refrigerator
  • Toilet
  • Heating
  • Slippers
  • Electric kettle
  • Bidet
  • Linen
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Yukata
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)
  • Air purifiers
  • Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation

• Deluxe Japanese-Style Room with Open-Air Bath

  This family room has an air conditioning.

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Minibar
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Bathrobe
  • Refrigerator
  • Desk
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Slippers
  • Additional toilet
  • Private entrance
  • Dining area
  • Electric kettle
  • Sauna
  • Tumble dryer
  • Bidet
  • Coffee machine
  • Linen
  • Dining table
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Yukata
  • Socket near the bed
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)
  • Air purifiers
  • Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation

• Superior Japanese-Style Room with Open-Air Bath

  This quadruple room features an electric kettle and air conditioning.

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Minibar
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Bathrobe
  • Refrigerator
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Slippers
  • Electric kettle
  • Bidet
  • Coffee machine
  • Linen
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Yukata
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)
  • Air purifiers
  • Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation

• Standard Japanese-style Room with Open-Air Bath

  This quadruple room has an air conditioning and electric kettle.

  Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Minibar
  • Shower
  • Safety deposit box
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Hair dryer
  • Bathrobe
  • Refrigerator
  • Toilet
  • Private bathroom
  • Heating
  • Slippers
  • Electric kettle
  • Bidet
  • Coffee machine
  • Linen
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Trash cans
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body soap
  • Yukata
  • Key access
  • Tatami (traditional Japanese flooring)
  • Air purifiers
  • Single-room air conditioning for guest accommodation

Guest Reviews

• Solène (7/5): Mauvais rapport qualité-prix - Le ryokan est agréable et le personnel est vraiment gentils. Mais nous avons été déçus par le rapport qualité-prix Nous avons déjà séjourné dans plusieurs ryokans avec onsen privatif, et celui-ci était de loin le plus cher, sans pour autant offrir les meilleures prestations. Le lieu a du charme et certaines parties sont jolies, mais l’ensemble paraît assez vieillissant : joints à refaire, traces de moisissure, papier peint déchiré par endroits… Le repas kaiseki était correct, mais là encore, rien d’exceptionnel par rapport à ce que nous avons pu avoir ailleurs pour beaucoup moins cher. À noter également qu’au retour du dîner, notre onsen privatif avait fortement refroidi. Je ne sais pas s’il s’agissait d’un dysfonctionnement, mais l’eau censée provenir des sources chaudes était devenue froide, ce qui a été assez décevant. Le séjour n’a pas été mauvais, mais il ne correspondait pas au niveau d’excellence auquel nous nous attendions au vu du prix et des avis. Au final, cela reste un ryokan agréable grâce à la gentillesse du personnel, mais nous pensons sincèrement qu’il est possible de trouver mieux pour deux fois moins cher.
• Marie (9/5): - Super accueil, équipe très compétente et bilingue. Nous avons été pris en charge soigneusement. Préparation de la chambre pendant le dîner et rangement pendant le petit déjeuner (équipe discrète). La navette entre le Ryokan et la gare est également appréciée. Bel établissement avec son atmosphère traditionnel et très relaxant. Heure de rdv pour le dîner assez tôt (18h). Nous avions demandé un petit rabais de 30mn car nous venions à peine d’arriver au Ryokan (17h05) et souhaitions nous rafraîchir et se reposer après la journée de marche. Recommandation pour le Ryokan : préciser cette condition dans la description de réservation d’un dîner :)
• Lise (10/5): A gem - Everything, this place is an absolute gem!
• fiona (10/5): A wonderful experience - This 400 year old traditional Japanese inn (ryokan) is a real treat. You are warmly welcomed with indoor slippers and gowns (yukata) provided for your stay. Traditional dinner (at 6pm) and breakfast (at 8am) are provided and are exquisitely presented. You eat at a private table. There are a variety of onsens available at the ryokan which are used privately rather than communally. The water is very hot (41 degrees) therefore a top tip, if this is too hot, would be to pick an onsen with cold tap available too! Some are indoor, some out and also some rooms have an en suite onsen. You also have access to the town’s public onsens. A shuttle bus at 9am is provided to take you to the snow monkey park amd also your luggage can be stored free of charge at the nearest station (Yudanaka). It is a very relaxing amd well thought out stay.
• Lucas (8/5): -
• Claudio (10/5): - Pulita e accogliente, onsen privati in struttura, onsen privati in camera, accoglienza del personale. Orario della cena alle 18
• Oceane (10/5): Highlight of our stay! - The staff were very welcoming as soon as we entered the ryokan, they showed us everything which was very appreciated. We booked a room with private onsen and it was so lovely (see the picture attached). There are 8 onsen in the ryokan, they are all private, we didn’t knew that before coming so it was such a great surprise for us. We had the chance to try at least 4/5 of them, they were all so good! We had breakfast there in the morning, generous, Japanese breakfast! This stay was truly the highlight of our trip! Nothing
• Angela (9/5): Can’t wait to stay there again - Amazing onsens! Little dated. But it didn’t spoil our stay
• gustavo (10/5): A must stay if you are an Onsen Fan - The Shibu onsen was amazing, had more than 6 onsens for the guest and I believe 2 more that were public. The hotel has a parking for customers who drive a car it is very convenient believe me. The town amazing, the Staff amazing, very nice, very clean, would recommend to try at least 3 onsens inside the Hotel if not all, sadly we stayed only for 1 night now we are regretting it. We had the most amazing breakfast we have ever experienced definitely a must. I gave it a lower rating on comfort because I believe sleeping on the floor no matter what you think in not comfortable IMO.
• David (10/5): Stunning onsen town - Shibu onsen town is a picturesque old onsen village with amazing architecture and history. You have access to 8 private onsen in the ryokan and 9 public onsen in the village. They offer free shuttle from the train station and free shuttle to the snow monkey park. The staff is fantastic and food is first rate. The 400 year old building is a series of many stairs so not suitable for those with mobility issues! Would highly recommend!
• Melissa (10/5): - The staff were so kind and accommodating. The property itself was very nice and comfortable
• Catherine (9/5): A very confortable and authentic Japanese experience . The staff were very accommodating and the onsens were fabulous. - The onsens were wonderful and I loved being able to have them to ourselves.
• Maria (10/5): - Everything was amazing. Highly recommended! Thank you for everything Nothing, everything was amazing
• Nanya (7/5): -
• Alec (10/5): -
• Ander Rodríguez (9/5): -
• Andrew (5/5): great location, uncomfortable, very expensive - location very uncomfortable more like 2.5 star
• Pei Yee (9/5): - The staff was warm and helpful. None, really. If any, I hope the onsen was less hot. Some onsen are a bit old. By saying that, we did enjoy Kasei very much.
• Jullianne (10/5): Amazing ryokan in an onsen town! - This is a very quaint, quiet, peaceful, and beautiful ryokan in Shibu Onsen. This property offers all their onsens for free of use for hotel guests, and you can also shower in these rooms as well if your room does not have its own open-air bath. We opted for the Keiseki meal, which all over exceeded our expectations. They were all deliciously made with local ingredients from the prefecture, and were so filling! Our own open-air bath was our favorite onsen and so amazing. Early check-out time, but not really a huge dislike.
• Katherine (9/5): -
• Darren (10/5): I enjoyed the space and the onsen. It was almost magical! Would reccomend and come back again for another stay! - The whole ryokan experience Nothing
• Sandra E (8/5): Beautiful facility but staff very annoying. Food not for vegetarians - The room, the private baths onsite The staff rang & rang my room the morning I was to check out - it was impossible to relax & enjoy my private bath or the toilet! Check out is a ridiculously early 10:00 am as opposed to the normal 11:00 am! Yet a staff entered my room shortly after 8:00 am to remove the futon. Why in the world would you begin cleaning my room when I was to check out at 10:00?! Finally, the breakfast/dinner offered was awful. Vegetarians like to enjoy delicious creative food. They are not rabbits.
• Shannon (9/5): -
• Aparna (7/5): -
• Rita (9/5): -
• Caroline (10/5): Wonderful!! - Beautiful inn, very nice attentive staff. We loved all the onsens offered on property. Our dinner and breakfast were delicious, this inn was one of our favorite parts of our Japan trip!
• Fouzia (9/5): A must try experience - staying at a Ryokan - It was a charming old town and the Ryokan itself was very quaint as well. It was an experience that I would recommend to everyone. The dinner and breakfast were traditional kaiseki style and we enjoyed immersing ourselves into the culture. We specially enjoyed the private onsen experiences as my husband did not like the idea of going nude in public. Allowing private time in the onsens made it possible for us to have a more intimate experience. That is why we chose Kokyua and it lived upto that. They have so many onsens in house that we did not even need to go outside to experience the other Shibu onsens. I had requested a kids meal for my son who is not used to Kaiseki style meals. However, upon arrival they noted that they would not be able to provide him with a kids dinner. They were able to provide a kids meal for breakfast. It is an older property (400 years old) and some of the onsens look dated, the rooms are dated but maybe they are just going for that look.
• Carmen (10/5): Special experience and super relaxing. - We loved all of the private baths, friendly staff and delicious food. We felt taken care of by everyone and we had the most relaxing 3 days of our trip. This is a special place to stay and well worth the cost. If ever given the chance, we will definitely come back here. Loved every minute of it.
• Luis Miguel (10/5): -
• Glenn (10/5): Incredible Onsen stay. Would highly recommend - Incredible experience all round from the staff and the dinner to the on-site onsens, of which there are about 8-9. The staff were so friendly and helpful, including picking us up from the station to dropping our luggage off at the station for us to collect when needed. Nothing in particular
• Michael (10/5): Lovely stay in Shibu Onsen - Staff were amazing. Onsen on property were equally great. Between the 8 onsen onsite and the 9 public ones — lots to choose from. I also had a private outdoor onsen on the terrace of my room Nothing Check-in is at 3 and checkout at 10 am. A later checkout would have been nice
• Chelsey (1/5): -
• Ivan (10/5): - dinner and breakfast kaiseki is yummy. it is a fun experience hunting for the many onsens inside this maze of a ryokan.
• Bharadwaj (10/5): - Amazing location and helpful staff. The kaiseki experience for breakfast and dinner was very good. The onsens in the rooms, in the hotel, and in the town were all different and convenient. They also have shuttles to and from the station and to Snow Monkey Park. Ryokan futons were very comfortable to sleep on and the room was clean and large. They keep onsen eggs outside the hotel regularly too!
• Déborah (10/5): Il mérite le déplacement ! - C'est un lieu exceptionnel que l'on recommande vivement ! Les chambres traditionnelles sont tout simplement sublimes et les futons sont très confortables. À savoir que des yukata sont mis à disposition. Le petit déjeuner et le repas purement traditionnel était délicieux. Le personnel était très gentil et prévenant. Sans parler des bains divers et variés disponible à la privatisation, un vrai bonheur ❤️ Attention tout de même, le lieu est niché dans un tout petit village où il n'est pas facile de trouver de quoi ce restauré (supérettes où autres). Par ailleurs l'établissement ouvre ses portes à 15h, il vaut donc mieux y faire envoyer ses bagages directement avec un service de transport.
• Joanna (10/5): Must stay if in Shibu. If you are on the hunt for a ryokan with amazing baths - come to Kokuya! - The KOKUYA building is about 400yrs old and so charming and well maintained and modernised with fantastic facilities. The highlight was the 8 baths in the building. When we went in Feb, no reservations needed to be made for these baths: if you find it “Vacant”, you enter and lock it and the entire bath is yours. If it is “occupied”, you can come back later. The food is amazing and the service awesome. Ryokan meals are typically amazing, so what sets this place apart is really the individual charm of each of the bath rooms. The floor/ceiling boards creak at night due to temperature difference (expansion contraction?) so I had to put my AirPods into my ears to fall asleep
• Po Cheng (7/5): - Outdoor private onsen Too old, food
• Andrew (9/5): -
• Laura Pansa (7/5): Skønt sted, sødt personale men simpelthen for koldt. Jeg ville ønske jeg kunne give en højere bedømmelse men det ødelagd - Dejligt sted med sødt og imødekommende personale. Der var simpelthen iskoldt på hotellet og særligt værelset. Trods at vi prøvede at tænde for varmen, så virkede det desværre ikke.
• James (10/5): A perfect stay - Great staff, great location, wonderful food, beautiful onsens, just perfect
• Cameron (9/5): Relaxing and a great cultural experience - The staff was absolutely wonderful and friendly. Onsens were very relaxing The beds, as an American with bad hips the beds were a little firm but I can’t fault you guys for that
• Phuong Uyen (10/5): Memorable onsen stay - A truly wonderful experience. Soaking in the onsen waters outdoors in the winter air was absolutely delightful. The facilities were clean, and both dinner and breakfast were delicious, made even more special by the warm, friendly, and attentive service from a lovely staff member who enriched the entire dining experience. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend this ryokan, especially for anyone who may feel shy about public bathing and prefers the comfort of a private onsen experience! NA
• Grace (10/5): -
• Clare (9/5): A gem of a traditional Japanese hotel in the heart of Shibu Onsen. Enjoying the multiple onsens within the property was - Lovely, clean traditional hotel in perfect location. The staff were very friendly and offered a shuttle to the station. The multiple onsens within the property were amazing. Pillows were very hard.
• Martha (8/5): Fantastic stay in historic ryokan that imbues traditional Japanese culture and hospitality - My friends and I enjoyed staying in one of the oldest ryokans in the area: over 400 years old. Staff were exceptionally friendly, the food was excellent, and facilities were very clean. It was very fun wandering around the series of buildings seeking out their multiple onsens. The facilities were a bit more rustic than expected. We were OK with that, but I put this out there so that others will know what to expect.
• sabrina (10/5): Ryokan fabuleux! - Le bain thermal sur la terrasse de la chambre était génial! La chambre tatamis et futons, petite table/chaises japonaises pour une ambiance japonaise authentiques étaient agréables. Pyjama, thé/café, nécessaire de toilette, panier pour les onsens publics du village, prêt de Yukata pour se balader dans l'auberge et dans le village. Onsens de l'hôtel qu'il est possible de privatiser de 15h à 21h par tranche de 45 minutes, ensuite possibilité d'utiliser les onsens toute la nuit! Très bon petit déjeuner et repas du réveillon de l'an. Staff très attentionné. Expérience inoubliable! Emplacement dans le ravissant petit village de ShibuOnsen. Navette de l'hôtel pour aller voir les macaques dans leur bain au Snow Monkey Park à quelques minutes de route. Possibilité d'aller skier à proximité si on a loué une voiture (ShigaKogen environ 20-30 minutes). rien
• Deanne (10/5): A step into the real Japanese heritage. - All the staff were incredible so kind and accommodating. We really enjoyed the traditional food ,presentation exceptional. Onsen private and ever on of the 10 incredible. Nothing !!!
• Benjamin (10/5): La mejor experiencia!! - Desde que llegamos teníamos expectativas altas… y Kokuya las superó por mucho. Antes incluso de arribar, el hotel nos escribió para avisarnos que, al llegar a la estación de Yudanaka, avisáramos porque contaban con transporte gratuito para nosotros y nuestro equipaje. Tal como lo prometieron, al llegar ya nos estaban esperando con nuestro nombre y nos llevaron directamente en automóvil al ryokan. La recepción fue completamente personalizada. Al entrar nos pidieron quitar el calzado y nos proporcionaron calzado interior. Tras el registro, una persona nos acompañó personalmente hasta nuestra habitación, llamada “Sakura”, que ya tenían preparada especialmente para nosotros. Ahí nos explicaron que el hotel tiene más de 400 años de historia y que actualmente está dirigido por la misma familia en su 17ª generación. Todo el lugar es precioso y completamente tradicional. La habitación era de estilo japonés auténtico, con puertas corredizas shoji, tatami y un ambiente cálido y acogedor. Nos regalaron tabi (las calcetas tradicionales separando el dedo gordo) y nos tenían preparados tres yukatas con su obi y haori. Nos explicaron paso a paso cómo colocarlos correctamente y nos indicaron que podíamos usarlos tanto dentro del hotel como al exterior. A pesar de que afuera la temperatura rondaba los 4 grados, todo el hotel estaba perfectamente climatizado, así que era muy cómodo andar en yukata. En la habitación teníamos una mesa tradicional japonesa con calefacción, además de un baño termal privado al aire libre exclusivo para nosotros, lo cual fue simplemente espectacular. Dentro del hotel cuentan con múltiples baños termales privados, que pueden reservarse por horarios durante la tarde, y después de cierta hora se pueden usar libremente colocando solo el letrero de “ocupado”. Probamos varios de los baños exteriores, cada uno con diferentes minerales y ambientes; todos increíbles.
• Jeremie (10/5): Hôtel fabuleux dans un petit village magique merci pour l’accueil :) - Merveilleux séjour de début à la fin merci ! Et merci beaucoup à Jenny qui a été fabuleuse pour le dîner et le petit déjeuner :) Rien
• Yueran (6/5): - The staff are very attentive and speaks good English. But overall, the onsen hotel experience is not as good as the other ones. Room is small but the shuttle bus is a bonus
• Timothy (7/5): -
• Aleksandr (10/5): -
• Eley (10/5): -
• charlotte (7/5): Worth staying for the different onsen in the hotel and proximity to the snow monkeys - Location was lovely within the old part of town. The different onsen in the hotel were lovely and the room was comfortable. Our welcome was good, everthing was explained efficiently. The hotel is just a 10 minute drive to the snow monkey park which is definitely worth a visit. The staff were efficient but not particularly friendly in comparison to other places we stayed in Japan. The dinner was expensive for what it was - we had a better multi-course dinner elsewhere for half the price.
• Felipe (10/5): -
• David (9/5): -
• Sean (10/5): -
• Ivan (9/5): В целом все замечательно. Зимой нужно иметь в виду, что в коридорах будет холодно - Много разных онсэнов, есть старые «дедовского» типа, есть открытые с магической атмосферой ночью Вкусный ужин кайсеки и завтрак Само здание очень древнее, много раз перестроенное, поэтому хождение в нем тоже имеет свой шарм, разные уровни, лестницы
• Pavel (10/5): - Once in a lifetime experience
• Asha (8/5): An unforgettable experience and would highly recommend for anyone looking for a traditional Japanese spa experience - A real Japanese experience and the Onsen facilities A softer pillow option would have been nice, although I accept that is less authentic!
• Kayvalin (9/5): - Cleans and very good Japanese Ryokan in Shibu Onsen. We have been here for 2nd time.
• Julieta (10/5): -
• Victoria (10/5): Iconic birthday trip I will never forget - Beautiful property very private N/a
• Francois (8/5): A good traditional Ryokan experience - Kind personal, well guided, nice Geisha show and event for Christmas. Traditional meal well balanced for tourists. Wonderful onsen, the best I have seen. Dinner a bit rushed leading to limited services for the drinks and side orders. We would have preferred indoor shower but we accommodate ourselves.
• kerry_a (8/5): -
• Philip (9/5): -
• Lisa (10/5): Highly recommend and want to return with friends and family! - The staff were wonderful. The room was very comfortable along with all the private onsen in the hotel and in our room too. We had dinner and breakfast and the food was amazing and I am half Japanese and quite picky. Nothing! We were very happy and loved everything.
• Malin (8/5): -
• Eli (8/5): - L’experiència Ryokan és molt interessant. A més a l’allotjament hi ha molts banys que es poden reservar. Nosaltres teniem un bany privat a l’aire lliure a l’habitació que ens ha encantat. El sopar i l’esmorzar són excepcionals. Una mica car però pagues l’experiència
• Mario (10/5): More Than a Hotel — A Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience - The best hotel experience of our lives! From the very first moment, we felt incredibly welcome. The staff were unbelievably kind, warm, and genuinely caring. We were assigned a personal contact person who was always available for any questions and who also served our dinner and breakfast. The personal conversations we had about Austrian cuisine and sightseeing made the experience feel very special and heartfelt. Everyone spoke excellent English — something that is not very common in Japan — which made communication effortless and added even more comfort to our stay. Both dinner and breakfast were absolutely outstanding and truly unforgettable. The onsen experience was simply perfect: everything was spotless, and having a private onsen in our room was an absolute dream come true. It made our stay feel peaceful, luxurious, and incredibly relaxing. On top of that, the hotel offered a shuttle service to the Snow Monkey Park and even provided luggage storage directly at Yudanaka Train Station on our departure day — such thoughtful and generous service. This place touched our hearts, and we will cherish these memories forever. We truly hope to return one day. Helpful tip: Take the local train from Nagano to Yudanaka Station instead of the express bus. It’s much easier, especially since the hotel offers a convenient shuttle service from Yudanaka Station.
• Michelle (10/5): -
• Hung Ling (9/5): A good 2-day stay , shall come back if in the area - Onsen The room is smaller than expected.
• EDettoni (5/5): -
• Debbie (10/5): Perfect stay close to the Snow monkeys - Warm and friendly Nothing
• Udhav (1/5): -
• de Vries (10/5): -
• Sam (10/5): Perfection - The staff were exceptional, from start to finish they were welcoming and went above and beyond to make our stay special. The food was a particular highlight, they catered for my vegetarian diet, which I appreciate is difficult in Japanese cuisine, and made some of the best food I’ve ever eaten. The Onsens were beautiful and easy to access, having the private space was extra special. The lifts to and from the station, and to the monkey park as well made everything seamless. We will be recommending this hotel and experience to anyone who tell us they’re visiting Japan.
• huilengc (7/5): -
• Gabriele (10/5): Perfetto - Tutto perfetto, dall’ atmosfera, al cibo, alla pulizia e agli onsen spettacolari. Nulla
• Jessica (10/5): This was such a special place. Get the room with 2 private onsen! - The staff, the food, the in room onsen — all amazing. Nothing.
• DariaKane (10/5): -
• Siriganya (9/5): -
• Dion (10/5): - The place is cozy, food is good and the onsens were exceptional
• Jolene (10/5): Fantastic stay - Amazing authentic stay, highly recommend. The staff are all fabulous and the private onsen’s 100% worth it!
• Kerry (4/5): Disappointing - The staff were fabulous at this hotel, they were warm and welcoming and were definitely the best asset for the hotel. We only had dinner on one night and the meal was really very good. We had looked forward to staying here since booking our trip to Japan over a year ago and we had high expectations based on the marketing material for the accommodation. This also was the second most expensive accommodation in our three week trip with our last hotel being the Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo so not surprisingly given the high cost we were expecting great things. Locating the hotel and parking was tricky but given the location within the centre of an Onsen town that wasn’t a huge surprise. What was disappointing was the standard of the room which was located at the rear of the hotel, it was very basic and in a number of places the cleanliness wasn’t up to scratch. To top it off other residents in the hotel were really noisy and given this was supposedly a relaxing hotel this wasn’t what we expected and this combination of issues resulted in us only staying for one night and finding alternative accommodation in Nagano. The only two positive points I would make is that the staff were wonderful, very warm and welcoming and the food served for dinner was lovely! We were so sad to leave but felt it was our only option given that the accommodation didn’t live up to the high price and wasn’t the relaxing luxury stay we thought we were getting.
• Luga (8/5): Great onsen with friendly English speaking staff, with free shuttle pick up from train station. - Great location with English speaking staff. Food was excellent (esp. the rice). Ofuro (onsen bath) in our room was a bonus. Shuttle pick up at Yudanaka station and shuttle to Jigokudani snow monkey park, another added bonus.
• E. G. (9/5): -
• Simon (10/5): Incredible! - Everything, friendly staff, delicious food, relaxing onsens, convenience. The amount of stairs but that’s fair to the age of the building.
• Severino (10/5): - Esperienza molto bella da provare almeno una volta nella vita. Camera con onsen privato molto apprezzato. Cena e colazione giapponese ... bella esperienza.
• Patricia (10/5): Perfect Ryokan experience with acces to private and public onsen - We stayed for 1 night and also had dinner and breakfast. Dinner and breakfast were delicious - a very nice selection of Japanese specialities. One of us was Vegetarian, we told them in advance and there were no discussions and misunderstandings - I have experienced that differently before, so that is a big plus. The private onsen rooms are super nice as well. I really like that you can reserve them for a certain time and after a set time its a first come first serve. I feel that is a fair system and some of the bigger baths are for several people anyways. Really high comfort level. Nice service also picking the guests up from the station, having the luggage locker near the station and offering a taxi service to the snow monkey park. Also the hotel is part of the group of ryokans that provide the key for the 9 public onsen. Its an old building which definitely adds to the charm but some things (like carpet etc) look a bit worn out. Still, everything is in very good condition. Not really an issue though, just a minor detail.
• Carter (10/5): Relaxing luxurious onsen experience - Beautiful traditional Royakan with many different amazing onsens inside the facility and great food. Staffs are working so hard to make your stay comfortable. So many onsens and it is easy to get lost inside the building first, but after a little while you learn your way around there.
• ハリウ (9/5): 朝の出発時のゴタゴタが無ければ､最高です - 食事のスタッフの対応が素晴らしかった 食事中の声掛けのタイミングが良い 個室での食事が落ち着いて非常に良かった 風呂が色々趣きが有りまた落ち着いて良かった 朝の駐車場での車の出し入れの際、誘導等が不足感がかなり有りました 各車がスムーズに出れる様な対応が必要です
• Emilyne (10/5): Expérience Incroyable !! - J'ai tout adoré ! Le lieu, la gentillesse du personnel, l'ambiance et la nourriture étaient incroyable. J'espère pouvoir y revenir un jour car l'expérience de dormir dans un ryokan et se balader dans les rues le soir en yukata, faire la tourner des onsen est juste exceptionnelle. Merci à Shibu Onsen Kokuya pour leur acceuil. Tout était parfait! Triste d'être parti.
• Christophe (5/5): A éviter - Pas grand chose. Peut être la diversité des onsens Le personnel d'acceuil pas très aimable et la propreté de l'établissement ne correspond pas aux standards japonais. Nous avons fait d'autres ryokans pendant notre séjour et ça n'avait rien à voir.
• Michael (10/5): Magical experience. - Amazing 400 year old hotel with very friendly staff who were patient with us. Our family of 4 had the private room which also had private onsens, a real treat! A highlight is the town itself which was so fun wandering around in our gowns especially at night. You need cash for a lot of the little shops so keep that in mind.
• Anjalee (10/5): - The amenities were good and the food was lovely! The staff were so helpful and friendly too.
• John (10/5): - We were looking for an authentic experience in a Japanese ryokan and this met our expectations. Traditional accommodation, food, onsens and welcoming staff meant that we had a wonderful stay. The transfer to the monkey park and luggage storage at the station were unexpected but very welcome. It would have been helpful to know in advance that the transfers from the station didn't start until after 3pm.
• Leeanne (10/5): -
• Alexander (10/5): -
• Philip (10/5): A great Ryokan experience - Loved the in-room Onsen. All was good

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