Kichiya

The disappointing part was the room and food for the price. The room felt small, and the robata meal was neither distinctive nor tasty. The yukata belt was oddly short and awkward to use, the tea and snacks in the room let us down, and the rough tatami made the place feel rather dreary. My friend and I could only give each other a wry smile. The bath itself was okay, but the recommended drink dispenser in the lobby was empty, so we gave up. Overall, things didn’t seem well maintained. It sits at the top of a narrow hill. We booked during peach blossom season, and arrived within check-in hours, though later than our original estimate. Since I was driving, I asked my friend in the passenger seat to call. For some reason, he was told to call once we got off the highway. That was ridiculous. I arrived well after check-in time, and in all my stays in Japan I’d never been asked to do that. It put far too much hassle on the customer. This was the only bad memory from the trip. I didn’t think the stay was worth what we paid, and I won’t return.

I ended up spending the whole day in the room instead of walking around the hot spring town because it was so comfortable. The hot springs were lovely too. My only small gripe was the lack of electrical outlets for a room that size, so bringing a power strip might be useful. I stayed in September 2025 and booked the plan with the luxurious dinner. It was even better than I’d expected. The room was gorgeous, and the view from it was just as good. When they showed me around, I remember thinking it felt like an apartment I could live in. I chose a yukata after checking in, and they provided a cute basket and sandals for a stroll around town. The decor had a Taisho Romance feel, with lovely furnishings. Dinner was private and featured Southern Shinshu beef, horse sashimi, sweetfish, other local specialties, and creative dishes. I was really satisfied. Breakfast had lots of different items, and they offered refills at just the right time. I thought I couldn’t finish it, but I had a second helping of rice and cleared everything. I’d definitely recommend this place.

We were a group of 19 family members, brought together by my father for my mother’s 80th birthday. The large banquet hall and individual seats with trays made it easy to relax over our kaiseki meal and spend precious time together. The food was delicious and suitable for my elderly parents, and there was a children’s lunch for the banquet too. Several waitresses were busy serving. Breakfast was also served on trays, a nice change from an ordinary hot spring hotel breakfast. The building and rooms are old, though the view from our windows was lovely. There are non-smoking rooms throughout, with a smoking room on the first floor and the option to smoke outside. The lobby has free coffee. The water felt soft, and the baths included indoor and outdoor options. Yukatas and slippers were provided for children. The website mentioned a playroom, but it was under renovation during our stay. Staff saw us off with smiles outside when we left. We had hoped to sing karaoke on the stage, but the setup wasn’t ready and the start was delayed. The night sky is apparently beautiful at this time of year, and stargazing tours are offered, but the weather was cloudy and thundery when we arrived, so we couldn’t see any stars. The morning market is across the bridge and starts at 6 am. It’s walkable as part of a stroll, but climbing the steep hill back with our purchases was tiring, so I’d recommend driving.

The food was the main reason I gave this two-night stay a star at all. Both the robatayaki and kaiseki meals were delicious, and it’s an easy walk to the morning market. The waitress’s advice about nearby spots, the room cleaning staff, and the clean public bath also helped me raise my rating by one star, even though I had doubts before arriving. The double booking was upsetting. We’d reserved more than six months ahead, then called two weeks before our planned stargazing trip and learned that a group had already booked the room. The online booking hadn’t been canceled, so they planned to ask us to change dates. They asked us to handle the cancellation ourselves. My family was furious this had happened for the first time, but we accepted and rebooked. At check-in, all we heard was, “Thank you for changing the dates.” No apology. I kept wondering when they’d realized the overlap, and when they would have told me if I hadn’t called. I never asked. The staff member helping with our luggage was unfriendly and asked, “Can I take this luggage with me?” On the first day we had a private bath, but no open-air bath, and the large pump bottle of facial cleanser was empty. When I mentioned it, they didn’t seem to react, so I asked them to refill it. The private baths have towels and other items, so you can go empty-handed. Still, I’d recommend the large public bath for its outdoor bath and starry sky. There were other communication problems. When we returned after going out, someone told us to bring our yukata for the day, but fresh yukata and towels were already laid out in our room. At dinner, they said rice and soup would come at the end. Within five minutes, a part-time worker brought them, and the red miso soup was cold. The waitress apologized right away. I didn’t say anything because I thought they might bring another serving of what had already been taken away. Free coffee is available from 7:30 to 10 am, and you can take it to your room if you put a lid on the cup. I wish they served it in the evening too, especially after dinner. Stargazing guests may eat early and leave around 5 pm, but some people might want coffee after coming back. The women’s amenities were good: a Sekkisei skincare set each day, plus a mist and sheet mask on the first day. The tatami mats in our room were torn, though the room was otherwise well kept. I kept wondering when they’d be replaced. This place won’t be my choice next time I visit Hirugami Onsen.