Onjuku Mizutaka

The hospitality here really surprised me. At check-in, there was a spot labeled with my name for my shoes, and sweets and drinks were already set out for us. The receptionist was so welcoming, and the restaurant staff were friendly and happy to chat. Breakfast was included, beautifully arranged at a table marked with my name and room number. It made me feel fancy. 😆 Our room was spacious and clean. We had booked a private bath, which was a bit smaller than I expected, but very relaxing, with water at just the right onsen temperature. I’d definitely recommend this ryokan if you get the chance. Getting there was the hard part. We took a bus from the station, then walked about 8-10 minutes from the stop. The walk wasn’t far, but the steep climb was tough, especially with heavy luggage. I’d take a taxi from the station, or arrange a pickup with the ryokan if you contact them early enough. The hike wasn’t pleasant, though the views made up for it.

Shizu-san made our stay especially memorable. I’ve been to plenty of ryokans and hotels, and her warm, friendly manner was the best I’ve experienced. Thank you for being so kind to us. We paid around 30,000 yen for two people for one night, including delicious kaiseki and breakfast, which felt affordable for what we got. The whole building looked beautiful and newly renovated, and smelled fresh, unlike some older ryokans that can have a smoky smell. I also liked that shoes stay off inside, with slippers provided.

The staff were wonderful, and the facilities and food were great. My only complaint was the whitish residue around the hot spring tub’s water outlet and on the glass parts.

Back for my second stay in almost two years. This ryokan is an absolute gem.