Shikishimaso

Tucked away in the mountains, this was a beautiful getaway for a couple or for exploring the area's mountains. We had excellent meal service and a private onsen, and a wonderful time. A delightful, luxurious ryokan stay, just be sure to book one of the updated rooms.

You'll probably need a car to get here since it's somewhat remote. That also makes it gorgeous and secluded. The food was delicious, the onsen was hot, and the rotenburo felt magical with snow falling. Definitely worth the trip!

The private onsen in our room was clean and spacious, and the room itself was nice. We stayed one night. The place is quite small, though, and the vibe felt a bit ick. The food was the worst part. It was probably among the worst dinners and breakfasts we've had in Japan. We've been to many ryokans and are open-minded and tolerant of things we don't like, but the food here was cold, not fresh, and seemed old. It was seasoned in a very strange way. An average ready-made bento from a kombini would be 1000 times better. At this price point, there's no excuse.

We visited Shimishima Sou ryokan in May, when it was quiet and serene. It sits by a river, and we loved hearing the water flow. We were pleasantly surprised by the variety and spread at breakfast, so I'd highly recommend paying for it. There's also a nearby foot hotspring, if that's your thing.