Tobaya Ryokan

Even with our very restricted diet, they went out of their way to prepare a sumptuous, special breakfast, then kindly drove us to the station when we needed to be there. This is a sweet old ryokan run by a very kind family. It's conveniently located for reaching town and the Castle grounds. The bath was clean and very nice, the room was spacious, and the price was very reasonable.

The owner was very obliging and drove us to the train station. There's a pretty garden, and the onsen is nice.

We had lovely breakfasts and dinners, and the hosts were very gracious. The room was big, with aircon heating that we needed in mid-winter, and good free wifi. There's also a nice hot bath that we used several times to warm up. Hikone Castle is a 15-20 minute wander away, with a 7-eleven and a number of restaurants nearby. It's a 20-30 minute walk from the station, the only downside, though the hosts will gladly take you back if they're not too busy. It's cash only. At around AUD140 a night for two, including meals, for four nights, it was a great place to stay in Hikone. Highly recommended for a relaxing stop. 👍👍

It was nice to spend a night in a quiet neighborhood away from the big cities. The rooms are huge, and you won't find anything that size for that price in Tokyo or Kyoto. The bath is great, though shared. Staff were very friendly and tremendously helpful, even giving us a lift to the station. Hikone Castle is within walking distance.