Taisetsuzan Shirogane Kanko Hotel

The traditional Japanese-style rooms are a little dated, though clean and comfortable. Dinner was a nicely prepared kaiseki meal made with local ingredients. What makes the stay special is the setting in nature, right beside Shirahige Falls, where you can walk over and take in the scenery. The mineral-rich onsen has a slight sulfur smell and feels soothing, and the outdoor bath is especially restorative in winter. A quiet onsen stay in Biei with this kind of natural setting is worth considering.

The food was a real highlight, a delicious gastronomical adventure. I don’t get why this place has so many negative reviews; it’s a hidden gem and seriously underrated. The waterfall is only ten steps away. The rooms have a nice retro feel, and the outdoor onsen was peaceful and relaxing. The staff were kind and friendly too.

The buffet was the best part: lots of choice, delicious food, well prepared, and very nice canteen staff. The onsen was good, quiet, and had everything we needed. The location is great, right beside the waterfall, and the hotel has a free shuttle to the pond’s light illumination. Our driver was lovely. We had a clean twin room, but the heater smelled like something burning whenever it was running. We told the receptionist, who didn’t seem concerned. The bathroom had only one soap, and other amenities had to be rented at reception for 100 yen, unless you used the onsen bathing area, where they were free. The reception staff were lovely apart from the old man, who didn’t seem helpful when we asked to leave our luggage at the front for 15 minutes while we cleared snow off the car. Also, the cleaner came at 9:50 am even though checkout was at 10.

They upgraded us from a regular room to a Ryokan, which was spacious, quiet, clean, and had a lovely view. The outdoor onsen was especially impressive, with the bridge, river, sky, and mountains all in sight. The amenities were very good, and the team gave us amazing service.