Hoshidekan

The only thing I didn’t like was the pillow, it was small and uncomfortable. Otherwise, this was a lovely, peaceful ryokan, very clean and with a zen feel that made me think of a Ghibli film. It’s about a 7-minute walk from the station, and the staff were polite and made up the room each day. The bathroom is shared, but it was clean, and during my two-night stay I never had to wait.

Hoshidekan made my first ryokan stay a wonderful experience. It’s around 90 years old, charming and very clean, and there’s a lovely water-well “chimney.” The two housekeepers did a marvelous job looking after the place. The rooms are private, while the bathrooms are shared: there are two private onsen rooms, one shower room, and separate men’s and women’s toilets. Mornings can get a little hectic, so ask the housekeeper if you need anything. We had him book taxis for both mornings, and they arrived on time. It can also be a bit noisy at night. Ear muffs are provided, but I found them uncomfortable, so I’d recommend bringing your own earplugs. It’s about a 10-minute walk from Iseshi station, which was painful with one large and one small suitcase. That was why I gave it 4.5 stars.

The staff were nice, and the service was good. The old-style building was clean, but there were no meals. Sound carried into the room, so people talking or walking around could make it a bit noisy.

The downsides were the thin, hard futons, mosquitoes buzzing around in the room at night that were hard to get rid of, and a very cramped upstairs men’s bathroom where I couldn’t fit my knees comfortably. Still, Hoshidenkan is a lovely little building, about 90 years old, with friendly staff and quaint rooms that have a mini fridge, TV and aircon. There’s a nice family bathing room, a lounge, free WiFi, a computer to use, and a Japanese garden in the middle. It’s within reach of both train stations, with some decent places to eat nearby.