Hanafubuki

The location is wonderfully quiet, surrounded by nature and other ryokan, and it felt so peaceful and restful. At check-in, there was a tea ceremony and a touch of aroma oil, then a full tour of the property. All the onsens stay open 24/7, which made a nighttime visit feel especially romantic. Our friends had recommended Hanafubuki and said they were amazed by it. Now I see why. I expected a nice traditional ryokan, but it felt like paradise. There are nine different private onsen, spacious Japanese-style rooms, and incredible meals. The staff were so kind and attentive, really doing everything they could to make the stay perfect. The traditional dinner and breakfast completely blew me away, easily Michelin level. I've attached a picture of our breakfast.

We came away feeling completely relaxed and already want to return. The ryokan is close to the coast, so it’s easy to get to the local trails. Its grounds and rooms are even lovelier than the pictures suggest, and the meals were fresh and incredible. The private onsens were lovely, though very hot. Above all, the staff were so warm and friendly, always doing what they could to make us comfortable.

The area around the inn was wonderfully peaceful, and soaking in the very hot onsens was relaxing. We also loved the food courses as a chance to try and learn about local dishes. Everyone was kind and welcoming, with a real eye for service, which made this a lovely pause after a few days in Tokyo. One small drawback: you have to use the showers at the Onsen, though it worked out fine. The coastal hiking trail was beautiful, with a few fishing spots along the way, and we’d recommend it.

The food was a big disappointment. The rice was overcooked, and the fish seemed only medium quality. The next morning, I could still taste one of the sashimi dishes from the night before. When we asked for two children’s meals because my teenage sons had skipped some of the dishes, the server brought a portion that would have been for one person in Europe. One of my sons went without dinner because she wouldn’t bring another. At breakfast, the food itself was good and the tea was great, but we had to ask several times for bread, and pay a small extra amount for a little more yogurt. A small buffet for extra items would have helped. I often felt staff weren’t happy when we asked for things, though some of the non-Japanese staff seemed more open to helping. The facilities also felt neglected and dated, with many things seemingly from the 1980s. The bedroom and a small upstairs study had heating, but the bathroom and shared area were cold. We were near 603, where the baths are outdoors. In December that was basically useless, and the doors that should have closed on one of them were broken. I also don’t understand why robes weren’t provided for using the outdoor baths in the cold. We tried an indoor onsen too, and it was okay, but again, a lot looked old. For the price, in 2025 I expected more. A major renovation, a much better kitchen, and fixes to obvious problems might help the ryokan regain its former standing, but I’d strongly tell friends to avoid it as things are. We’d booked a day stay after our tour operator suggested the place, but I wasn’t convinced. It was raining constantly when we arrived with our children. We were abruptly told check-in was only at 3 pm, then another staff member saw how wet we were and said we could come back at 1:30. In December the town was nearly dead, it didn’t stop raining, and there was nothing to do. The ryokan is also very dated, and needs updating.