Sounkyo Kanko Hotel

The onsen was the best part, beautiful and relaxing, and we appreciated that it was tattoo-friendly. The hotel is close to the river and bridge, and around a 10-minute walk from the ropeway. We spent two days in a traditional Japanese-style room. The building is a little old, so it may not suit anyone wanting somewhere modern or fancy. We had to set up our own bedding, which was a new experience for us, and cleanliness could be better, though it was manageable. Dinner was a buffet with a set time slot, such as 7:30 p.m., and you need to arrive on time because the food is served during that window. Communicating with staff was a bit difficult because they didn’t speak English. It also took a while to settle the bill the night before we left, which was frustrating.

The outdoor onsen was our favorite part. We’d never experienced men and women bathing together before, with clothing provided by the hotel. The view was lovely in the early autumn air. We stayed two nights in a fairly spacious room with a nice view and a comfortable bed. The breakfast and dinner buffets were tasty, though there were quite a lot of guests. Staff were nice, and although we had a reservation problem, it worked out in the end. We enjoyed our stay a lot.

We paid 1000 yen per adult for onsen use, with towels available for an extra 600 yen. We only used the outdoor baths, which are mixed gender, and swimsuits are required. They’re provided free downstairs by the onsen. The baths are very large, and the temperature was around 42-45 Celsius, comfortable for us. We’d read complaints about a sulfur smell, but it was very mild and acceptable for this kind of bath. The water seemed fairly clean. Since it’s outdoors, expect the occasional insect. There’s a free coffee bean machine in the lobby that’s worth trying. We had a good experience.

For 3885 yens, the dinner buffet was really nice, and the onsens were great. Things are a little dated, but at that price it felt perfect.