Ryori Ryokan Tsurugata

I had no trouble with the shared onsen-style bathroom, since I'd used public onsen in Japan before. It was very clean and cleaned several times a day, and I didn't run into other guests there. The rooms have a sink and toilet, but no private bathroom. The staff were especially kind when I became ill and needed to go to the hospital. They arranged a taxi in the middle of the night and sent well wishes to my room. The gentleman at reception speaks very good English and even German. There were plenty of friendly, helpful staff in general. Dinner came to the room in several delicious courses. The ryokan is luxurious, and the building is in very good shape. I had been warned that having several guests might make it noisy, but I neither saw nor heard the others during my stay.

Dinner was a real culinary experience. I stayed three nights, and each meal was different, served in the room by very sweet ladies. Each started with an appetizer, followed by sashimi and five more courses. The food was beautifully and thoughtfully prepared. The location in the historic district is wonderful, and the staff are courteous and helpful. The onsen was just okay. My Japanese-style room had a private bath, which was nice, but in retrospect I wish I hadn't chosen that room. Sleeping on a futon mat with a beanbag for a pillow was pretty miserable. They offered to move me, but I decided to keep the private bath. Cars can't go right up to the ryokan. You can reserve a parking spot at the sister hotel around the corner, but be sure to ask before you arrive.

The room has tatami flooring and a Japanese futon instead of a bed, while the bathroom is a shared bath with an onsen-style shower. Dinner and breakfast are very good, though both are fully Japanese omakase, with some exotic things, so be prepared for that. It's a classic ryokan in a great location, and a nice place to get the full Japanese experience.

I loved the food, and my large room with a garden was a really relaxing place to stay. The staff were warm and friendly, never stiff or formal. The difficult part was the schedule: like at other ryokan, breakfast was very early, around 6-8am, and checkout was at 10am. I found that pretty stressful.