Tabi no Yado, Saikawa

Ranko made us feel at home and did everything she could to make the stay worthwhile. The cozy rooms have a lovely old-school Japanese home feel. The location is quite remote, so you’ll definitely need a car to get around, though there are great places to explore Japan’s rural side. Taxis are reasonably priced if you share with a group, and nearby sights include Hirosaki Castle and Aomori. Ranko is the best, and was always ready to help :)

After 47 days in Japan and 27 hotels, including several ryokans, this was easily my favorite. I’d happily spend a whole month here and definitely plan to return. Tabinoyado Saikawa is a fourth-generation onsen ryokan in a lovely mountain setting, conveniently near the Towada lake area, Aomori, and Hirosaki. The decor inside is lovely, and the bar is among the best designed and decorated we enjoyed in Japan. Rooms are large, with thick, comfortable bed mats. They brought us apple juice each day, along with ice water and tea. The onsen is large and luxurious, with genuinely hot spring water piped straight from the mountain and rich in minerals. Ranko-San, the fourth-generation owner-operator, runs the business with her lovely parents and niece, who is a talented artist. Her father has tended a blueberry farm for 20 years, supplying fresh berries for breakfast and the incredible blueberry sour at the bar. Breakfast and dinner were both fantastic, with fresh, delicious food and wonderful service. Ranko-San is also an experienced hair stylist who worked in NY city and once cut hair for a VOGUE shoot. She runs a salon and gave me a top-notch haircut. She also arranged an on-site shiatsu massage from a local vendor. She seems to know the locals well and offered recommendations for each day’s activities and local vendors for anything we needed. Stay as many nights as you can spare, you won’t regret it. Thank you, Ranko-San and family, for the wonderful stay!

I only stayed one night at this family-run ryokan, and enjoyed it so much that I wish I’d booked longer. Ranko-san was incredibly kind and welcoming, and the lovely room right beside the river added to the peaceful atmosphere. The onsen felt authentic and was wonderfully relaxing. I had breakfast but not dinner, and it was perfect, delicious, and so plentiful that I ate every last bit. I especially liked the local egg and shaved-fish specialty, as well as the soy yogurt served with blueberries from Ranko-san’s father’s farm. Such a thoughtful local touch. I’ll have to return for dinner next time. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a special, memorable stay.

Dietary restrictions were handled really well here, something I haven't found at most large ryokans. Tabi-no-yado Saikawa has adorable decor and feels so homey. Such an amazing ryokan in this sleepy little town.