Momiji-ya Annex Kawa-no-iori

The atmosphere here is calm, with guests mostly keeping to themselves and noise kept low. It made for a distinctive, relaxing way to experience Japanese culture. We stayed in a room with a private onsen, which was spacious enough, and the staff laid out the tatami bed while we were at dinner. We were welcomed with a small green tea ceremony and clear instructions. The public onsen was very clean, and its instructions were easy to follow. We loved the shabu-shabu dinner. If you don't drink alcohol, the drink choices are limited, so you might want to bring something in. Breakfast was a traditional Japanese meal of salad, bento box, miso soup, tofu, and green tea. The staff were attentive from the moment we arrived. When we left, they carried our bags to the road, and a shuttle offered several drop-off options. I'd recommend it if you want to experience Japanese tradition, take a quiet break in a busy Japan trip, and are open to a way of life quite different from modern routines. We're two married women and were treated respectfully with no issues, so I'd recommend it to LGBTQ people too.

Our first onsen ryokan stay, and we really enjoyed it. The ryokan sits in the mountains and feels quite secluded, though they run two shuttle buses for pickup and drop-off. It's a good place to slow down if you're after somewhere remote. The staff were super friendly, and we booked a room with an open-air bath plus breakfast and dinner. It was definitely worth it to be able to use the onsen in our own room whenever we wanted. I'd suggest staying at least two nights. There are a couple of shrines within walking distance, so a day of shrine and cafe hopping works well while you're staying at the ryokan.

We were there for one night and had a great time. The service was unbelievable, really. The private bath was wonderful, and the nature all around us felt very relaxing. We didn't enjoy the food that much, especially breakfast, though that's mostly because we have a more Western breakfast taste. Prices were a bit high, but I can accept that for the service we got.

It was a lovely night, and I only wish we'd had more time. The staff were warm and accommodating, and both dinner and breakfast felt thoughtfully put together. You can choose dinner at 6 or 6:30pm, breakfast at 8 or 8:30am, and a shuttle at 9:10 or 10:10. The room and outdoor bath had temperature controls. While we ate dinner, staff set out our sleeping futon, then put it away while we were at breakfast. We'll plan a longer stay next time we're in Japan.