Ryokan Okayama

The public onsens were separated for men and women, and the owner told us the white specks floating in the water were onsen minerals. It was around 43 degrees, hotter than onsens elsewhere, so our kid couldn't enjoy it. There was also a private onsen for about ¥1000 extra, though it was too small. We found the ryokan comfortable, with a roomy, very comfortable room and a good breakfast. You could choose Japanese or Western food, with two breakfast times, and both were good. We regretted not booking dinner before we arrived, since it was fully booked during peak season. The location worked well for us, about a two-minute drive from the Main Street. Akakura Kanko and Akakura Onsen were the closest ski areas.

The room was great and the Onsen was lovely and hot, but we were disappointed with the rest of the stay for the price. We came Jan 4th-6th expecting this to be our splurge hotel. When we arrived on Jan 4th, right at the end of the New Year's holiday, a note at the counter said the chef had taken the night off, so there'd be no dinner. I later found out dinner is only served Monday/Wednesday/Friday during the week, which meant we didn't get dinner either night. I wish the front desk had apologized and taken the dinners off our bill, but nobody mentioned it and things carried on as usual. Lots of little things came with separate charges: lobby coffee, laundry and detergent, the vending machine, booking the private onsen, and even a two-minute shuttle into town. Each cost only a few dollars, but together they made the place feel transactional. The shuttle driver even told us, “this is free,” then the charge appeared on our bill. I'm writing this because I wish I'd checked more carefully which nights dinner was actually served and what we'd be paying for.

The staff were so lovely, and the food was great. Everything was beautifully clean and the location was amazing. That onsen is HOT! We'll definitely be back next year.

The onsen was amazing, and the whole team was so friendly. This is a beautiful, clean, traditional Japanese Ryokan house, and staying there felt comfortable, almost like being at home. Breakfast came with lots of care and love, and it changed a little each day. One of the ladies spoke English, which was really helpful when we needed it.