Okunikko Hotel Shikisai

We were quite satisfied with our stay. The only real letdown was the onsen, which felt average, with one indoor bath and one outdoor bath. The ryokan itself was clean and comfortable. Our simple room was very clean, with a beautiful view, and in the morning we could see a lake in the distance. The lobby has hot water, coffee, tea, and even complimentary hot wine for guests to prepare themselves. Check-in and check-out are self-service, as is the small shop: take what you need and pay on your own.

We had dinner and breakfast during our one-night stay, and both were delicious. There were good options for the children, who also loved the soft drinks and cookies. The free all-you-can-drink bar from 3pm to 7pm was a very welcome surprise. The staff were all so kind and helpful. Our spacious, clean room had a wonderful view, and the kids loved the bath on the terrace. We saw a badger and a monkey from there. A woman at the onsen said she’d seen deer walk past while she was bathing the night before. The onsen uses genuine hot spring water. We were a family of four plus Grandma, and I’d love to return. The only issue I can think of was some dark streaking on our ceiling that looked like dust buildup or mold. Next time, we’ll choose a different type of room.

Dinner service was poor. The staff rushed through the courses and brought each new one before we had enough time to finish the last. That’s an unusual kind of bad experience at a Japanese onsen hotel. The food itself was fine, though. The hotel looks old but has been refurbished. Our room was clean and fine, the lobby lounge was comfortable, and the complimentary beverage bar had plenty of choices.

The onsen was outstanding, easily the best we had on the trip: authentic, relaxing, and perfectly hot. The second night’s dinner was also much better, with featured crab. At the entrance, they had free star-gazing equipment, telescopes or an observatory setup, which was a thoughtful touch. We skipped it because it was -10°C. But for about HKD 2,500 a night, roughly ¥50,000, we expected a premium onsen ryokan with warm omotenashi. Instead, this was a mostly unmanned modern “smart” hotel. That may suit someone who wants total privacy, but it felt like very little service for a luxury price. Check-in was entirely by iPad, with no greeting beyond someone pointing out the room and restaurant. We got no orientation or facility guide, and had to explore everything ourselves after dinner. Nobody explained the welcome, helped with yukata, or offered assistance. The corridors were freezing, with no heating, which made walking to and from the onsen miserable, especially when we were wet. Our luggage stayed at reception, where we spotted just one staff member, with no porter or room delivery. The first night’s dinner was mediocre and didn’t match the price. The QR code for room charges at the cashierless gift shop kept failing, and we had to pay contactless out of pocket with no one available to fix it. There was no room phone. If the heating or AC failed, or there was an emergency, we’d have no direct way to call for help except our mobiles. The lack of human contact made the stay impersonal and frustrating. No one was there to troubleshoot or answer questions, and there was none of the traditional Japanese service we expected. It felt like paying a premium for a self-catering lodge. The excellent onsen partly made up for it, but anyone who values hospitality, personal attention, or reliable help, especially somewhere remote and cold, should choose a properly staffed ryokan nearby. At around ¥50,000 a night, it wasn’t worth it for us. I’d only recommend it to someone focused on privacy and traveling on a budget, though the price doesn’t really fit that either.