Kawaichiya Ryokan

The women’s outdoor general onsen was lovely, and we enjoyed the breakfasts and the multi-course dinner, which included raw horse sashimi. Our spacious room, 222, had a nice in-suite onsen, and the beautiful general onsen and whimsical water around the property gave the place a Spirited Away feel. We got lucky with record snowfall throughout our stay, which added to the magic. The staff were courteous and helpful. It’s about a 15 minute hike to the other side of town, where the tram for more advanced terrain is. We left our snowboards in lockers near the tram so we didn’t have to carry them back and forth from the ryokan, and would highly recommend that. The place is still fairly central, with lots of tasty food and convenient stores nearby. We had a magical time and hope to return someday ✨

Inside, the hotel is much larger than it looks from outside, spreading across east and west wings with three floors each. The decor is beautiful, the beds are comfortable, and capsule coffee machines are standard. Rooms are fairly large, depending on whether you choose one with a private or public onsen. The public onsen is fairly standard, while the private one looks out toward beautiful snowy hills. It’s a posh hotel with both public and private onsen. The restaurant serves hotel guests only, and the food was average. The location is remote, which is nice if you want to get away from it all. A small compact car is best for the narrow roads and steep hill.

I loved this ryokan so much, it was my favorite experience. I was there solo for a quick snowboard session and only stayed one night, which felt far too short. The food was great, both dinner and breakfast. I almost kept this place to myself as a little secret, but I hope they do well, so here I am leaving a review. I really wish I could come back for a longer stay!

We used the public onsen every day, and enjoyed a great breakfast and a fantastic dinner on the one night we ate at the hotel. Our room, 301, was spacious and clean, with tasteful decor throughout the hotel. The staff were lovely. It’s only a three minute walk to the village centre and restaurants, and less than ten minutes to Yu Road. Having a dedicated car park was handy too. We had a wonderful stay.