Kiriya Ryokan

The walk to the ski-run escalator is lovely, and the location right by it is excellent. Nozana is beautiful and full of history and culture. The onsen was much more enjoyable than the in-room bath and shower, though we appreciated having a dunny in our traditional Japanese room. The futons weren't for me. Next time, I'd want a Western bed. In my opinion, they're better suited to older Japanese guests and Western uni students. The biggest strength here is the family-run atmosphere. Ko, her family, and the cats were warm, wonderful, and very helpful. They were also kind and understanding with children. Our kids, aged 3 and 8, loved it. The facilities do show their age, though. The place had its heyday in the 80s, and it seems the wish to invest in upkeep may be spread thin among the many stakeholders, especially with so many Aussies, us included, willing to stay at the Ryokan as it is. I hope we can return. Parking was easy, but don't trust maps on the drive in. If it looks like you shouldn't drive up a road, you shouldn't. I'm writing a year after our visit, as we're going to Furano in Hokkaido this year instead. I'll miss Kyrie, Ko, the cats, and Nozana. Hopefully next time we'll spend time with Ko at Kyrua again. Ko, thanks for mailing us the camera we left behind. You saved our digital memories and the camera itself.

The room was clean and roomy, breakfast was good, and the people were friendly and helpful. It's very close to the ski resort, and the cats are lovely. I'd definitely come back next time.

The staff made us feel incredibly welcome and were so helpful. The cats are adorable, each with their own personality. I'll be back soon.

Ko's hospitality is the reason I'd choose Kiriya Ryokan again when I return to Nozawa Onsen. I remember finding it ranked No.1 on Trip Advisor when I searched. It seemed popular with international visitors, and most of the guests I saw were non-Japanese. My child loved playing with the cats and wants to come back for them. We also had the games room to ourselves during our stay. It has a few card games and other toys, and I didn't see anyone else using it. Our corner room was comfortable. The one drawback for me was that the bathroom and onsen felt old and somewhat mouldy. As can happen in older buildings, there were some plumbing or leakage problems at times. They were fixed during the day and didn't affect us much. Ko is busy and gets a lot of emails, so once you arrive, it's a good idea to speak with her and double check arrangements. Kiriya Ryokan isn't the most expensive or luxurious ryokan in Nozawa Onsen, but we had a very pleasant stay. The cats and Ko's wonderful hospitality would bring me back.