Kakimotoya Ryokan

The rooms were spacious, comfortable and clean, with lovely views, and the meals were delicious. Staff were very friendly, though they don't speak much English. Both the open-air hot tub and the shared bath were great, even though the shared bath isn't a hot spring. Getting to or from the nearest train station means taking a taxi.

The food and staff were both great, and our room was clean. The outdoor bath was enormous, with room for two people to soak fully, unless one of them is on the larger side. My one small surprise was that non-alcoholic drinks at dinner cost extra. After paying for such a beautiful meal, 250 for oolong tea felt a little silly. That's about the charge, not the food quality. It's a little tricky to find from the cable car side. At the fork, take the right even if Google makes the left seem more obvious. On the way out, there's a great straight nature trail towards Nara. Google won't guide you along it, but if you zoom in on the hotel in Maps, you can spot the green line leading towards Nara. It's a nice way to finish the trip and head to the deer park.

Dinner and breakfast at Kakimotoya were beautifully prepared, with so many dishes that both meals took us ages to get through. We enjoyed the provided kimonos, plus the onsen bath downstairs and the one on our balcony. The staff were helpful whenever they could be, especially with someone in our group who was allergic to fish. The inn is surrounded by a fantastic area with lots of active temples and history. We nearly missed seeing it because we were so nosy! Bring more than one credit card for payment. My Visa didn't work, and we could only pay with a debit card. Annoying, but at least we had that.

The tatami rooms are lovely and spacious, and there's a bath with a view over the cherry blossoms. They can provide a vegan breakfast if you ask. A monastery just two minutes away on foot is well worth seeing.