Kishigon Ryokan

The location is convenient, but my wife and I, who visit onsens and spas around the world, couldn't find anything else attractive about this place. It's very old and poorly maintained. At night, the neighbors' toilet flushing woke us up, and the wooden structure kept creaking. At times it sounded as if ghosts were walking around. The shower room looked like something from a paranormal movie, and both the room and robes smelled unpleasant. We had a tatami room, but they didn't set it up during dinner, so the beds were left out the whole time. It was terrible.

We skipped the dinner course and ate at a restaurant a few steps from the ryokan, which was open until 7 pm. Breakfast was excellent, a buffet with Japanese and Western options, lots of choices, and even an omelette station. It was delicious. We booked a western-style twin room. It was spacious enough to fit four beds and still leave room to move around, and the mountain view was unobstructed. There was a shower in the room, but I didn't use it because the ryokan has three onsen facilities. My only small complaint was the pillows. I tried all three baths. The indoor public bath on the 2nd floor was pleasantly hot, but dark and had no view. The public outlook bath on the 6th floor had a view, though it was a bit small. The private "Hototogisu" bath on the 6th floor was the best. I'd suggest going in the afternoon after check-in, before it gets dark. The limit was 45 minutes, which was enough. Each bath had lots of soap, lotion, and skincare options.

The private onsens are well worth their price if you can get a slot. You have to reserve the two premium private baths in advance. I also tried the communal and open-air onsens, and all of them were warm and inviting, with more than adequate bathhouse amenities. The ryokan experience was fantastic, and the staff were extremely kind and accommodating throughout our couple of nights at Kishigon Ryokan. Breakfast each morning was amazing, with a wide range of food. There aren't many shops or restaurants open in town on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so keep that in mind. And getting down means a few hundred steps, with a solid climb back up each time. Be ready for a workout.

There was hardly any water coming from the showerhead in our room, and no hot water at all, so I had to shower in the public bath. The room also had a strange smell.