Ryokan Izutsuya

The baths downstairs are spacious, both indoors and outdoors. The ones on the top floor are smaller, but have a lovely mountain view. This is a very old, traditional Ryokan in a small Onsen town, and while it’s a bit dated, it’s well maintained. The staff all provided good service, and the planned meals were tasty with plenty of variety. It was a very pleasant traditional Ryokan stay.

We stayed at Ryokan Migiwatei Ochikochi in May 2017 and still remember it as a standout, especially for its calm atmosphere and thoughtful service. We booked a sixth-floor room with a private open-air bath and skipped the public onsens. The spacious bath was just right for two, and soaking in the hot spring with the mountains in view felt wonderfully peaceful. The staff were warm, gracious, and attentive throughout. Even after staying at other highly regarded onsen hotels, this one remains special to us.

For our first Ryokan stay, we couldn't have asked for better service, food, or accommodation at Izutsuya. We chose it after researching the area and seeing its high rating on Tabelog, the Japanese version of Yelp. My girlfriend and I were the only guests who didn't speak Japanese, so they paired us with the only two workers who spoke some English: a gentleman at the front desk and Kara, a hostess/server. Kara was especially helpful. She explained how everything worked and walked us through the dinner menu, which was one of the best Japanese Kaisekei dinners we had in Japan. We booked a private in-room onsen bath, so we didn't try the public bath. There’s also a one-drink service each day, with sake, beer, or other drinks. The shuttle between Ebara station and the Ryokan needs to be reserved in advance for both the trip there and the return. Thank you, Izutsuya and Kara, for making it memorable. We hope more English-speaking guests give this place a try. Highly recommend.

The staff were friendly and could speak English, and we had a lot of fun here. There are many onsen pools, which were really nice. Dinner and breakfast were both delicious and filling. This onsen hotel is the best.