Saninyumura Onsen Yusen no Yado Yuamu

Yumura Onsen is a quiet village that’s well worth visiting, with some lovely surprises. At yuam ryokan, I was impressed by the large room, which felt completely renovated and modern. They welcomed me with milk tea, which I loved, and the staff were friendly and attentive. The onsen was better than I expected, especially the outdoor bath in winter, when I stayed. You do need to take a bus to get here if you aren’t driving, but it’s an acceptable distance from hamasaka. I’d definitely recommend coming to experience the onsen and kaiseki ryoli at yuam ryokan.

Good.

Good.

I visited in mid-February, and there was still snow in the parking lot. Several staff members were there and showed me to the elevator, though they couldn’t carry my luggage, so I had to handle it myself. They offer welcome coffee, apple juice, and tea, but only for a limited time, which felt a little short. The staff were all pleasant and welcoming. The inn is clean and the rooms are nice, but the floor, tatami under the bed, and wooden area by the window were cold in midwinter. It was too chilly to sit at the table and enjoy tea, and the space between the bed and table was narrow. There’s only a thin curtain, no threshold door, so it didn’t keep the cold from the window out. The sink area has flooring that felt cold underfoot too. If you feel the cold, bring indoor slippers. The baths alternate between men and women in the morning and evening, and one side was a bit small. Amenities are in the changing room, including cleansing products, though I wish those were in the bathroom itself. The dining area is very clean and has an open kitchen, which I found reassuring. Both the creative kaiseki dinner and breakfast were tasty, but there was no tempura at dinner. I had two pieces of marbled Tajima beef and two pieces of lean meat. The lean meat was tough and not very tasty. It’s a very clean, quiet inn, and most of the guests seemed elderly. I did wonder whether the large public bath would work for my daughter to bring an elderly person who uses a cane and needs assistance. Guest etiquette is a concern too, since people sometimes defecate in the bathtub, even though many families may think their parents are fine.