Mogamiya Ryokan

We'd never stayed at a traditional Japanese hotel before, and my friend and I had a great time. The view from our room was astonishing, but the public bath was the highlight for me. It was so relaxing, definitely give it a try. The building is old, so bring warm underwear if you're visiting in winter. The staff were very kind. Even with the language barrier, we managed to understand each other.

I was traveling alone and felt comfortable and well looked after at this lovely ryokan. The atmosphere was restful, and the hallways and rooms were beautiful. The staff were kind and attentive, too. The bus to Zao Fox Village was full because it was a holiday, so they kindly helped me book a taxi there. They also helped me out when I checked out.

The drive into town is short, but do rent a car if you can. There isn't public transport, and the road down from the mountains on route 457 is stunning, with very little traffic. It seems like an easy place to get used to driving in Japan. I came for a traditional Japanese stay with proper hot spring bathing, and got exactly that. The tatami room was just the right size, though I wasn't sure where to put my suitcase and worried about damaging the soft tatami. Dinner was waiting when I arrived, beautifully arranged. I still feel bad that I hadn't let them know the other guest wasn't coming, since so much care had gone into preparing that food. The staff were pleasant and explained the slippers and onsen customs. I worried that one young man might not like me, but I can't blame him. I was a clueless foreigner who hadn't done enough research, and he saw me with my things all over the room while I repacked. I loved the place. The food was amazing, the hot spring relaxing, and it had that feeling of living like a samurai. I'd stay again in a heartbeat.

Getting there can take a little planning. There are very few buses up to the ryokan, I think just two in the morning and none later. If you arrive on an afternoon shinkansen, ask at the tourist information counter to call a taxi. The ride between the station and ryokan costs about 3300 yen. Once there, we found it quiet and spacious. The property sprawls, so it never felt crowded, and both times I went to the baths in the evening I had them completely to myself. Our futons were comfortable, too. The woman who checked us in spoke great English and helped us each day. We had no trouble communicating, and she could call a taxi whenever we needed one. Breakfast was fantastic on both mornings, served in our own private dining room. We also had dinner there both nights. We only needed to tell them earlier that day, no advance booking, and each meal was served in a private room. There were around 12 dishes each time, all distinctive and delicious, with enough food to fill us up. Dinner was 3300 yen per person, very reasonable. We loved the hospitality and thought it was the perfect spot for a weekend, especially for the price.