Marucho Ryokan

I stayed over New Year's Day and felt at ease right from the owner's very polite greeting. From my room, I had a great view of the crab bath along the Seri River. The owner makes all the kaiseki meals by hand. Since it was New Year's Day, osechi dishes were served throughout the day, and everything tasted gentle and delicious. The carbonated hot spring is heated but still feels lukewarm. A long soak warmed me right through, which was great for my bad back. It was so good that I'll definitely return.

It's a historic riverside inn in Nagayu Onsen called Marunaga Ryokan, with only six rooms. The inn and baths were wonderful, and we could relax in the highly concentrated carbonated spring water across three private baths, large, medium, and small. The food was delicious, especially the fried flounder, and the staff were incredibly helpful. I'd like to visit again. Thank you so much for your hospitality!

There are three private hot springs at this inn, so you can use one when it's available. The water is a little warm, which is great for soaking a long time, and my skin feels so smooth! There's an open-air bath by the river too, and foot baths are recommended in winter. From our room, the river looked wide, though not especially high. At night the streetlights shimmered on the surface under the moon. Upstairs there's a book room, and the heated floors are such a welcome touch. The owner is the chef. It's been a while since I found an inn this delicious, clean, and truly Japanese. ✨️

Dinner and breakfast were carefully made and delicious. I also got to relax in the private hot spring without worrying about anyone else. I stayed one night in a second-floor room facing the river and crab bath. The hallway has tatami flooring, so I couldn't hear other guests' footsteps and it was quiet. The sliding door made some noticeable noise at night, though, perhaps because of the type of door used to enter and leave the room.