Hinanoyado Chitose

The ryokan is tucked into a wooded, secluded spot, with a pleasant stream running along the road. There are two onsen baths, one outdoors on a balcony and one at ground level. The lower bath is quite small and the water runs hot. The outdoor bath at ground level was a bit dirty.

I had a great time here with three girlfriends. The surrounding scenery is picturesque, and both the food and staff service were excellent. The bath ran a little hot at first, but I got used to it quickly. In the afternoon they have free sale, plus onsen tamago eggs cooked for a long time. The eggs were delicious, with a strange texture in a good way, unlike anything I'd tasted before.

We wanted a quieter snowboarding weekend away from the long-weekend crowds in Nozawa, so four of us drove from Tokyo and stayed two nights in a separate suite. It was a huge apartment, with a kitchen and living room. We booked too late to get meals, but had a great stay and loved the baths. They also run a pizza bar at night. We ate a lot of delicious pizza from the Master's brother, especially the quattro formaggi. The chloride springs here don't have the strong smell of sulfur springs, and after bathing all our skin felt moisturized. The outdoor baths were amazing, and very hot, with a view of snow falling quietly in the morning. Staff were kind and provided excellent service throughout. A friend left things at a nearby restaurant, and the staff took the time to pack them carefully and send them back. We'll come again. The ryokan was so comfortable, we really enjoyed the three-day weekend with friends. Thank you for a wonderful stay.

After riding all those kilometers on my motorcycle trip from Spain to Japan to visit The Black Symbol, staying at Hinanoyado Chitose was exactly what I needed. The mineral-rich onsen eased my muscles and even improved my skin. The kaiseki meals were delicious, beautifully prepared with local ingredients. Ms. Akemi and Mr. Kanzunari were especially warm, and taught me a bit about Japanese culture before I headed back out. A peaceful, kind, traditional stay I won't forget. Highly recommended.