Tsuki no Shizuku Ryokan

The place is really spacious and the service is great. My favorite part was having a private outdoor onsen, where I could just enjoy some peace and my own space.

The stay itself was very pleasant, and we enjoyed it a lot. The two older and younger gentlemen who checked us in were especially warm. Still, the checkout charge left a sour taste. We checked out at 10:32, and at 10:34 were charged 4,000 JPY for two people staying two nights. They said it was for 15 minutes of lateness, but that amount for 15 minutes didn’t feel fair. The 10:00 checkout was already strict, and the guest information sheet hadn’t mentioned a fine. I know late checkout isn’t generally welcomed in Japan, and I would have thought 2,000 JPY was more than enough. Could checkout instead be a more guest-friendly 11:00 for people who don’t keep such an early sleep and wake schedule? The towels in the room were thin, even though heavier premium towels would be better there. Those same thin towels are also used at the onsen around Kinosaki. Luggage storage is offered somewhat reluctantly until noon; after that, each piece can be sent to the tourist information centre for 200 JPY.

The location made it easy to get around town, reach the onsens and catch the train, but it was quiet at night since it’s a little away from the busiest area. The rooms were comfortable and the service was top notch. Yukata, shoes, baskets and onsen passes were provided, and you can buy water, juice and other drinks there, which is useful since you can get dehydrated. We had a peaceful, good-value one-night stay and managed to visit all the onsens we wanted before checkout the next morning. Dinner was crab and shabu shabu, with cooked crab, crab sashimi, hot pot beef and several sides brought to our room at 6 pm. They need about 20 minutes to prepare it, so be in your room ahead of time. Breakfast was great too, served at 8 or 8:30 with fish, tofu, salad, rice and other sides. We’d stay again.

The main drawback is getting there from the main street: it’s a few minutes on foot, and all uphill. I came by train, and the Kinosaki tourism association had a shuttle ready for each arriving train. Tell them your reserved Ryokan and they’ll take you to the nearest junction, then there’s about a minute’s uphill walk. I arrived at 4 pm, after the 3 pm check-in, and was still greeted with a smile. The young receptionist and room server were energetic, polite, spoke English, and answered my questions well. This is one of the few Kinosaki onsen Ryokan that lets solo travelers book with both dinner and breakfast. The price was reasonable, and I booked through the official site. You can pick your dinner there, and it was generally cheaper than third-party sites. I chose an extra crab set and it was more crab than I could handle, haha. Crab sashimi might not suit every foreigner’s taste, so look into it beforehand. They provide a yukata, small and large towels, and an onsen pass. The small towel is for washing at the shower and hot spring, and the big one is for drying off. The pass works all day and until 3 pm the next day, so you can visit Kinosaki’s seven public onsens. There’s no curfew, so you can head out after dinner. The ryokan also has a shared onsen bathroom on the first floor and two private, first-come-first-served onsen bathrooms on the second. I didn’t try them because I was busy visiting the outdoor public baths. Dinner is served in your room at 6 pm and ends at 8 pm, so be ready. My meal took an hour and a half, and starting late could make it hard to finish. Outside food and drinks aren’t allowed, especially during dinner, which I think is common at traditional ryokan. There may be a penalty if you’re caught. You can choose breakfast at 8 or 8:30, and there’s time for a morning onsen first. I really enjoyed the traditional Japanese meal of grilled fish, boiled tofu, rice and small dishes. Before leaving the ryokan, lock your room and leave the key at the front desk so they can prepare your meal and set your bed. Pick it up again when you return. Checkout is before 10 am, and the ryokan runs a shuttle van to the station before then, but you need to reserve it at the front desk. My stay was comfortable overall. English service was a pleasant surprise, and the staff guided me well. The onsen pass, yukata and towels made it easy to enjoy the baths.