Yoshidaya Ryokan

I stayed solo at this ryokan for two nights in January 2025. The food was amazing, and the stay was very pleasant. I’ve been to many ryokans in Japan, but this one is by far the most memorable for me.

I had a wonderful time here and made great memories. It was reasonably priced and well located for all the onsens. The staff were warm and kind, and Chigusa was especially lovely. Her English is great, and she was incredibly helpful to a foreign visitor like me. I’d forgotten something important, and she kindly arranged for the bus driver to hand it to the next bus to Yamagata. That saved me a trip back up the mountain, which was really above and beyond. I highly recommend this place for anyone visiting the Zao Onsen area. I’m already looking for a way to come back.

For what we paid, this was a very disappointing stay. The ryokan is poorly maintained and clearly needs renovation. On a freezing night in Zao Onsen, there was no heater in the bathroom, which was completely unacceptable in winter. The toilets are on another level as well, making things extremely inconvenient in the cold.

Terrible experience. We arrived at night and there was no front desk at all. The property’s phone number couldn’t be reached. Even with a late check-in, someone should have been on site. Think twice before staying here.