Takamiya Ryokan Kuon

We had an outdoor onsen in our room, and the food was good too. A great hotel and a good stay overall.

The food was served buffet-style, but the tatami in the dining room was darkened and didn’t feel clean. Staff and other guests were hurrying back and forth, so it wasn’t a relaxing place to eat. There weren’t many dishes to choose from, and the drinkware felt mismatched. The wine glasses were tiny and cheap-looking, like something from a discount shop. I couldn’t say the meal experience was satisfying. The staff’s manner felt more like service at a casual restaurant than the calm, refined hospitality I expect from a ryokan. There weren’t many types of baths either. Given the poor access and the price, I’m sorry to say I wouldn’t want to stay here again.

We arrived early, and they kindly let us into our room ahead of time. The hot spring was just right and helped us unwind. Service and bathing were both excellent. The food was all tasty, though I wish the menu had been more imaginative and offered a few more side dishes. The sashimi, pork shabu-shabu, and deep-fried sea bream head were fine.

The staff waved us off from the roadside and kept going until our car was out of sight. That was such a touching way to end the stay. Their care was consistent from the front desk through meals and departure, and the explanations were given in both English and Japanese. We stayed in a room with a private onsen and were pleasantly surprised by the free-flow lounge. Breakfast and dinner were both excellent, especially the grilled fish at breakfast. A couple of small things: dinner usually included lots of fruit, the room had only basic hot spring amenities and no skincare products, and there were no hair straighteners in the large public bath. Still, it was a deeply satisfying, restorative stay, with hospitality that felt thoughtful and attentive.