Gokan no Yu Tsuruya

The views were gorgeous, and the rooms felt cozy and comfortable. The staff were so welcoming and went out of their way to make sure we had what we needed. It was easy to communicate with them, and the whole stay felt warm and relaxing, almost like being at home. I'd definitely come back.

We stayed here in Feb 2025 and would happily return on our next trip. The hotel is right across from the bus station, so even with heavy luggage it was no problem. There are schedules for the ski resort shuttle and for booking the private onsen. Our half-board meals were superb, and the five of us had a large private dining room. The staff were friendly, professional, and polite.

We came as a family of four for a short ski trip from Tokyo. The private van to the ski slopes, with pickup included, ran every 30 minutes, and the hotel is across the road from the bus terminal, so we didn't have to haul our luggage uphill. The staff were warm, respectful, and welcoming. Our ryokan-style room was roomy and comfortable, with its own shower and toilet. Half-board included lots of delicious traditional Japanese food at breakfast and dinner. In January they greeted us with amazake. I don't usually use public onsen, so I loved having one free 50-minute private onsen booking per room each day. The water comes straight from the natural spring, and the sulfur smell is very strong, but it was a great experience. The ryokan is dated but clean. On the lower floor, you can hear the snow-clearing machines quite clearly, so try for a higher floor if you can.

This time we used a private bathroom, and it was excellent. On my day trip before, all four private baths were occupied, so we used the public bath, which has indoor and outdoor pools. The facilities are old but clean, and the staff are super nice. The water is 100% natural hot spring water with no circulation. It looked cloudy green and smelled of hydrogen sulfide. At the spring inflow there was a slight smell of oil and sewage, in a good way. There are six showers for washing.