Nishimuraya Honkan
Kinosaki Onsen, 2.5 hours by train from Kyoto, is one of the most famous onsen towns in Japan. It is the only onsen town we’ve been in so far where it’s definitely acceptable and common to walk around town in a Yukata, and the hotels and Ryokans provide ones that are warm enough to do […]
Hiiragiya
Rai-Sha-Nyo-Ki“It is our wish that arriving guests feel as if they are coming home.” – These words, written by the scholar Seisai Shigeno (1827-1910), appear in a calligraphy displayed at the entrance to Hiiragiya since the Edo period. Established in 1818, and opened as a Ryokan in 1861, Hiiragiya was named after the hiiragi – […]
Oni no Sumika
Located in Shuzenji Onsen, the first Onsen town we visited and at the time of writing – still the best. Oni no Sumika offers a welcome combination of both traditional rooms, and rooms that are still traditional but with “western beds”, for an easier lift off bed in the morning. All rooms have their own […]
Nipponia Iga Ueno
Iga Ueno, famous for the Iga Ninja and the feudal castle first built in 1585, is a quiet town 2 hours by train from Kyoto, or 1 hour from Nara. The ninja museum is next to the castle, and its a must-go even for adults – the guided tour of the ninja house and the […]
Asaba Ryokan
Shuzenji Onsen is a hotspring town within the Izu peninsula, Shizuoka prefecture – a 2.5 hours drive from Tokyo, or 1.5 hours by train. The town is scenic, with traditional wooden buildings, and a precious river crossed at several points by iconic red bridges. Within this setting, Asaba Ryokan sits with its front to the […]
