Nakaya Ryokan — Hotel in Honshu

I really enjoyed this Ryokan - the food was wonderful and the staff were sone of the friendliest and most helpful I've ever met at a Ryokan. I think this place is especially baby friendly, there were separate play areas and other options for families. The indoor onsen were nice, but my favourite are always the outside onsen. The only problem here is that in order to create private outside onsen they built a structure the middle of the Ryokan to elevate the baths. Also, the outdoor baths Dont have their own showers ( I don't trust everyone to wash properly before hopping in the water). As a result a lot of the rooms have no view really, just this structure. However, the positives are how welcoming this place is and how comfortable I felt there. Dinner was served in our room, and I like that when we had finished we could call for dessert and later leave our dishes on stands outside the door. You can help yourself to tea, drinks and cold water at a kitchen area, and the rooms were clean and...

Great deal booked the day before, so it felt like great value. Especially with the in room dinner. The grilled fish on a stick was a highlight. Salty, crispy, but not too dry. Breakfast was a simpler Japanese style buffet but still good selection. There are three onsen choices: full private indoor that you pay extra for, public indoor (I think really public, almost like a sento), and then the outdoor which is private in the evening and bookable for no extra fee, and shared in the morning. Curiously there is no wash station for the outdoor baths, which are also raised up to the third floor on a steel structure, presumably for a view.

The Ryokan felt like it had been renovated in the last few years and the tatami room was basic but clean and in good repair.

It came across as kid friendly as well...

Had a great few nights staying at this quiet and relaxed ryokan in the mountains near Minakami! Accessible by bus or train from Minakami (5min ride), this is a hidden gem perfect as a base to explore the local area. Food was top notch, the onsen facilities are great (including rooftop!) and the rooms were spacious - the whole place is very family friendly. The kind and attentive staff helped us book a rafting tour and even gave us onigiri-making equipment so we could pack a snack using the leftover rice from dinner. Will definitely come back and...