Kotohira Kadan — Hotel in Kotohira

We just returned from a quick but memorable trip to Shikoku. We stayed at Kotohira Kadan for our first night since it's conveniently situated to enjoy some of the finest Sanuki Udon noodle restaurants in the area (we chose not to explore Kotohira-gu (aka "Konpira-san") - that will be reserved for a next visit.) While we enjoy modern rooms as much as the next person, we also appreciate traditional architecture, furnishings and decor... and Chouseiden (長生殿), Kotohira Kadan's top room, oozed history and tradition in a way that left us with a lasting impression.||||Chouseiden is one of a handful of stand-alone villas at the ryokan, and was inhabited by the local Lord many years ago. It's also liberally adorned with the art collection of the original owner Kotohira Kadan, including ancient folding screens, sliding doors and hanging scrolls that were produced by famous artists. It's so history-laden that it is bound to creep some people out... I don't think Mrs. KI-NRT would ever choose to live in such a room, but as an "experience" it was well worth the privilege of trying out Chouseiden. It does have the comforts of a modern ryokan/hotel, such as toilets with washlets, fast WiFi and Western-style beds, and boasts 152m² of total living space, which is generous by any definition of a flagship ryokan room. The only drawback was the lack of a private Onsen (natural hot springs) bath in the room - something we've come to expect at top-level ryokans, at least (and especially) in their top rooms. Some of the standard rooms do offer in-room Onsen baths, however, which might tip the scales to the non-villa rooms' favor for some people. As a consolation, Kotohira Kadan offers the use of their private bath (which can be rented out by the hour), and it's free for guests staying at one of the Hanare Villa rooms.||||Food was served in our room, and it was a delight. While it's not the best ryokan meal we've ever had, we appreciated the efforts taken by the kitchen staff to offer seasonal and local dishes that gave us a good taste of Kagawa. In particular, the deep-fried Pike Conger with simmered vegetables doused in a dashi broth was unique and flavorful, as well as the Red Sea Bream Shabu Shabu (Hot Pot.) Breakfast was also varied and bountiful, although nothing really blew us away, which is just as well, since we were planning to go on an Udon tasting expedition beginning later that morning.||||The grounds are not massive, but there's a pretty little pond with some interesting vegetation around it. And the architecture of the Hanare Villas (including Chouseiden) give Kotohira Kadan a real sense of place given its proximity to Kotohira-gu. Keep in mind that the property is quite large when it comes to room count (43 total), so there may be some walking between your room and the main reception and lounge areas (from Chouseiden, you'll need to walk outside for a short distance - fine if the weather is cooperating.)||||Service is not up to the standards set by top luxury ryokans in Japan; it partly has to do with the comparatively high room count, but perhaps the service culture in Kagawa is not as refined as other locales(?) While there was nothing wrong with the staff, their attitude was indifferent overall. They were not particularly proactive (nobody came running out to help us with our bags when we pulled up in the parking lot, for instance), and the pace of meeting requests was leisurely at best.||||Overall, Kotohira Kadan offers a good stay at a reasonable price, and while it's not luxurious or provides the Omotenashi service that finer ryokans in Hakone or Izu are famous for, the uniqueness of the Chouseiden experience made our stay a...

If this experience is representative of onsen ryokans across the country, we will never return to Japan for holidays.

My family and I recently stayed at Kotohira Kadan, a hotel that boasts a 400-year history and positions itself as a luxurious traditional onsen ryokan. Unfortunately, our experience was far from what was promised, leaving us extremely disappointed.

One of the most striking issues encountered during my stay was the noticeable lack of refined guest service and manners. The hotel’s staff composition was predominantly composed of foreign employees, their service, although earnest, noticeably lacked the refined guest service and manners that are integral to the traditional Japanese onsen ryokan experience and neither do they command good English. This was not about their nationality, but rather about maintaining the authentic cultural standards and hospitality that one anticipates in such a historically rich and traditional setting, a standard I've consistently experienced in other ryokans across Japan.

Parking was another major inconvenience. The hotel's car park is awkwardly located. After unloading our luggage, we had to navigate a cumbersome route to park our car and then trek back to the hotel. Upon checkout, this process had to be repeated. Given the logistical constraints, offering valet parking seems like an obvious solution, yet it was not provided.

Compounding this frustration was an incident with the parking space. Despite an available spot at the hotel front, the staff denied us access, reserving it for another group that hadn’t even arrived nor reserved it. It gave us the impression that we were discriminated. After much back-and-forth with the foreign staff, they reluctantly allowed us to use the spot.

The next morning brought further dismay when a hotel van collided with our parked car. While the staff took responsibility and helped tape up our vehicle, the incident was indicative of the inadequate parking facilities and added unnecessary delay to our journey due to police and insurance formalities.

Dining at the hotel was another letdown. The disposable chopsticks provided were of such poor quality and full of splinters that they were a hazard to use. The food, meanwhile, was mediocre and not befitting a hotel of such supposed caliber.

Additionally, the hotel was under renovation, which marred its aesthetics and limited access to the outdoor onsen. The presence of scaffolding everywhere significantly detracted from the expected tranquil onsen experience.

In summary, Kotohira Kadan falls dramatically short of what one would expect from a premium traditional onsen ryokan. From subpar service to logistical nightmares and substandard dining, it was a thoroughly...

Very kind and accommodating staff, from our first email contact until we checked out and said good bye at the train station. ||||We received much helpful advice about which room would best meet our preferences when we wrote and asked about the options. Our room was lovely and large with a great view overlooking the city from floor to ceiling expansive windows.||||Excellent and beautiful meals were presented by our attentive personal servers in a private room. We stayed 3 nights and the chef went out of his way to give us different menus for each meal. Our server told us that most people do not stay so long, and menus are repeated, but the chef enjoyed making special meals for us so we did not have to eat the same thing twice. For each meal we were presented with a written out menu in English and Japanese. The presentation was exquisite and the food was plentiful.||||Daily sweets were left for us in our room along with an information sheet including the weather forecast for the next day.||||The onsen was quite pleasant but it was a long walk from our room. In fact, the expansive property required a lot of walking to get from one area to another. This would be no problem except for the fact that getting to the lobby required a walk out of doors in the cold. Umbrellas are provided next to each exit door just in case. ||||The property is set in a pretty and photographable garden with three Sukiya-zukuri Japanese houses. The walk up the hill to the lobby can be strenuous if you are not used to walking up hills should you decide to take a look around the neighborhood.||||There is a convenient back gateway which leads to a walking trail to Kanamararuza Theater, the old kabuki playhouse, Kotohira-gū, Kotohira Park, and Mount Zozu. Do walk to the inner shrine at the top of the 1368 steps which we have now done on 2 visits to Kotohira. ||||They offer a free shuttle from and to the train station, just let the ryokan desk staff know your arrival and departure time. We informed them by email of our arrival time and the shuttle was at the station for us. ||||We loved it here and would...