Kikunoyu — Hotel in Matsumoto

We stayed at this Ryokan for two nights - wished it had been three! At Asama Onsen. It was one of the more pricey Ryokans. It was approximately 20 minutes outside of Matsumoto and we travelled there easily on the local bus.||||The Ryokan itself is quite old but was very clean and well presented. The staff had limited English but this just added to the feeling of being somewhere far removed from home. We were welcomed and served by staff wearing traditional clothing and with such reverence. ||||The Onsen is segregated by sex and alternated. ||||Our dinner was served at a traditional table/chairs in our room - several beautifully presented courses. My daughter had a Western style meal which was extremely generous in proportion and yet quaintly Japanese in its content. My meal was very traditionally Japanese and arrived freshly prepared and beautifully served. ||||At night our room was turned into a bedroom on the traditional titami mats. The table was moved and our beautiful traditional beds were laid neatly on the floor. After the Onsen, it was one of the most relaxing nights sleep we had!||||This Ryokan is very quiet and there's nothing much more to do than soak up the atmosphere, wander the hilly streets and enjoy the truly Japanese feel of the accommodation and staff.||||The only problem I encountered was in trying to use the mini bar which had a strange system whereby once you removed a bottle, a metal plate filled the space so the product could not be replaced where it was stored. This made selection an interesting and amusing experience as I had absolutely no idea what the labels meant! ||||Of note was the fireplace, warm and welcoming and the Kimono style wraps and traditional footwear provided for wear during our stay.||||Our room had an ensuite which was a traditional Japanese style hip bath and wet area with shower head, timber stool etc.||||We left feeling...

What a hidden jem! We stayed there for two days. The place is located just 15 min drive from the Matsumoto station. We went to many Ryokans but always returned to this place. Why? First when you arrive and see the front door, you can tell that this is a real traditional Japanese ryokan. Thick hinoki (Japanese cypress) pillars and beautiful trees. When you enter the ryokan, the reception area is cozy with lots of Japanese antiques. We found everyone to be very friendly and the service was warm and attentive. (They told us that there are 14 rooms there but they don’t fill all rooms because they want to take great care of all guests.) How about the onsen? Well, water quality is top-notch. Once you sink yourself in the onsen, you feel your skin get smoother (according to my wife) and the water temperature is right on. Not hot, not warm. Just the right temperature. Food? OMG! They used seasonal ingredients and beautifully dished up on plates (kaiseki). It was a full course meal and every single plate was attention-to-detail meal. Also the ryokan was very clean and well maintained. If you are looking for a traditional, peaceful, and cozy ryokan, this is it. No need to...

We stayed at Kikunoyu more than 10 years ago and my children loved the place. I was happy to find that my experience (with friends this time) was just as enjoyable as I remembered. The ryokan is located a ways from the center of town, which is both good and bad. It's a taxi ride or a walk to sights such as Matsumoto Castle. On the other hand, the distance from the center of town contributes to the feeling of relaxation and retreat that the ryokan nurtures. The staff was warm and welcoming. The onsens were small but lovely and I usually had the bath to myself. The food was very good and beautifully presented. My son had been planning to join me at the ryokan and was able to make it to one dinner but had to cancel the rest at the last minute due to work. Even though I was not entitled to the refund (and I told them that I was aware of the cancellation policy and was ready to pay the full amount), they still gave me a discount, which I did not expect. I would not call this a luxury ryokan but it is a wonderful traditional ryokan in the best sense...