Honkan, Sekizen-kan — Hotel in Nakanojo

Sekizenkan Kashoutei is a fascinating ryokan that beautifully juxtaposes the old and the new, creating a unique atmosphere during your stay. The historic parts of the building, with their charming age and character, tell a story of times gone by, while the newer sections offer modern luxury that contrasts nicely with the traditional elements.

Our room was absolutely beautiful, featuring a somewhat modern design while still embracing the old-school tradition of sleeping on tatami mats. The gorgeous sprawling windows offered stunning views of tree branches and the famous red bridge associated with "Spirited Away," which added to the magical ambiance of our stay. It's worth noting that this ryokan served as inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved film, making the experience feel even more special.

However, my experience was somewhat marred by the fact that Sekizenkan Kashoutei is not tattoo-friendly, which was a significant letdown. As a traveler with tattoos, I felt discriminated against, and it was disheartening to be made to feel unwelcome due to cultural norms. I understand the cultural context, but it still impacted my enjoyment of the stay. Fortunately, the ryokan does offer private onsen options, and we were able to book one for a fee. This turned out to be a romantic and lovely experience, and we were also lucky to have access to the first-come, first-served private onsen without any issues.

One aspect that raised concern was our room, which lacked a shower or bath of any kind. We worried that we might not have access to the first-come, first-served bath in the morning, but thankfully, we were able to use it without issue, which alleviated some of our concerns.

Another draw for Sekizenkan Kashoutei is its fame from the animated film "Spirited Away," particularly due to one of the most famous bridges associated with the movie. This attracts many tourists for photo opportunities, which can be a bit annoying, especially since we were paying to stay there. It would have been nice if they limited tourist access to allow guests to enjoy the serene atmosphere more fully.

Additionally, the parking situation was challenging. It wasn’t immediately clear that there are different parking lots for various parts of the building, and this information was somewhat buried on the website. After an awkward 15 minutes parked on someone else’s property, we finally figured out where to go, so I recommend planning accordingly if you're driving.

On a positive note, the hotel features a lovely lounge area with free tea, coffee, and snacks, offering a stunning nighttime view of the gardens. Our stay was made even more special by the rain, which set a perfect mood for a cozy retreat. We had the pleasure of enjoying the best kaiseki dinner and breakfast of our entire trip at this ryokan. The setting, surrounded by greenery and gardens, was truly magical, and the flavors of the meals were perfectly balanced, making it a highlight of our culinary experiences in Japan.

Overall, while there were some significant drawbacks, particularly regarding the tattoo policy and some logistical challenges, Sekizenkan Kashoutei still offers a memorable experience in a beautiful setting, especially for its...

Magical, Fantastic experience at this lovely kashotei! This place is a must-do if you are traveling in the Tokyo or Gunma region and will not disappoint.

Originally, I was very excited to stay at this hotel as several sections inspired animations for the famous Spirited Away film by Hayao Miyazaki. However upon visiting, I was delighted to find that this hotel has so much more to offer.

From the moment I arrived to the moment I checked out, every aspect of my stay exceeded my expectations. Firstly, the hotel staff were exceptional and very accommodating to English speaking visitors. Their warm welcome and genuine hospitality made me feel right at home. They were always attentive, ensuring that all my needs were met and going above and beyond to make my stay memorable.

The rooms were exceptionally clean, spacious, and absolutely gorgeous. I was extremely impressed how each piece of furniture seemed to be thoughtful curated to immerse guests in an authentic traditional or modern Japanese experience. I particularly appreciated the stunning views from my room and personal onsen (hot tub), which added an extra touch of magic to our stay.

The hotel’s facilities were equally amazing. Historic onsens are placed throughout the resort for guests to use, each with their own outstanding environments and benefits. After soaking in one for 30 minutes, I felt better than I have felt in months and understand why Japanese people have historically travel to this particular onsen for hundreds of years to be healed and rejuvenated.

On note I made was that some sections of the hotel looked to be a but dated but was was happy to learn that these sections are historic “Tangible Cultural Property” that can’t be updated. In fact, the staff offer a neat historical tour of the property, which made this not just a relaxing vacation spot but a rich cultural experience. An example of such sections is the unique white tunnel that is posted in several of the reviews which is part of the original structure.

In addition to the amenities, the on-site restaurant served amazing dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that knocked me off my feet. I enjoyed an amazing culinary experience at several of the on-sites restaurants and took advantage of their incredible in-room dinner service. Looking back, the food alone is worth the stay as it is absolutely incredible.

In conclusion, my stay at Sekizenkan was nothing short of perfection and I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Japan and looking for an exceptional stay. I'm already looking forward to my next visit to relive the wonderful memories I made during my stay.

Thank you, Sekizenkan for providing a truly...

In Jul 2023, we stayed in the Sanso building, in the "5 star corner Japanese-Western style special room (with semi-open-air bath)" (山荘 五ツ星 角部屋 和洋特別室（半露天風呂付）".

The room is very beautiful in summer, and the hotel looks spectacular at night. You can experience the historic baths and there are also some nicer baths in other buildings. Touring all of the onsen baths in all three buildings is a must. One of the connecting path is quite scary with all the water draining down the elevator shaft though. I'm sure it must be safe but still it's quite alarming to see lol

The service was quite poor. The man leading us to the room visibly sighed when he was asked to do it by another front desk staff. He was very careless and casual when introducing things to us. The servers in the restaurant were all non Japanese who were speaking ok-ish Japanese and no English. They were very casual in the way they served too. The Japanese man sitting at the table to our right was visibly upset when the servers couldn't understand his question about sake, and also couldn't find someone else to answer him. The French family sitting at the table to our left was just left there when the staff didn't understand English and didn't even try to communicate with them despite the family pulled out their phone and tried to translate with an app. We understand it was difficult to hire servicing staff, but we have stayed in other hotels that also have a large portion of staff being non Japanese but were able to provide exceptional service. In fact, a lady from Nepal was the best server we met in our 2 week long trip back in Apr 2023. It's a matter of treating your staff well, training them up and setting a standard.

Food tasted ok, nothing spectacular. Some hot dishes were already cold when served.

Overall, love the room, love the onsen. Wish the service was better. It was nothing actively offensive but we just didn't feel like staying in a Japanese ryokan with that...