Honke Bankyu — Hotel in Nikko

PERIOD THEME! We stay in ryokans for two reasons, namely the hotspring bath and the kaiseki meal. Onsen-wise, Honke Bankyu Ryokan (Yunishigawa Onsen) in Tochigi Prefecture falls short of the likes of the ryokans like Sumeikan Kurokaya (Okuhida Onsen), Houshi (Awazu Onsen), and Tsurunoyu (Nyuto Onsen),  and to Yumori Tanakaya (Shiobara Ooami Onsen) in the same Prefecture. The indoor onsen is rather modest in size and the rotenburo is nothing to boast of. In fact, we were rather disappointed as it had been given rave reviews :(

As for the kaiseki dinner, the only memorable part is the dining hall on one side of the hanging rope bridge (Kazura-bashi). The bridge is an interesting feature. It was well lighted and provides an impressive backdrop for photography. The dining hall has a nice ambience and looks stunning in both size and decor.

As for the actual kaiseki meal, we were served dishes like venison, chicken soup with soba and Japanese spices, sashimi served in an ice bowl, grilled mountain trout, and tempura.  Presentation-wise, we have no complaints but taste-wise the dishes, especially the sashimi and tempura, were not exceptional. The irori fireplace (open hearth) is nice but the nabe dish was a letdown. A similar nabe dish over an irori fireplace offered at  Tsurunoyu (Nyuto Onsen) was way better. We were somewhat disappointed.

What then is Honke Bankyu's attraction? Its period theme - historical monument status? The location of the guests' rooms/rotenburo, and the dining hall on each side of the Yunishi River? Its tolerance of body tattoos?

The wood used in this heritage monument gives a feeling of authenticity. At 380 years, it is comparable with the likes of Tsurunoyu Ryokan in Akita Prefecture, but not that of Houshi Ryokan (Awazu Onsen) in Ishikawa Prefecture which is the second oldest ryokan in Japan.

As for the location of its facilities along the Yunishi River, one should perhaps make a trip to Yumori Tanakaya (Shiobara Ooami Onsen) in Tochigi Prefecture (an hour drive from Honke Bsnkyu) to feel the oneness with nature as the rotenburo is next to the mountain stream.

Mayhaps, it is the customer service which is credible as they tried to settle the guests through an initial welcome drum and attempts to explain the going ons at the Ryokan throughout our stay.

As for tolerance of body tattoos, if true, it would be a refreshing touch as most ryokans will frown upon body art due to its links to the yakuza. We chanced by a male guest who displayed a magnificent full body tattoo while enjoying his bath. :)

For those who appreciate period theme, and prefer segregated bath, this is the...

I traveled to Yunishigawa for the Kamakura Festival in February. I chose Honke Bankyu, which is one of the most unique ryokans I have ever stayed at. The 350-year-old building has a hanging bridge over the river that connects the main building to the dining room. Dinner is served around a fireplace (irori) that is built into the table. The snow has made the entire facility a picturesque site. The interior is beautiful and traditional with wood structures, and you can imagine what it was like in the old days.

If you do not speak Japanese, rest assured that some of the staff speak a bit of English, and they make a concerted effort to ensure that you feel welcome. The older lady always greeted me and showed me around. She made me feel so welcome.

We checked in at 3pm and promptly reserved a time for one of the three free 45-minute private outdoor onsen. The facility was not busy, as it appeared that most guests were using the outdoor public onsen. The women's public onsen sounded prettier than the men's (judging from to my male friend's description).

We chose the 6pm dinner seating, which is the later of the two options. It would provid us with sufficient time to enjoy the onsen beforehand, and then attend the Kamakura Festival before it ends at 9pm. Dinner was delightful, beginning with our walk across the hanging bridge in our yukata amidst the snowfall. Upon our arrival, we found that everything was already prepared for us. Beverages were not included, so like other guests, we ordered the sake in bamboo that was designed to be inserted into the fire pit for heating. Although not every dish was delicious, the overall experience was unforgettable.

Regrettably, the free official Kamakura Festival was canceled on the evening of my visit. This was devastating, as I had only planned to stay one night just to attend the festival. However, the older lady suggested that we visit a privately run park that charges an entrance fee. We arrived after dark at around 7:30 pm, and I overheard a visitor say that it was much cooler at dark instead of too early at 5pm, a mistake she had made last time she came. I do not know how this compares to the official Kamakura Festival, but I was able to take many lovely photos.

Enough said, let me show you my photos of this...

We were so apprehensive about staying here. Having read all the reviews of how difficult it is to get here and how remote the location is we decided to take the plunge and travelled by three trains and a bus from our previous hotel in central Nikko to get here. The journey was a breeze, each train ran on time and there was only a 5 to 10 minute wait between each train and bus to get here. Similarly the journey on the way back was just as effortless. Upon walking up towards the imposing building from the bus stop we knew we had reached somewhere quite special. It was off-season, so relatively quiet and the little village just outside the ryokan was just charming and made for a great stroll despite the heavy rain. The hotel and the rooms are incredibly atmospheric and beautiful, so much history everywhere - this is a truly traditional ryokan that drips with history and intrigue. The dinner here was just mind-blowing....maybe one of the best meals I have ever eaten, all served in a beautiful, intimate dining room with attentive and smiling staff. Presentation of the food along with the variety and taste should be applauded. The breakfast was sadly only average and needs some more western varieties added to it's selection. The rope bridge across to the dining room is lit up at night and looks stunning and the onsen was also excellent. I'm so glad I chose to go off the grid slightly and discover this beautiful place. Admittedly it is too far for the main sights of Nikko, but if you have an extra day to spare, this is a place and an experience that cannot be missed. Thoroughly enjoyable and relatively good value for money too, if you get a chance to stay, just do it - I cannot see how you would regret...