Kashiwaya — Hotel in Nikko

Updated: This was my second visit to this ryokan, and once again, their breakfast and dinner are excellent. The portion sizes, the delicate presentation of traditional Japanese cuisine, and the stunning river view are truly exceptional.

However, the cleanliness of the room still needs improvement. I noticed spider webs inside the light fixtures in our room, and unfortunately, some dog feces on the back stairs between the creek and the hotel remained uncleaned for the entire three days of our stay. In the end, my son ended up cleaning it himself before we left.

1st visit: A beautiful traditional onsen ryokan with stunning valley views and vibrant autumn leaves, where we could truly feel the warmth and kindness of a small town. The food was amazing especially the beef stew, which was so good I ended up having two bowls of rice! The room was a bit dated, and the mosquito net had some loose edges, so bugs could sneak in. But hey, with some swift moves and the electric mosquito repellent they provided, we managed just fine. We had just come from Hoshino Resort Kai Kinugawa the day before, so the room conditions were a noticeable step down, but even at Hoshino, we had a few bug battles. Honestly, the chef’s cuisine here suited us better. Everyone thoroughly...

This is a nice hot springs even though it's a bit older. The location is great though! Located in a valley, when you're in the outdoor hot springs you can see occasional trains cross from one mountain tunnel to another - especially beautiful at night. Likewise, at night there's minimal light pollution and you can see many stars you'll never see in metropolitan areas. Another plus to the hotel is its food. The supper and breakfasts are wonderful. There is a small buffet at breakfast, but the meal they prepare is so fantastic you'll likely not need it. In addition to the great hot springs, the dry sauna is just right - not too hot at 92C. They also have a lukewarm and cold bath nearby the sauna to cool off in. Again, the only minus is that the hotel is a bit old, but all in all the rooms are nice, clean and...

This place holds a special place in my heart. Been here two times now, first for a special proposal and the second for the anniversary. The place, at least for the gentleman, has a great outdoor bath overlooking a remote valley and two bridges. It’s especially perfect on a clear day/night or when it’s snowing. The rooms are cosy, the one we had, was slight dated and you could see some wear and tear, but otherwise a relaxing room. We had a private room for the dinner, and the food, using local ingredients was excellent. The waitress we had was spread very thin, so we could see she was very tired. I hope they’re able to hire more staff. Either way, it’s a great, secluded spot for a...