Kinugawa Onsen, Hana no Yado, Matsuya — Hotel in Nikko

Let me start by saying this is by far one of the best ryokans I’ve ever experienced. I’ve seen others commenting this ryokan being outdated or being upset by the stains found inside the room or on the carpet in the public area. I think it’s not fair if anyone tries to compare a ryokan with a modern hotel as they are so different in nature. Most ryokans have been around for decades and are old fashion. In addition, many ryokans in Kinugawa Onsen have been trying hard to keep their head above the water in this dying town.

Location: Hana yo Noda, Matsuya is 3 minutes walk from the Kinugawakoen Station, one stop away from the Kinugawaonsen Station. So if you travel from Shinjuku on the Limited Express Kinugawa, Kinugawaonsen Station is the last stop. One transfer is required before you get to Kinugawakoen Station.

Services: Not all staff can speak English but with the modern technology communication is not an issue. They are polite, friendly, and always keen to assist even though some can only speak Japanese. I think the lady owner always walks around the ryokan trying to have a chat with the guests and offer help. On the day of departure, the owner lady saw us off out the front and gave us some lollies as farewell gifts. This is literally the sweetest thing ever.

Ambient: It is an ryokan so if modern facilities are what you are after, you can give this place a miss. Due to its age, this place does seem bit old and might even be mouldy during raining season. But I still find it charming with all the nice decoration throughout the ryokan. It is clear that the owner has been putting much efforts trying to make it a nice experience for all guests.

Onsen: The onsen here is excellent and I absolutely love it. The water is super clear unlike onsen places I’ve been to. The outdoor onsen area is hidden behind all trees so naturally quite private. It looks bit like a zen garden with different rocks/stones around and in the pool.

Kaiseki: One thing I love Japanese ryokan is the Kaiseki. I’d highly recommend that you opt in for half boarding as the Kaiseki dinner and breakfast here is on another level. They are exceptionally good both in the taste and presentation. This is truely a nice experience.

Other facilities: The hotel offers free shuttle bus to Kinugawaonsen Station departing twice daily at 9:30 and 10:20. There is a nice garden which guests can take a stroll around. Outdoor slippers are provided. Guest can feed the koi fishes but I’m not sure if it’s free. The hotel has a gift shop and few vending machines one of which sells frozen food. The Japanese room I booked pretty much has everything except for the iron and iron board. You can borrow from the reception for an hour or two. The closest konbini (convenient store) is about 1.2km away.

I wish Haha yo Noda Matsuya all the best. I hope I will...

I think to some wanting to stay in Nikko might not realize that this is outside of the main town center but it’s so worth the extra train ride to go to this hotel/onsen after visiting the Nikko national park area. As other reviews stated there is the train station kinugawa koen you can take that is like a 2-5 min walk. We stayed in the room with futon and the style of the room was so traditional Japanese style with tatami mats you felt like you were back in time. There is green tea you can enjoy in the room and WiFi included. There is also a kimono that you are given when you check in that you can wear with shoes around the hotel and to the onsen. For some the place may feel old but the timeless adds to the charm. The onsen part was really nice and clean. The place you put your clothes, the showers before the baths, and all the soaps provided, you get towels in your room for your face & body to bring down with you, and the water was so clean. The bath outside is close to the river and it’s very serene and peaceful to hear the rushing water. The staff was very sweet and because of a mishap we were able to ship our luggage to the hotel from the Nikko station since we couldn’t make it in the middle of the day. The dinner & breakfast part was very nice, filling, we got a private room and the staff providing the meals were very sweet. I also appreciated that there was a koi fish pond and there is access to the river bed if you want to see the river too. Overall this was a very good experience away from Tokyo, and felt like a real experience of what Japan was like many years ago with modern day touches. I would say it’s good to spend about 2 days at this place to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the...

This is my third trip/adventure to Japan.|I would say as a solo traveler this has to be one of the very best places I have ever stayed in when travelling around Japan. I came to Nikko np to explore the vast array of hiking trails, all of which I did, had breathtaking views and a poetic, truly majestic Japanese feel to them. I rented a car from Nasushiobara (Shinkansen) and drove across to Kinugawa.||On arrival I was greeted by a host of the hotel staff, welcoming me and helping me with parking and my bags.||I checked in with ease and with some broken English and Japanese on my part was led to a beautiful traditional Japanese style room overlooking the river. ||The service throughout was world class and made me feel both very comfortable, at home, but also special. ||I stayed 3 nights with half board (breakfast and dinner), both truly amazing and served with grace and politeness. ||On the first evening’s dinner one of the serving staff took the time to speak with me and allowed me to share some of my recent experiences/photos etc whilst preparing dinner - this was most welcome, especially as I had been travelling alone for over a week.||The location of the onsen hotel is about 60 mins drive to some of the most sought after walks in the np. Very easy to access by car and excellent roads.||The accommodation itself is a mix between very traditional Japanese resort and original/boutique Ryokan. The private and public onsen’s are fantastic and a well deserved rest-bite after a long days hiking!||Having been to some of the most popular ryokan’s in Japan; Iwaso, Claska etc, this came as a very nice surprise and at an affordable rate without any compromise.||If in the area, I would highly...