Okunikko Yu No Mori — Hotel in Nikko

Located not too far from Lake Chuzenji is this small hotel tucked among the snow. Driving is preferred. There are only 16 rooms in the main building.

The staff were very attentive and service was top notch. They even assisted us with our luggage all the way and parked our car for us.

The highlight of the hotel is of course the open air onsen right in your own room. It was snowing and this made it all the more magical. The room itself was huge and we had modern twin beds and even a rocking chair. The bath and the toilet were separate.

Meals were provided and were delish. Very fresh ingredients from the local area.

There were 2 more small onsens that guests could use all to themselves without a booking. Just walk in and lock the area after yourself. There were indoor and outdoor baths and again the view was awesome. It was not crowded and we did not have trouble getting to use these public areas all for ourselves.

Small areas with sitting and log burning fireplaces to chill and have some complimentary coffee and ice cream were a nice touch.

Though pricy the experience...

I wanted to write this review because whilst researching for Ryokans, I noticed that most reviews were in Jap and the ones in Eng were on the high-end. Okunikko, however, is quite affordable, about S$300 per person for a night's stay with a wide spread for breakfast and dinner. On top of that, we had our own onsen which is great for a visitor to Japan who is not used to stripping in front of strangers. They are extremely thoughtful, providing all the amentities one needs for a stay, although that might be true of a lot of accommodations in Japan. However, the only thing that will deter me from staying here again (if I get to visit the beautiful Nikko again!), is the distance. From Nikko station, the bus ride is about an hour+ as this ryokan is at the top of the mountain. I also wished there was a convenience store nearby, but that's no fault of the ryokan! Also, do request for a traditional Jap room to fully enjoy the Japanese...

We visit them every year. Oku Nikko means "Far Nikko" so it is further than Nikko, takes about an hour by bus from Chuzenji-Lake. Yes, it takes longer to get there but this ryokan is totally worth the distance. All rooms have its private onsen outside so you can enjoy the fresh air both in summer and winter. For summer, the air is much cooler than Nikko and in the winter having Onsen in snow is just heaven. Their Kaiseki dinner and breakfast is amazing, you will not regret. This is not a big ryokan so if you appreciate quiet onsen ryokan with beautiful Japanese dinner and breakfast, this is the place to visit when you come to Nikko. Don't forget to ask for a discount bus ticket...