Yumoto Itaya — Hotel in Nikko

It is my first time staying in a ryokan - so I do not have much basis for comparison. But the experience at Yumoto Itaya had been more than wonderful. ||||Location-wise, it was great especially when I was looking to live in an area in a less touristy part of Nikko (so central Nikko was out). It is only a convenient 3-minute walk away from the Yumoto Onsen bus stop served by the Tobu bus line - which also connects you to the major sightseeing spots within Nikko and Okunikko. Yumoto Itaya is situated right next to Lake Yumoto - the scenery was downright great. It was early winter when I stayed there, and the scenery was very serene. There are hiking routes to choose from to really experience the nature in Okunikko area - which I would highly recommend if you are staying at Yumoto Itaya. I did a 3-hike (fairly easy, it's family-friendly) from the hotel (which is very near the Yumoto Onsen source) to Yutaki Falls, then across Senjogahara Plateau down to Ryuzu Falls. Breathing scenery throughout, and was a great break for a city rat like me. ||||Service experienced at Yumoto Itaya was excellent - and I really felt pampered. As it was my first time staying in the ryokan, the service staff explained things very politely and patiently (without me asking). The service staff also noticed my height (fairly tall for a female) and immediately changed my yukata size when I entered the room. Though there's no meals in room, the service staff would give you a call when food is ready (and we can choose from 2 meal times at our convenience). Dinner (kaiseki style) and breakfast were very yummy and wholesome. And again, the serving lady took effort to explain to me about the food as they got served. And, I totally loved how the different service staff all learned our names and matched them to our faces, and remembered our preferences. ||||Outdoor hot spring in the hotel was good too. For travellers who are shy, the hot spring is available at all times, except during cleaning time, so you can just choose a later hour if you want to be alone. There's also a massage area/ lounging area for you to rest your poor feet/ interact with other guests after the onsen session. Room was comfortable and clean, with a view of the mountain. Though there is no internet connection, the beauty of it is for travellers to really unplug and have a real vacation, and spend quality time with your loved ones and enjoy the moment. ||||I would return to Yumoto Itaya the next time...

It is my first time staying in a ryokan - so I do not have much basis for comparison. But the experience at Yumoto Itaya had been more than wonderful. ||||Location-wise, it was great especially when I was looking to live in an area in a less touristy part of Nikko (so central Nikko was out). It is only a convenient 3-minute walk away from the Yumoto Onsen bus stop served by the Tobu bus line - which also connects you to the major sightseeing spots within Nikko and Okunikko. Yumoto Itaya is situated right next to Lake Yumoto - the scenery was downright great. It was early winter when I stayed there, and the scenery was very serene. There are hiking routes to choose from to really experience the nature in Okunikko area - which I would highly recommend if you are staying at Yumoto Itaya. I did a 3-hike (fairly easy, it's family-friendly) from the hotel (which is very near the Yumoto Onsen source) to Yutaki Falls, then across Senjogahara Plateau down to Ryuzu Falls. Breathing scenery throughout, and was a great break for a city rat like me. ||||Service experienced at Yumoto Itaya was excellent - and I really felt pampered. As it was my first time staying in the ryokan, the service staff explained things very politely and patiently (without me asking). The service staff also noticed my height (fairly tall for a female) and immediately changed my yukata size when I entered the room. Though there's no meals in room, the service staff would give you a call when food is ready (and we can choose from 2 meal times at our convenience). Dinner (kaiseki style) and breakfast were very yummy and wholesome. And again, the serving lady took effort to explain to me about the food as they got served. And, I totally loved how the different service staff all learned our names and matched them to our faces, and remembered our preferences. ||||Outdoor hot spring in the hotel was good too. For travellers who are shy, the hot spring is available at all times, except during cleaning time, so you can just choose a later hour if you want to be alone. There's also a massage area/ lounging area for you to rest your poor feet/ interact with other guests after the onsen session. Room was comfortable and clean, with a view of the mountain. Though there is no internet connection, the beauty of it is for travellers to really unplug and have a real vacation, and spend quality time with your loved ones and enjoy the moment. ||||I would return to Yumoto Itaya the next time...

Our family truly loved our stay at this ryokan. Where to begin? With its small cluster of hotels, Yumoto Onsen is 90 minutes from the JR Nikko train station at the terminus of the Tobu bus line that shuttles regularly through the wooded mountain areas surrounding Nikko. The Yumoto Onsen area is somewhat less convenient than places closer to Nikko itself because you need to jump on the Tobu bus and backtrack to see the shrines, but it offers its own benefits in terms of natural beauty, abundant hot springs, and easy access to hiking trails that circle the scenic lake. Hiking, fishing, and skiing are all in abundance here if you time your visit right.||||Although we're not Japanese speakers, our hosts were warm, helpful, and truly made us feel at home. In fact, they downright spoiled us. The food is delicious and the multi-course meals left us stuffed silly. Our traditional Japanese room was spacious and nicely appointed, with a private shower and bath. We were given our choice of free drinks with dinner and (IMPORTANT TIP:) free coffee is available each morning in the bar.||||The timing of our visit in early April was less than ideal as the ski slopes are closed but snow makes the hiking trails inaccessible. Moreover, I didn't pack enough cold weather gear and was miserable while out sightseeing. (Definitely bring winter gear for April. I would have paid handsomely for a hat or gloves, but you won't find one in the shops here.) Given our frozen state, the hotel's onsen was absolute heaven. My teen daughter and I quickly overcame our initial misgivings and ended up luxuriating in the steaming outdoor hot spring after every outing.||||When we left too early for breakfast our host absolutely insisted upon packing us a breakfast box with all kinds of goodies for our travels. As with everything, a step...