Motoyu Magokuro — Hotel in Takayama

We picked Fukuji Onsen area for our xmas holiday and we were doing 7 nights with 4 different ryokans, ranked below: #1 Kakurean Hidaji (隠庵 ひだ路) x 2 Nights #2 Yumoto Choza (湯元 長座) x 2 Nights #3 Motoyu Magokuro (元湯 孫九郎) x 2 Nights #4 Yamazato-no-iori Soen (山里のいおり草円) 1 Nights (AVOID)

Motoyu Magokuro offers a unique stay in the beautiful Fukuji Onsen area, with certain aspects standing out as truly exceptional while others left room for improvement.

Property/Room: Spacious and Serene The room we stayed in at Motoyu Magokuro was the largest we experienced during our time in Fukuji, and it was absolutely breathtaking. The expansive layout, stunning views of the mountains, and the comfortable tatami mats made it a highlight of our trip. A particularly nice touch was the reclining chair thoughtfully positioned to face the mountains—perfect for relaxing and soaking in the serene beauty of the surroundings. The combination of size, comfort, and view made the room an oasis we thoroughly enjoyed.

Onsen: A Bathing Paradise The waters at Motoyu Magokuro are truly remarkable and undoubtedly one of the property’s strongest features. The outdoor onsen was especially outstanding, providing a tranquil, rejuvenating experience amidst the natural beauty of the area. The indoor baths, while still enjoyable, didn’t quite match the outdoor ones, particularly the women’s indoor bath, which unfortunately had a moldy smell that detracted from the experience. Despite this, the overall onsen experience was superb and remains a highlight of the stay.

Food: Underwhelming for a Ryokan The food, unfortunately, fell short of expectations. While we were hoping for a dining experience that matched the quality of the room and baths, the meals were very average and lacked the refinement typically associated with a ryokan of this caliber. Even the sake offered was disappointing, which was a surprise given the region’s reputation for excellent rice wine. The food didn’t quite live up to the overall ambiance and standards of the property.

Service: Warm and Thoughtful The service at Motoyu Magokuro was very good. The staff had excellent English, making communication smooth and easy, and Naomi was especially helpful over email, arranging our pick-up from the bus station and ensuring a seamless arrival. The small touches, such as the New Year towels and gifts, added a thoughtful and festive element to our stay, making us feel welcomed and appreciated.

Final Thoughts Motoyu Magokuro shines in its spacious, serene rooms and its outstanding outdoor onsen, which make it a standout destination in Fukuji. However, the underwhelming food and minor issues with the indoor baths leave room for improvement. That said, the attentive service and thoughtful details, combined with the incredible onsen experience and comfortable accommodations, make it a property worth visiting for those who prioritize relaxation and scenery over...

I could not recommend Motoyu Magokuro more highly.

Firstly, a beautiful hotel and rooms, with traditional Japanese architecture, modern amenities and tasteful, quirky art (even originals by Hayao Miyazaki, who is a regular!) and sculpture around every corner. It's surrounded by beautiful mountains and springs, and we were lucky to have it snow on our first night, which added to the autumn splendour of the mountains.

Secondly, the location is terrific, close to the trailhead for Mt Fukuji and just metres from Fukuji Yurimizaka bus stop. It takes about 15 minutes from the bus hub at Hirayu Onsen. Some buses are express and don't go to that stop, but it's only a short and picturesque walk from the onsen guchi stop, which is served by all buses. It's easy to get to Kamikochi and Shinhotaka Ropeway, as well as countless hikes, from Magokuro.

Thirdly, the onsen were wonderful. The outdoor ones were surrounded by maple trees and a perfect temperature. The private onsen, outdoor and indoor, were always free whenever we wanted them too.

Fourthly, the kaiseki meals were delicious, varied, and always far more than we could eat. I especially enjoyed the shioyaki and local sashimi, but I tried so many delicious things for the first time and enjoyed almost all of them.

Lastly, but most importantly, Naomi-san and her team of staff, including her son Yusuke and May (who is lovely and speaks excellent English) are so welcoming, genuinely kind and helpful that you will want to come back every year.

Our only mistake was only staying for two nights: I'll stay a week next time and climb all the mountains!

We enjoyed our stay at Magokuro so much, here is a (very amateur) haiku:

Warm springs, warmer smiles Motoyu Magokuro: Peaceful...

Overall, this was a highlight of our trip. We loved being in the mountains and found Motoyu Magokuro to be a lovely, comfortable and welcoming place to stay.||||Property: the property and surrounding onsen were a beautiful sight to take in. The main building is over a 100 years old and was once a farmer's house. It was converted by Naomi's (the current proprietress) family into a Ryokan. The building retains it's old charm while also feeling modern + comfortable.||||Onsen: there are indoor onsens and outdoor onsens. Both the indoor and outdoor onsens have private family, female only and male only. We enjoyed all of them immensely but my favorite were the outdoor ones. They seem to have been recently renovated and were so incredibly warm and peaceful. Even though the hotel had a good amount of guests, I mostly had the onsens to myself. Yes, you might have to be naked in front of other people but just enjoy it!||||Rooms: We stayed in the traditional japanese room and it was comfortable with a beautiful mountain view. The ensuite bathroom was modern + had a great soaking tub. We enjoyed sleeping on the futons and found them to very comfortable.||||Dinner: Dinner was SO good! We really enjoyed the traditional japanese dinners + breakfasts. They made sure to switch it up each night so we weren't eating the same thing every night. Every single thing I ate was delicious - most of the things I had never tried before and thoroughly enjoyed each dish.||||I think what was the best part for us was how warm and welcoming Naomi, her husband and their staff were. Every single human we interacted with was lovely and so happy to have us there. ||||This is a five star place in a five star location and we can't...