Tobaya Ryokan — Local services in Hikone

As with the other English reviewers, our group of 6 was picked up by a very nice man (owner?) at the train station in a van. After traveling for 10 days by train through Japan with 2 toddlers this was an enormous treat. He immediately drove us to the castle where we spent the day and later pick us up at another spot near the castle. He also drove us to Lake Biwa to watch the sunset. When we got to the ryokan, we found our futons made up (kids were already asleep), our luggage in the rooms and dinner soon ready to arrive. ||||The next day after breakfasting at the inn, he drove us around town a little. He was rightfully proud of Hikone, and dropped us in an area where we could also do a little shopping. When it was time to catch our train, he picked us up again bringing us our luggage and took us to the trains station. ||||This was the best service I have ever received anywhere in over 40 years of traveling world-wide. and I truly couldn’t...

As with the other English reviewers, our group of 6 was picked up by a very nice man (owner?) at the train station in a van. After traveling for 10 days by train through Japan with 2 toddlers this was an enormous treat. He immediately drove us to the castle where we spent the day and later pick us up at another spot near the castle. He also drove us to Lake Biwa to watch the sunset. When we got to the ryokan, we found our futons made up (kids were already asleep), our luggage in the rooms and dinner soon ready to arrive. ||||The next day after breakfasting at the inn, he drove us around town a little. He was rightfully proud of Hikone, and dropped us in an area where we could also do a little shopping. When it was time to catch our train, he picked us up again bringing us our luggage and took us to the trains station. ||||This was the best service I have ever received anywhere in over 40 years of traveling world-wide. and I truly couldn’t...

Tobaya Ryokan is a beautiful traditional Japanese inn, which is family-oriented, homely, clean, has free wifi and is near to a bank and the main shopping street. The best thing about our stay there was the food and the hospitality - we were given a delicious dinner and breakfast of authentic home cooking, which was very good value. Although the staff do not speak much English, they are very attentive and make every effort to communicate with you. The room we were given was not ensuite, so we had to walk downstairs to the bathroom (just one minute walk away), but the bathroom contained a fantastic traditional Japanese bath which added to...