Shogawa-onsen Yumetsuzuri — Local services in Tonami

We rather reluctantly decided to stay at Yumetsuzuri as it was midway from where we were staying and where we wanted to go. We decided to spend one night only here, partly because we could not obtain a room with a private bath with hot spring water, and partly because the ryokan only offered a buffet breakfast. We have to admit when we made a judgement error -- we should have stayed three nights, not one night.||||The ryokan is elegant and very well maintained -- so clean and with very pleasing lighting and design. Our room was spacious and comfortable, and on a cold autumn evening, we really enjoyed the special heater for our feet under the table in our room. Moreover, the room did have a beautiful bath -- not spring water, but hot water, in a cedar tub, which was full and warm and inviting. For purists who want a hot spring bath, true onsen, we opted to use the family bath. The ryokan provides two family baths (one smaller and more intimate) and one a bit larger, as well as the normal public baths. The family bath was excellent, clean, and all the amenities were provided. We could not have been happier.||||The food was also wonderful. For dinner, served in our room, our waitress was most knowledgeable about each course and how it was prepared. She served us course by course, so our dinner dishes did not get cold. We were not rushed in the least. Breakfast, served "viking style," was in the main dining room. We usually avoid buffets, but this breakfast buffet was excellent -- everything was kept very clean, the dishes which were supposed to be hot, were hot; those that were supposed to be cold, were cold. We could not have been more pleasantly surprised.||||Most certainly, we will return. The ryokan sits at the mouth of a canyon, which we wish to explore, and there is a water park just next to the ryokan which we also want to visit. As we left the ryokan, we took a winding, cliff-hanging road over the mountains -- the views were super special -- fall colors and white...

We rather reluctantly decided to stay at Yumetsuzuri as it was midway from where we were staying and where we wanted to go. We decided to spend one night only here, partly because we could not obtain a room with a private bath with hot spring water, and partly because the ryokan only offered a buffet breakfast. We have to admit when we made a judgement error -- we should have stayed three nights, not one night.||||The ryokan is elegant and very well maintained -- so clean and with very pleasing lighting and design. Our room was spacious and comfortable, and on a cold autumn evening, we really enjoyed the special heater for our feet under the table in our room. Moreover, the room did have a beautiful bath -- not spring water, but hot water, in a cedar tub, which was full and warm and inviting. For purists who want a hot spring bath, true onsen, we opted to use the family bath. The ryokan provides two family baths (one smaller and more intimate) and one a bit larger, as well as the normal public baths. The family bath was excellent, clean, and all the amenities were provided. We could not have been happier.||||The food was also wonderful. For dinner, served in our room, our waitress was most knowledgeable about each course and how it was prepared. She served us course by course, so our dinner dishes did not get cold. We were not rushed in the least. Breakfast, served "viking style," was in the main dining room. We usually avoid buffets, but this breakfast buffet was excellent -- everything was kept very clean, the dishes which were supposed to be hot, were hot; those that were supposed to be cold, were cold. We could not have been more pleasantly surprised.||||Most certainly, we will return. The ryokan sits at the mouth of a canyon, which we wish to explore, and there is a water park just next to the ryokan which we also want to visit. As we left the ryokan, we took a winding, cliff-hanging road over the mountains -- the views were super special -- fall colors and white...

This is a wonderful ryokan. You are met with quiet courtesy and shown to your room where a cup of tea is prepared for you by the host. The room is large with various sizes of yukatas and happi coats available. The furniture and style of the room is Japanese modern in an array of beige - all meant to relax you after a busy day touring. A wood tub is available for those who don't wish to use the onsen. Of the various ryokans we visited this was possibly the most quietly elegant (mind you, befitting the price!).||||We enjoyed dinner here and it was, as always in a ryokan, an artistic splendour: food beautifully prepared and presented. As dish arrived after dish arrived it was difficult to put the camera down and enjoy the various flavours of each.||||Not least, we thoroughly enjoyed the onsen using it twice a day, early in the morning and late at night after our touring. Again it was clean, modern, with several baths inside and out depending on your water temperature tolerance. All in all a wonderful and complete traditional Japanese experience not...