Iruka Onsen Hotel Seiryuusou — Restaurant in Kumano

Driving westward along Road 311, which overlaps with part of the Kumano Trail, we encountered a beige-colored steel bridge over the Kitayama River as we exited a tunnel near Kiwacho. The confluence of the Itaya and Kitayama rivers was to our north, prompting a left turn onto a road along the Kitayama River. Within less than 1 km, we found Iruka Onsen Hotel Seiryuusou on the left.

The hotel, situated on an outer bend of the Kitayama River, is elegantly decorated, offering a luxurious yet simple atmosphere. The reception, manned by a couple of middle-aged men, was somewhat cold but professional. We were assigned a ground-floor room next to the staircase, equipped with tatami-style beds, though the cleanliness left something to be desired, albeit very slightly so, possibly due to the aging furniture.

With little time to spare, we headed to a lookout spot we had seen on our way to the hotel to admire the Kitayama River. Despite the drizzle, which enhanced the experience, mist rose from the flowing water, creating a dreamlike scene.

We enjoyed a decent dinner at Yamatoya, the only 'bigger' restaurant nearby, followed by a relaxing onsen experience at the hotel - by the way, most of the people in the onsen seem to be Kumano Kodo backpackers.

The next morning, after revisiting the onsen and having a satisfying breakfast, we attempted to catch a sunrise east of Kiwacho but were unsuccessful. However, we did visit the confluence of the Itaya and Kitayama rivers north of the bridge, where we found beautiful scenery.

It is unfortunate that, due to shortage of time, we skipped a few worthy scenic spots nearby, including the Doro Kyo Gorge, Nunobuki Falls, Tamakiguchi, and the Megaliths; however, we now have another reason to return to this area.

Overall, our stay at Hotel Seiryuusou was a great experience and we highly recommend this...

Gorgeous, clean & quiet. Soft music played at car park. Big & spacious tatami room with sink, fridge & toilet but no shower. In-house onsen has indoor & outdoor bath, clean & spacious as well. Our room window is viewed to the big field with many sakura trees & the big river, stunning!

1 front desk gentleman speaks good English. Free herbal jelly in the fridge.

Abt 20 mins drive to Hongu Taisha or Doro Kyo gorge to enjoy the boat ride.

As we booked our room through Agoda, during checkout, we were surprised that the hotel presented us with 900 yen onsen tax for staying there for 3 days. Though it is not much, we were not told about this tax when we checked in or when we booked, so it was a little weird. Given that there is no shower in the room, it's almost certain that you will need to take a shower in the onzen, we don't quite understand the logic of this onsen tax for...

Lovely hotel with good Onsen that has a view of the Kitayama river. With 550yen, you can take the mining trolley train to Yunoguchi onsen and use the outdoor Onsen there as well! The driver of the trolley train is very kind to advise me to get towels from the reception to bring to Yunoguchi onsen when he saw that I did not have anything with me! The room is clean and warm and has a good view too. There was no vegetarian dishes on the menu but upon request, the chef was able to make a tasty vegetarian ramen for my dinner as well as a great breakfast. I had a lovely stay and would recommend it to anyone who wants a...