Minshuku Iwatakan

Please be aware that this style of accommodation is quite common in Japan and you should not be judging it on western hotels. If you want them then they are easy to find. Our experience was of a clean environment with Japanese breakfast and a coffee machine, plus a drinks fridge with honesty box. Futon beds on the floor. I suspect not ideal for disabled. Shared open bathrooms with separate M/F toilets. Little English spoken. Bit of a walk to the restaurants, but on the flat. 15 mins. Morning riverside market is good and nearby. Wouldn’t suggest a long stay in this town, but nice to walk around.

This was booked as part of my tour with Explore. I really liked it here. At the time I stayed, it was only my tour group booked in, which made it feel very private to us. Even thought I knew the toilets/showers would be shared, I do struggle with this and I wouldn't be able to stay somewhere like this for more than one night. However as it was just our tour group, we were able to have private baths in the communal area, we were allowed to pick from either the male/female baths. If you get the chance to do this, pick the male baths! Much more lavish than the female ones. Both have inside and outside baths. Otherwise if other groups are booked, these would be shared with members of the same sex. I actually had one of my best nights sleeps here, super comfy mat on the floor. There was also the use of a communal room, which you can use till about 10pm. We had breakfast included, it wasn't lavish but was nice. Would recommend staying here for at least one night for the Japanese Inn experience.

The Minshuku Iwatakan Guest house was booked for our stay as a G Adventures group. It offered a traditional Japanese accommodation with an Onsen, which is a Communal Bath. For me it is a paradox that in the Japanese culture, which is so stayed and conservative, has as a norm bathing naked with others (of the same sex.) You’ll be sleeping on mats on the floor which is another Japanese tradition which takes a lot of getting used to if you are from a Western society.