Kurokawa Onsen Oku No Yu

The Kurokawa Onsen Oku no Yu was a pleasant enough stay, but overall it felt more like a decent mid-range ryokan than a standout experience. The outdoor onsen area is the highlight and the natural setting is lovely. We also chose the dinner option, which was convenient as the ryokan provides transport to and from the restaurant. The meal itself was enjoyable enough, but not particularly memorable. The private onsen system was the main disappointment. It operates on a first come, first served basis, which sounds simple in theory but was frustrating in practice. My partner and I tried twice and each time there was already someone ahead of us, despite arriving early. A booking system would create a much better guest experience and give everyone a fair chance to enjoy the private baths. The room was fine, but fairly basic. Compared to many of the hotels I have stayed in Tohoku and Kanto regions, there were no skincare amenities provided, so I would recommend bringing your own. Service was also noticeably less warm compared with other places we stayed in Japan. Not rude just a little more on the drier side. Overall, it was an okay stay with a nice onsen setting, but not one I would return to.

5 minutes. Located on the banks of the Yangtze River and surrounded by a quiet natural view of the Black River Springs, the hostel offers charming Japanese accommodation with a variety of hot springs and indoor hot pools. Guests can enjoy a large men’s and women’s mixed outdoor bath such as a cavern bath and a river bath during their stay at O’Soo Hotel, a very traditional Japanese hot spring hotel that is worth recommending to everyone.

Our one night stay at Ryokan Okunoyu, Kurokawa Onsen was the highlight of our trip. Nestled in the green mountain terrain and flanked by rivers, the hotel took special care of us - helping to park our car, with luggage and providing the correct-sized yukatas and haoris not just for us but for our 8 and 11yo children. The tatami room which had both western and Japanese style sleeping arrangements, in the main building, was spacious and we had a fantastic view of the greenery and falling snow outside. There were a number of Onsen available - even family baths and a swimming pool. Our favourite was the riverside bath. So atmospheric with the falling snow! The kaiseki dinner was plentiful, delicious and beautifully presented. Even the children got to barbecue their own hino beef. We really appreciated the warm care from Okunoyu’s team - anticipating all our needs and also helping us plot our drive on to our destination (the regular road was blocked by snow). Highly recommended for a warm family stay in a traditional ryokan. We also enjoyed walking around the shops in the town area. All the little lanes connected to small bath houses and bigger ryokan.