Chikurin-in Gunpoen Ryokan

Pleasant stay in this ryokan. The concept changes from sanitized hotels and you can discover a bit of traditional habits: sleeping on a futon, super thin walls, a very sober and stripped-down style. The ryokan is quite isolated, I only met people there who spoke Japanese. It's clean and the comfort is satisfactory and it's an experience to live during a trip to Japan. It's a shame that Western customers don't behave in a way that's entirely appropriate to the place, especially with regard to noise...

Awfully expensive, considering the hotel (downfall), the room and furniture (shabby) and the bathroom (cheaply refurbished and not very clean). The dinner was not a treat (very, very fat pork). The breakfast was good. The service was poor, mostly because non-English-speaking waitresses tried to avoid contact with non-Japanese-speaking clients.

This was my 6th visit to the Ryokan. And somehow my older review does not appear anymore. Time for an update. When I accompany family members and friends for their first visit to Japan I always choose this place. Admittedly back in 2008 the service was a bit more refined, there was more staff, it have been hard times for the hospitality world, and the great pine tree at the small onsen also died. But the total experience is still wonderful. I ask for the retoro rooms : in the old building. May be a bit noisy if you have bad luck as the walls are paper thin. No private bathroom as was standard in the old days. But beautiful painted sliding doors, view of the garden and the (endless) mountains behind. During peak cherry tree blossom season this year (2023) there was additional staff that was fluent in English. They made every effort to adjust for one the party members who had trouble with food he was not used to. And then there is the village … Take your time. If your budget allows is stay for at least two nights, better even three. Make sure you explore thoroughly : even the valley next to the main temple : go down all the stairs, enjoy th