Hito No Yado Unryu

A really tranquil traditional ryokan - we had the annex house (huge for two people) and half board- which is kaiseki ryori dinner (12 courses) and breakfast. The food was very delicious. Service was impeccable, the grounds, onsen and rooms spotlessly clean. I would highly recommend this ryokan for a truly Japanese experience. An easy getaway from Tokyo. Nanadaru Falls and the pristine waters in the parklands are good for the soul!

Unryu is in a small onsen area with direct connections from Tokyo to Kawazu, from which we were collected by the ryokan transport. The ryokan is in a quiet location surrounded by splendid mountains and fast flowing streams and there is a pleasant walk to a series of picturesque waterfalls nearby. Unryu has an impressively designed lobby and public areas and is very well maintained throughout. Our room was comfortable and well appointed, with a small verandah with outdoor seating (although strangely only one chair) which looked out over a pleasant garden and pond and enjoyed extensive views of the nearby mountains and their colourful spring foliage. There is a good range of excellent public and private baths – one of the outside baths in particular is right beside a rapidly flowing river and is quite delightful. Some baths can be booked for private use. Our meals were served in our own private dining room. The quality was exceptional and the service pleasant and attentive. On one of our two nights, we were provided with a well translated English menu, which made the meal even more enjoyable. The staff were kind and hospitable and some of them spoke good English. We enjoyed a very pleasant and relaxing stay in a well managed and modern but very authentic onsen.

Unryu is one of the few ryokans located within a short walking distance from the Nanadaru waterfalls, a must-go if you are in the area. The location is perfect and the architecture is beautiful, set amidst nicely landscaped gardens and ponds. The staff are always polite and friendly, the environment is quiet and relaxing. Although it is a traditional ryokan, there are lots of little surprises - the free flow of coffee in the lounge, range of drinks with dinner, the freshly baked bread at breakfast (Western option, but the Japanese option was great too), the use of private onsen areas for an hour per day, the quality of the hot spring water in the public bath area, massage chairs in the public bath area, etc. The kaiseki dinner is worthy of mention. Although dinner and breakfast were served in the main dining area and not in the room, guests were seated in private rooms. The huge advantage was that most of the food came piping hot and freshly cooked, and each dish was presented individually. Master Chef Masatoshi Sonada san's creations were highly impressive, particularly the fried minced duck and mashed potato ball which was out of this world. There was also a fresh wasabi root which guests could grate by themselves and this was a novel experience. However, after the awesome dinner we had the first night, the change of menu on the second night paled in comparison although the dishes were still masterpieces of quality, care and thoughtfulness in every bite. Only minor gripe is that there is no wifi in the rooms and the wifi in the lobby is hard to access. To sum up, I would recommend this ryokan for three reasons: Perfect location. Excellent kaiseki meals. Relaxing environment. I myself can't wait to go back if there is an opportunity!