Takaragawa Onsen Ousenkaku

We spent 4 nights in Takaragawa onsen ousenkaku. The onsen is just so tranquil and picturesque, this really is right up there with the best in the world in our humble opinion. 4 large onsen baths, varying in temperature, one for women only. All with views to a river, blended seamlessly into the stunning natural environment around. You really get an idea of traditional onsen in Japan here, we found the experience to be rejuvenating and restful. When we were there the baths were not busy at all, sometimes we had a whole pool to ourselves. It is also atmospherically lit, so bathing at night is also a pleasure and delight for the senses. Onsen are available 24 hours, with the exception of one hour here and there for cleaning. We didn't have great weather everyday, but honestly you're in a roasting hot onsen, so it actually doesn't matter and is beautiful anyway! In our opinion, you need to stay for at least 2 nights at the hotel to get the best of the experience and bathe at different times of day. The hotel is very quaint and we were fortunate enough to stay in a lovely old Annex room, right next to the river. The free transfer bus from Jomo-Kogen station is convenient and makes for a hassle free check in and check out, we were able to book via messenger on booking.com. The staff were all very lovely, in the restaurant, at reception and housekeeping. Amenities were fabulous. We were encouraged to wear yukata robes and change to different pattern each day if we wanted to! Food was delicious- very filling Japanese dinner and breakfast! They also offered a bento lunchbox and delivered it to the room for ¥1000. Public baths indoors were clean and lovely spaces too. If you want a gorgeous onsen experience just 1 hour by shinkansen away from Tokyo, just book it !

so amazing! osens was great! safe was amazing! definitely recommend to get a more traditional japan hotel! Erica was so helpful with so many thing’s appreciate her so much as well as rest of the staff. definitely take shuttle bus it will save you $$. food was great! definitely recommend. they give you a beautiful kimono like rob that everyone wears around the hotel. so amazing

This place is magical. We spent 2 days completely immersed in the atmosphere of the ryokan, with the beautiful onsen and the delicious, very well curated meals. Yes, it's tourist-y, some "traditional" aspects of onsen culture such as bathing naked have been changed, maybe to adapt to a more international audience or other reasons. However, at least for a person travelling from Europe, those little details didn't make the experience any less beautiful. Me and my husband fully enjoyed the silence and the slow pace of this place. We had breakfast & dinner included and, as much as it was a bit hard to adapt to certain flavors in the morning specifically, we soon adjusted to it and enjoyed the experience fully. The staff is kind and ready to help at any time, which makes the experience even better. As much as we thoroughly enjoyed the experience while living it, thinking back to those days makes me realize even more how amazing and magical those two days really were. Would go back in a heartbeat :)

The staff was extremely helpful and informative; if anyone had difficulty with English, another staff member would step in to assist. They were fast to respond on the booking app if I had any questions and were accommodating to changes in my stay. All in all, their staff is top-notch. The meals were delicious and well prepared, with each course explained and had a beautiful presentation. The room was spacious and had a gorgeous view of the river, which was exceptional since it was snowing during our stay. It was nice to sit and watch the snow fall while drinking tea. All of the bath options were amazing; the indoor option was great for quick and quiet bathing and had lovely statues and rock formations. The outdoor baths were a trek, especially in the cold, but the location was beautiful and worth the trip.

Getting to the hotel was relatively quick, easy, and convenient from Tokyo. Arriving at Jomokogen, the shuttle bus took us directly to the hotel and was easy to find. The hotel was picturesque and beautiful, looking even more magical than in the pictures. The staff was very nice, helpful, and spoke adequate English. They made us feel welcomed and at home throughout our 2 night stay. The outdoor onsen was magical, and the surrounding nature enhanced the experience. Our dining experience was wonderful and filled us up throughout the day. The food was traditional, well made, and delicious. We very much enjoyed our stay over the Christmas holiday and can not wait to return. Highly recommend it.