Onyado Kawasemi

We decided to stay here due to its high ratings among Japanese ryokan experts, as well as the only ryokan to earn a perfect (5.0) rating in the quality of food - in a country known for amazing kaiseki cuisine, that's saying something. Did it live up to our expectations? For the most part, the answer is yes. In some cases, it even exceeded it. Given its reputation, it's no surprise that room rates are very high, even among top tier ryokans. It's especially startling given that it's located in Fukushima and not Hakone, Nikko or Izu. Given the quality of the facilities, garden, overall operation and quality of food, we felt that the price was appropriate given what they had to offer. Since it was in the boonies, we were half expecting it to be a "traditional" ryokan with dated but well maintained facilities. This couldn't have been farther from the truth. Yes, it's traditional in build and decor, but it still felt fresh and not at all worn down. In fact, upon first entry into our "Wabisuke" suite room, we felt the fresh wooden smell of the tatami mat floor. They've definitely been maintaining the property and keeping things at a very high standard. At the same time, the rooms keep to a Japanese aesthetic - beds are in futons and the living room doesn't have a chair; you sit on a "zabuton" mat on the floor. And the decorations are definitely very Japanese. If you're wanting a quintessential ryokan experience but without the wear and tear of old properties, then this is your place. There are also beautifully manicured gardens around the property with small ponds flanked by various blooming flowers (we had Azaleas in front of our room.) It's very green - full of moss and trees that were bursting with fresh spring green leaves when we were there. We booked "Wabisuke," one of the two "special" tokubetsu****su rooms, which offers more space than other rooms (the other "special" room is Maisonette style, which we don't like.) It has a main living room, two other (slightly smaller) living areas (one turns into the bedroom at night when they bring out the futons) and a small sitting area in front of the deck that lets you enjoy the view of the lake and gardens (fully private, too.) The in-room, open-air outdoor Onsen bath also has the same spectacular view, and is stylish and in good condition. The good news is that Onyado Kawasemi does not skimp on the amenities and relegate its best attributes to the "special" rooms. In fact, ever one of its 12 rooms have in-room open-air Onsen baths, so even if you can't swing for the best rooms (or they're all booked up), you won't feel cheated by staying here. There is a communal (gender segregated, of course) Onsen facility on site, but we did not try it out. We couldn't imagine the experience being any better than the awesome one available to us in our room. The other benefit common among all rooms is the fact that meals are served in one's own room. This is a benefit that is not available in most ryokans, even