Chikurinin Gunpoen

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

I booked 3 rooms this time. One of the rooms was dirty, toilet smells very bad, and a tea cup still contain residual tea, probably from previous guests. Other than that, the location was great to explore around Yoshinoyama.

Beautiful tempel garden, there's an outside onsen with view on the mountains, the staff is very friendly