Okutsusou

Through extensive research, mainly via Japanese review sites, blogs and articles, I learned that OkutsuSo is - among luxury Onsen (hot springs) Ryokan enthusiasts - among the highest rated properties in all of Japan, particularly as a result of its food and Onsen quality. Being that it would not be much of a detour during our Western Japan road trip, we decided to visit this renowned ryokan located in the Okutsu Onsen area of Okayama Prefecture. For what it's worth, the three most famous Onsen areas in Okayama are Yunogo Onsen, Yubara Onsen and Okutsu Onsen. Having now visited two of the three (Yunogo being the other), they are not as "developed," crowded or action-filled as places like Kinosaki Onsen or Kusatsu Onsen. The three towns in Okayama are far sleepier, which is a plus or minus, depending on what you liked. Given that our main purpose was to find out if OkutsuSo was worthy of "destination ryokan" status, our decision to visit the area was an easy one.... and we came away somewhat confused (as to what the fuss is about) and disappointed. OkutsuSo is located in the heart of Okutsu town and is set along the banks of the Yoshii River. It's a convenient location, but the drawback is in its lack of any semblance of property grounds. No gardens, no pond, nothing. While there are certainly top ryokans that forgo such visual splendor, they generally overcome such a shortcoming by making it up via great food, service, Onsen and rooms. In OkutsuSo's case, it did not deliver in many of those aspects. It's a small, family-owned ryokan that was established in 1927, and the main building (and interior layout and decor) is well preserved in its original form. This is definitely a "traditional" ryokan in the truest sense, which will please guests looking for an authentic Japan experience. It's also very small and intimate - just 8 rooms call OkutsuSo home, with 2 of them being "Hanare" detached Villa-style structures, offering a bit more privacy (including from noise) and space. We stayed in one of the Hanare rooms - ours was named "Seikantei", which is described by the ryokan as a "detached cabin special room with outdoor open-air onsen bath." It had a separate bedroom and living room as well as an Onsen bath on its deck - some rooms don't have Onsens and many only have one main room that is used as both a living room and (by rolling out Futons at night) the bedroom. The room was reasonably spacious, although some of the drawbacks at similar old properties are evident here. This includes the lack of a shower in the room (which is weird, since that means people would jump into the in-room Onsen without cleaning up first, which a is very un-Japanese thing to do), just one sink, and the semi-hallway that runs between the living room and the deck, as well as the entrance foyer, get very cold at night in the winter. The bedroom and living rooms benefit from heaters, but not the hallways that connect the rooms to the bathroom, entrance, toilet as well as t