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Location4.2
Amenities4.1
Service4.1
Cleanliness4.1
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Positive reviews(19)
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Negative reviews(2)
Josh2025
Japanese-Style Room
Stayed in Dec 2024
Couples
5 review
5.0/5
Outstanding
Posted on Jan 8, 2025
Our first Ryokan experience that we will never forget! The staff was great and the facilities are amazing. They have a big variety of onsen bath to choose from, public and private ones. And the private ones don't require a reservation or extra charge, which makes the experience more comfortable. You don't need to think about rushing in or out of the bath, can just relax. The dinner and breakfast was also great, thanks to the good service of the staff!
If we ever get back to Japan, we will come here again.
LeeAndy
Japanese-Style Room
Stayed in Sep 2024
Couples
1 review
4.7/5
Amazing
Posted on Nov 24, 2024
Kanaguya was the most unusual and highly unique hotel we have ever stayed at. The artistry in the construction of the hotel brings Japanses culture to life. Every floor and every hallway tells a story. The location is the best for being right in the heart of onsen area and you must go outside into the streets wearing the Yucatan and wooden shoes to klomp around with all the others visiting onsen in the night! And then, if you purchase the dinners, you will be treated to the most authentic meal service ever. So authentic, we couldn't eat everything, but the Japanese couples around d us did! It's like attending a tea ceremony, but for an entire meal. If you can afford Kanaguya, stay here and immerse yourself!
Guest User
Japanese-Style Room
Stayed in Sep 2024
Other
1 review
5.0/5
Outstanding
Posted on Oct 9, 2024
We wanted to stay in a traditional ryokan with access to hot spring baths and Kanaguya ticked all the boxes.
I found this guesthouse while researching onsen close to the snow monkey park near Yudanaka Station, which we planned to visit. The fact that it is cited as inspiration for the bathhouse in Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away was another reason for us to want to stay here. A beautiful traditional wooden guesthouse with eight baths, five of them private, and also access to the nine public baths in Shibu Onsen town (although we found these far too hot to actually bathe in, we enjoyed collecting all the stamps on a special towel!). Our room was Japanese style with sliding doors, tatami mats and futons. There was a bath and WC, but no shower, but it’s expected that guests use the hot spring baths available. All amenities are provided including yukata, obi belt, jacket, bathing supplies, and each bath has washing soap, shampoo and conditioner in dispensers. Staff were very friendly, and so polite, although the majority had limited English we did use google translate at times.
The multi course dinners were amazing, served in the exquisite dining room at the top of the house, which was originally a theatre, at traditional low tables and seats. Served in beautiful individual ceramic dishes, with multiple appetisers, followed by main dishes, miso soup, rice, and lastly desert. Although not everything was to our taste, the presentation was amazing and it was a wonderful experience trying so many different flavours. We stayed two nights, and the meals were different each night.
The guesthouse has a limited website page in English which directs foreigners to book via a specific third party (tour operator), but when I contacted her via the provided email was told the ryokan was closed for renovations during our preferred dates! Not helpful, as presumably they only wish to sell you a tour! I then did a wider search and found the ryokan available to book on Trip.com. Clearly it was not closed!
I would definitely recommend staying at Kanaguya and visiting Shibu Onsen if you wish to experience a traditional ryokan.
6/8
Guest User
Japanese-Style Room
Stayed in Mar 2024
Couples
2 review
5.0/5
Outstanding
Posted on May 15, 2024
Fantastic hotel, the building was unique, the staff was very nice, the dinner & breakfast were delicious and the experience with the various onsen amazing. I would highly recommend
Guest User
Japanese-Style Room
Stayed in Nov 2023
Couples
2 review
5.0/5
Outstanding
Posted on Dec 17, 2023
A magical hot spring resort. I have been to many “older” traditional establishments and this one is definitely the most impressive. It’s really out of this world. The multiple private baths are absolutely fantastic, we did almost all of them and each had a unique feeling. The dining hall is absolutely stunning. Don’t hesitate!
Selene Chua
Japanese-Style Room
Stayed in Nov 2023
Family
1 review
5.0/5
Outstanding
Posted on Dec 4, 2023
It's was a pleasant small village where everything is within walking distance . Ryokan is definitely WOW factor with very interesting structure and indoor onsens.
紅葉片片
Japanese-Style Room
Stayed in Nov 2024
Couples
28 review
4.0/5
Very Good
Posted on Dec 28, 2024
It's quite decent, with an ancient Japanese hot spring design. The hot spring pool has flavor, not many people, and is very comfortable.
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Guest User
Japanese-Style Room
Stayed in Nov 2024
Travel with friends
22 review
4.2/5
Very Good
Posted on Jan 5, 2025
I went there for the hotel. The exterior was really beautiful when I took pictures on a snowy day. The hotel is like a maze with nine hot springs that you can soak in at will. It was a good experience.
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Ming-Shun
Japanese-Style Room
Stayed in Jan 2024
Couples
4 review
4.7/5
Amazing
Posted on May 11, 2024
If you like hot spring accommodation with history and want to experience different styles, then Jingu House is your best choice. With the blessing of the hidden girl, the antique appearance and oil house-like interior decoration make people feel like jumping into an animation. .
It would be even better if it can be paired with a snow scene.
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Guest User
Japanese-Style Room
Stayed in Apr 2024
Travel with friends
18 review
5.0/5
Outstanding
Posted on Aug 15, 2024
It has a sense of history, the service is friendly and thoughtful, the food is unique, and it feels like Spirited Away
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Guest User
Japanese-Style Room
Stayed in Apr 2024
Family
42 review
3.2/5
Posted on May 19, 2024
It has a sense of history, and the hotel will explain the history of the hotel! There are also many free family baths, each with different views! It is worth a try. Because it is an old hotel, the facilities inside are relatively simple! The food is also relatively simple, but there is really a scene at every step in the hotel. If you have the opportunity, it is still good to take a look!
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YI JIA
Japanese-Style Room
Stayed in Jan 2024
Solo travelers
1 review
3.2/5
Posted on Feb 8, 2024
Before checking in, I was very much looking forward to the Centenary Hotel. However, when I checked in, I found stains and holes in the pillows and quilts. There was a peculiar smell and spider webs in the bathhouse. The meals were unique but fell far short of expectations.
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Guest User
Stayed in Oct 2024
Couples
5.0/5
Outstanding
Posted on Nov 20, 2024
What an incredible experience! This was our first time staying in a ryokan and we were blown away by the building, the service, the town and the food. After reading some of these reviews I was worried two nights would be too many but it absolutely was not, I wish we booked three. We didn’t visit the onsens in the village because the ones in the ryokan were so cool and very relaxing but if I had another day I would have tried that and explored the villages a bit more. If you are going to see the snow monkeys make sure you go in the morning. The hotel will call a taxi for you and the awesome cafe near the entrance will call one for your way back. Check the weather too, we regretted not grabbing an umbrella for the 1.4km walk into the snow monkey park. You also don’t need to pack too much because you practically live in the traditional dress they give you (except when going to the snow monkey park) and they provide tooth brushes and tooth paste. This place is old and not for people who want pristine, spotless accomodation but if you like a bit of character and adventure this place will win your heart. Oh! Also the food was magnificent! We ate it all but were very full. English is a little limited in the dining space so look up a couple of useful phrases and have fun with it. Dinner on the second night was the best meal we’ve had in Japan so far.
Guest User
Stayed in Dec 2023
Other
5.0/5
Outstanding
Posted on Jan 26, 2024
Highlight of our Japan trip. Such a special ryoken and loveliest staff. The onsens were fabulous, the rooms were traditional and very clean, food was delicious and varied. We felt very cared for and I couldn’t recommend this experience enough.
Guest User
Stayed in Mar 2023
Other
5.0/5
Outstanding
Posted on Apr 13, 2023
I’m shocked by any reviews of this architectural treasure where it’s not being given it’s fair marks. No, it’s not a 5 star hotel, but it is 5 stars in a unique very Japanese experience teeming with history!! The rooms are simple but elegant and super clean. The provided dinner and breakfast are excellent and again — another experience in tradition of this culture. Don’t skip the history tour of the Ryokan. It’s very informative and gives you insight to all the unique floors, windows and lighting. It’s very easy to get lost inside this place!! It’s like a fun house wrapped in a tree house laid out like a maze and it takes a few (ok — a LOT) of trips around the horn to find your way anywhere. I felt a personal victory when I finally found my way back to my room! So let’s talk about the hot springs, cuz that’s probably why you’re here right? HOT is an understatement. The water in these baths is about 120ºF. That is really hot and if you are like me and find a hot tub at 104º a little too warm, good luck with these! After 10+ minutes, I managed to get halfway in, but I couldn’t take it very long. The interior baths of the Ryokan were beautiful, but we preferred the outside rooftop one just because the cold night air helped with the overall tolerability of that hot water. Venturing out about the town at night in your robe and wooden shoes is also part of the adventure. It’s so cute when the village is lit up. You get a public bath map and a master key from the Inn that lets you access any of those public baths as you walk around. After seeing the cool baths of the inn, the ***** ones were just OK. There’s a foot soak spot however that we loved. It has a cold water faucet you can turn on while in there to make the water temp just perfect for you!!! I just loved our stop here. It’s a 1 night/2 max stay if you’re on a travel itinerary around Japan.