Yoshinoso Yukawaya

My wife and I spent our first two nights in Japan at Yukawaya. This was our first real holiday since Covid and we couldn’t have found a better way to kick it off! The ryokan is charming in every sense. We stayed in the new rooms with a balcony and outdoor onsen bathtub overlooking a serene and green valley. The room was spacious and in traditional Japanese style but, unlike many other traditional ryokans, also had all the amenities for modern travellers. The new extension also has a public bath with outdoor onsen pool which is open to the public only for a few hours everyday and the hotel guests can use them in almost privacy the rest of the day. The family run ryokan has been around for generations but they have kept it in perfect conditions. More important than the facilities is the warm and charming hospitality by the family. Not only were they extremely helpful from the moment we arrived, explaining about the best way to take in Yoshinoyama in English, but they truly made us feel welcomed by taking very good care of us. When my wife decided to skip breakfast one morning with an upset stomach, the lady cooked the tea rice more softly than usual for me to bring back to the room for her. Last but not least is the delicious cuisine served for dinner and breakfast. All the ingredients are from local sources. And even though they were presented in very elaborate kaiseki-like manner, we felt like we were eating a fine meal at someone’s home and not any restaurant. We can’t wait to return again, hopefully to catch the famous cherry blossom!