This ryokan is located in Gunma, Agatsuma, at the Yakushi Onsen. The history of the onsen could be traced back to the late 18th century when a monk came across the hotspring during his travel, and since then the hospitality business developed. This ryokan is special as it was essentially a fairly large complex, comprising of multiple houses.
Arriving on the day we dropped off at the main entrance, Nagayamon, built using ancient timber for the farmhouse in the Tohoku region. The staff helpfully took our luggage to the other building we would be staying so we could take a walk around the area before going to check-in.
After a flight of steps we reached a podium where there were some interesting displays of the old fire engines, a stall showing the games where children played to win small gifts maybe 30 years ago, and there was also a soba restaurant where the chef would teach visitors how to make soba. Unfortunately that would be available in the morning and we had to leave before that so we could not join.
Deciding to take more time after check-in to visit the places, we went straight to the main building, which is a huge with the roof length of 42m, made from craftsmen from the country. Seated comfortably in the lobby with a large wooden table around a fire pit, the staff greeted us and provided us with drinks while registering our stay. The whole place had a very nice traditional atmosphere, with the furniture, decoration, and all different elements emanating a feeling that you had traveled back in time.
We had booked the special room 'Nagai Inn', which is the largest room of the ryokan and can accommodate 6 people in total. Apart from a small pantry with washing machine, washroom and toilet, there are two Japanese tatami room of 10 and 6 mats respectively, an in-room hearth, a balcony overseeing the beautiful waterfall and valley outside, and an outdoor bath.
Even the furniture in the room has a lot of history, with many being real antiques of more than 100 years old. It is a wonder that we can live in the luxurious setting, with air-conditioning, lighting and heating, while experiencing the same style of life like sitting around the hearth to chat, bathing outdoor in the clear and smooth hotspring to relax.
Before getting dark, we decided to walk around the ryokan to see the other interesting things. First we went to the Jidaimono Musuem where many antiques collection were displayed, from armor and weaponry, to pottery and ornaments, the number of them was simply amazing.
Then we moved to the adjacent house where another wide collection of he traditional Japanese dolls were shown. The details were so delicate that we can easily spend the whole afternoon admiring each single piece of them, and they were great pieces of arts. Inside the building there is also a small shrine where we can write our wishes and put on the rack to pray.
Further down the path there is a huge cooking pot which was used to cook rice in the old times, and according to the sign it was the largest in Japan. We can easily climb in and fit a few of people inside. At the side there were seven bronze bells and the legend said if someone walked along the path with deep concentration, the wish would come true.
On the side there is another corridor which shows a large number of wooden and metal cabinets, owned by rich people in the old times, along with tapestries, door flaps and other furniture. With all these priceless antiques, I started to wonder how rich the owner of this ryokan is to manage such a enormous collection.
Returning to the room we changed into yukata before heading to the restaurant for dinner. It was served at another building, called Kobayashi House, where we had a private room and enjoying a very good meal, with our own hearth to grill the fish as well as meat and vegetable. It was my first experience having a meal around a hearth and it was a great memory.
Because we were full, the staff also nicely helped to prepare the dessert and put those in our room so we could enjoy later. This again showed how attentive and thoughtful the service in Japan could be. It was a great meal of fresh and tasty food truly.
After a good night's sleep on tatami with comfortable mattress and silky soft bedding, we enjoyed a morning bath, looking at the greens of the valley outside, hearing the waterfall and enjoying the nice cool breeze while bathing in the hotspring.
We then had breakfast in the restaurant. In our private room, we had a great and healthy meal of the fresh and local ingredients. Even though it may look simple, you can taste all the true and intense flavors of the food, and frankly this is what a true great dish should always be to me, to showcase the authentic food experience. I finished every single pieces of them and two big bowls of rice.Apart from a nice and comfortable room, great onsen, fantastic food, this ryokan also got the additional element of history embedded into all elements, making it one of a great experience to enjoy. My stay here cost 70,720 yen and honest speaking given all the above I would say it is wonderfully great value for money and I strongly recommend. The only minor issue I got was that the restaurant was busy during the dinner time so the staff had to serve multiple rooms, so could not be as attentive as she would normally be, and slightly affect the overall experience.
My overall rating is 8.0/10.
