Name: Sarugakyo Onsen Hotel Seikyoen
Address: 1121 Sarugakyoonsen Minakami-Machi 379-1403, Minakami, Minakami, Minakami, Japan
Rating: 8

Location

Sarugakyo Onsen Hotel Seikyoen

In one week, went stayed at 4 inns/ryokans with onsens.
This was our favourite.
1. We got the room with a view of the lake. It was a wonderful view especially during sunset and morning sunrise.
2. The onsen was ok, Indoor and Outdoor available with different level of ...'hotness'. I tried the hottest outdoor one and came away with very reddish skin(!)
3. The food is excellent. Hotel specialises in tofu themed dishes. Dinner was a tofu kaiseki and breakfast had some tofu dishes. We found both meals excellent. 
4. Far as we could tell, we were the only non-Japanese during our 1 night stay. The other guests were couples, and families including 3 generation Japanese families. So that tells you a lot about how wonderful the place is.

Our friends had made a reservation for us to visit Sarugakyo Hotel and it was indeed a nice place to visit. There was snow in the area so it was a beautiful drive. Perhaps the scenery is even more beautiful during spring but we enjoyed our stay. The hotel is little bit older, but it is cozy and like always in Japan clean. Our friends helped us with Japanese customs so there was no problem.

After putting on Yukata and slippers we went to onsen. It is a separate building but very close. There is two private baths so it was just perfect for us. We selected the first one and it was perfect for two of us. The other is bigger so it was good for a family of four. The water temperature was quite warm, so it took little time to adjust, but after that it was nice and relaxing. 

The dinner was good and there was several different kind of tofu to taste. Our server was happy to show how to prepare some meals and it was really nice. having a Japanese meal together with good friends is really exceptional experience. In the morning we had a buffet style breakfast, there was good selection for Japanese taste and something also for western style.  

There was also a story telling time and a little demonstration and tasting of a Japanese specialty. Children enjoyed it very much. It was in Japanese so I could not follow it.

My friend and I booked this ryokan to get away from the city as we love onsen ryokans. The dinner and breakfast was really good and the hotel was clean. The onsen was great too. The only drawback was it's a bit of a drive from the hotel to the train- but that's what makes it seem like a sanctuary. The hotel runs a shuttle bus once in the morning and afternoon. The thing that set it a part was the story telling time with the okami San, and he mochi tsuki. It made our stay more omishiroi. The guests and story tellers chatted a bit afterwards and made it seem more intimate. It's all in Japanese, but even if you can't speak the language I would think you would still get something out of it- an authentic Japanese mood.

It was a long drive of 4 hours+ to there. Very remote town and away from town. Serene environment. We took a walk to the nearby lake. Enjoyable.

Room facilities are standard. Onsen is comfortable but not too big. Staff is warm and helpful though they have very limited English ability as they serve mostly local. Food  were good especially their tofu.

Its a pleasant place but for that quality to travel such long. I may not return.

Minakami

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Excellent experience

Really nice visit

Lovely stay

For locals

As others have said, the hotel looks like a leftover from "The Bubble Era"- a Gorgeous Landscaped Entrance but weeds on the way to the baths, a large Lobby with a Coffee Lounge (but no service). The baths were huge with several types & the Outdoor Hot Springs were really great (2 different temperatures) with open skies & trees (& no people).

The Lake View from the 6th Floor-room was Stunning!
The menu is Healthy Kaiseki based on soy- the Smoked Tofu was outstanding-ending with tofu ice cream.
We had 2 beds and futons, and even though it was a mattress the bed was so hard it was very unpleasant. Sleeping on the tatami might have been softer!

We went on a weekday so maybe these are just part of their Covid Measures. I was sad there was No Storytelling, & the shop closed early and nothing was open in the area. But we had a decent price for our stay...

Funniest Moment: My 40-year old daughter didn't know how to call the front desk on a ROTARY phone!

Some Good, Some Not So Great

We were here for the natural hot springs and we were not disappointed. Staff was very friendly and polite. The lake is beautiful and the snow-capped mountains were awe inspiring.
Good: onsen, not crowded, staff service, 6-course dinners.
Bad: stomach ache, dust mites in bedding.

We had stomach upset after dinner on our second night there. We can't pinpoint which food item because the dinners were elaborate with many small dishes. While we were grateful for the grand dinners but would have preferred not to fall ill over food.
The mattresses look old and probably the dust, human skin shedding, dust mites and dust mite droppings in combination triggered my allergy. This is a friendly warning to those who suffer hayfever and dust allergies. We gave feedback verbally on check-out but there was disbelief.

Enjoyable outdoor onsen and good sceneries

Service is lovely and friendly, food is interesting (everything u can make with soy) and the outdoor onsen with view of mountains is great- but rooms smell of cigarette smoke and decor is a lil dated, and condition of rooms could do with an update.

Nice outdoor onsen, interesting soy meals, but hotel needs a refurbishment

We selected mountain view room (not special price plan) but end up the room not really mountain view as it faces opposite houses & big lamp poles in front of the window, quite disappointed.

Dinner table sat right next to open shelves for cups & bowls don't feel good, there are other tables not occupied so unsure why we are placed at this table. Dinner is nice, we pay extra for beef steak. After dinner there are performance, nice to join locals, free mochi to eat. Breakfast hall is nice facing the lake, but too bad we didnt get to sit face the lake. Soy milk is very good.

Onsen is long walk down stairs & up stairs not so convenient but found short cut just across the road that's much better! Onsen is big & nice, except one of the outdoor onsen that faces the lake, part of it could see hotel rooms & besides it are windows of the building, was afraid could be seen so can't enjoy.

Hotel free shuttle to train station only at 10.30am, Shinkansen is 11.43am nothing much to do at station for the long waiting time (about 40min), so we decided to take bus back (1 way 880 yen!) to catch earlier train instead. Hotel is prompt for short notice to send us to bus stop.

Hotel staffs are helpful, cheerful & friendly that make the stay more pleasant.

Nice Soy Milk

We came across this ryokan in Iyado website and took the chance. Am glad it's mostly local tourists. We had a western room facing the lake which was pretty scenic. Took a walk around the back across a gorge which offered bungee jumping in summer. The onsen was more than a short walk away. Both the indoor and outdoor onsens were pretty large. Food was ok for the price we paid.

Sarugakyo Onsen Hotel Seikyoen

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