Around Nishino Kawara Open-air Bath × Top-Selling Stays in the Last 24 HoursHighly rated for customer service and hospitality at Hotel·Ryokan

On my first trip to Kusatsu Onsen, I stayed for two nights in the private open-air bath guest room “TAKASAGO.” Guest Room (TAKASAGO) The layout is wonderfully spacious, with the bedroom and tatami-style living area separated, creating a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Personally, I felt the room was a little dim due to limited natural light depending on its orientation, and I would have loved a larger sofa where you can really sink in rather than a low table—but overall it was an expansive, truly luxurious space. The tatami room with the low table faces a private garden and had a lovely sense of traditional charm. The maisonette-type rooms looked brighter and seemed to have more comfortable sofas as well, so I’d like to try one next time. Onsen Two different hot spring sources—Jizo Gensen and Bandai Kosen Gensen—are supplied here, making for an indulgent bathing experience. In addition to enjoying high-quality spring water anytime in the in-room open-air bath, the three private reservable baths each had their own distinct character and conveyed refined Japanese aesthetics. I thoroughly enjoyed soaking in Onsen throughout my stay. In particular, I loved “AWASE,” where three tubs are lined up from low to high temperature so you can experience a traditional bathing method—I went back again and again. Breakfast As dinner service was suspended during my stay, breakfast was the only meal offered—but its quality was outstanding, easily on par with dinner. I often stay at cuisine-focused Ryokan, and this was among the best I’ve experienced: creative composition of dishes, cooking that brought out the best of each ingredient, and thoughtful selection of tableware that elevated every course. Hospitality & Service The staff’s attentiveness and perfectly balanced approach—present when needed but never intrusive—left a strong impression and made my stay very comfortable. While there are a couple of minor preferences regarding the guest room setup, overall I was extremely satisfied with every aspect: Onsen, food quality (breakfast), and hospitality. I would absolutely love to return when visiting Kusatsu again.

This was our first stay here on a trip with four friends. The Room, the meals, and above all the service from all staff were outstanding. Every staff member was courteous and kind, and we truly felt first-class hospitality—worthy of a five-star Accommodation. Thanks to you, we

Our stay exceeded all expectations in every aspect—Onsen, meals, and hospitality—making it truly a "blissful time." We thoroughly enjoyed both the "Ogumiage no Yu" and "Hana no Yu" Onsen baths that we had been looking forward to. The highest quality spring water was gentle on th

The newly built room was outstanding in every aspect—design, bedroom, and private bath. However, what truly made it feel first-class was the people. The warm hospitality from all the staff and the proprietress was unforgettable! Thank you for creating such wonderful travel memori

We stayed in two Rooms with a total of seven people—my daughter’s family and my son. We have stayed here before, and it remains a favorite because we can truly relax, and both dinner and breakfast are served in private dining rooms so we can enjoy our meals at a leisurely pace. The grandchildren enjoyed not only the Onsen but also the pool, and they even wrote in their summer vacation diary that they want to come again. The staff also left a very positive impression with their courteous service.

The buffet has been further upgraded compared to last time and may have been influenced by Ichii-san's excellent buffet offerings. Highlights included steak made from Joshu beef rib roast and freshly prepared sushi, as well as an impressive all-you-can-eat selection of melon, wat

It was really great!

I stayed in a twin room with a terrace and open-air Onsen bath. The room was stylish and very comfortable, but the highlight was definitely the amazing open-air Onsen bath! There were wooden boards for Yumomi, a famous tradition of Kusatsu, allowing us to fully enjoy the Kusa

We stayed for two nights and had a wonderful time. In addition to the Onsen, we were able to relax in two different types of baths. During the day, we enjoyed soba at Tsumagoi Highlands and made the most of our trip from Shiga Highlands to Yamba Dam. Thanks to the owner’s helpful

The buffet is beautifully prepared and everything tastes fantastic—you can enjoy both the local specialty Himokawa udon and Joshu beef, so there’s nothing to complain about. Both kids and adults are sure to be fully satisfied. (No need to wait in line at nearby restaurants.) The

All the staff are very kind, and I’ve never had an unpleasant experience. Best of all, they have the rare Watanoyu bath (hard to find even in Kusatsu), and if it’s available you can use it privately as many times as you like—amazing. Depending on timing it can be hard to get in (

The free private bath was also enjoyable. Having visited Kusatsu many times, this hot spring quality suited my preferences very well. Amenities such as towels, basket bags, colorful yukatas, and samue were thoughtfully provided in detail. Many of the staff at the accommodation we

All of the staff were genuinely kind and welcoming. Visiting Kusatsu Onsen had been a long-time dream of ours, and it turned out to be an unforgettable trip that made us fall in love with Kusatsu Onsen even more. Next time, we look forward to staying with both breakfast and di

We could enjoy our meals without any hesitation. Each dish was prepared with care, and since we upgraded, the beef fillet was also very delicious. It was my first time at Kusatsu Onsen, and I was able to spend a very elegant and pleasant time with my best friend. My best fr

They also stored our car and luggage before check-in, so we were able to fully enjoy exploring around Kusatsu Yubatake. The nearby tropical botanical garden was also great—getting to interact with the cute monkeys was much more fun than expected, so I highly recommend it! This is

The staff were very courteous, and I had a comfortable stay. All of the meals were delicious, and I was very satisfied! I will stay again.

When I went to the front desk to ask if I could park my car before check-in, there were only foreign staff and I couldn’t communicate well. We stayed for two nights, and my wife lost the Room key, so I contacted the front desk, but again it was foreign staff and they didn’t understand—saying they would check—and that was it. However, with pre-registration enabling instant check-in via QR code and a Room mirror with tablet functions for instant check-out, I feel this Hotel is ahead of its time.

With check-in at 2:00 PM, this Hotel is recommended if you arrive in Kusatsu early and want to sightsee around Yubatake first. However, it’s hard to tell from the map, but walking from the Hotel to the downtown area where Yubatake is located requires going up and down a very steep hill. It’s about a 10-minute walk one way, but the uphill stretch is quite tough. The in-house Facility, public bath, and Room had been renovated and were clean and comfortable, but I was unlucky with my Room—the sound of rain hitting the Facility roof outside the window was loud and made it hard to sleep—so I rated the guest room two stars lower and overall satisfaction one point lower.

Both the Facility and the Room were very clean! Even cleaner than other well-maintained Accommodations. The meals were delicious, and after gradually getting used to Kusatsu’s characteristically hot Onsen, I felt refreshed for the first time in a while and slept soundly. I was surprised at first that there was no air conditioner, but with the windows fully open and using a fan and a handheld fan, it was not a problem at all. I stayed with my daughter, and we will definitely return. Thank you very much.

Although it seemed to be their lunch break, they let us check in early and even stored our luggage—much appreciated! Would love to stay again. If I had to mention one thing, we used the private bath first that day, and the water was lukewarm—but everything else was perfect! Eve