Nagano-Haragusa-Kuchiguchi Station × Stays Popular For Snow-View BathsHighly rated for dining at Hotel·Ryokan

The cuisine was outstanding. Each dish conveyed the chef’s heartfelt hospitality and was truly exquisite. Local ingredients were crafted into wonderful flavors. A taste that even supports the local community—I ended up buying local products at roadside stations on the way home. The Onsen was also excellent, and I could faintly see stars from the open-air bath in my Room. The view from the Room, comparable to a panoramic route, was also great. The cats were adorable too.

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 an Accommodation I’d wanted to visit for a long time. I was hoping for the riverside bath and a starry sky, but due to the river running high and cloudy weather, it didn’t happen. Still, the Accommodation was wonderful, so I was completely satisfied. At check-in, we were served delicious homemade sweets: hanamame beans with shiratama in kinako and kuromitsu. The proprietress and staff were very pleasant, and the hot spring bath—fed directly from the source—overflowed generously and felt amazing. The meals were beautifully presented using local ingredients, and we were happily full. The Room was clean and relaxing, with the sound of the river (it was quite loud this time because of the high water, but I’m sure it’s usually soothing). It was also lovely to see small wildflowers displayed throughout. It’s an Accommodation I’d love to stay at again and again. We will definitely return.

Only 10 Rooms on a spacious property. The grove garden right in front of you is a private view (guests cannot enter), giving you the true feel of a vacation home. We were completely satisfied with everything—the Room, the semi-open-air bath in the Room, the open-air bath at the large public bath, and dinner featuring an array of premium ingredients considered luxurious in Japanese cuisine, as well as breakfast with just the right portion size. If we had to make one small request, it would be that the bath towels were a bit thicker.

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 were able to relax throughout our stay and enjoy a special time. The clean and comfortable Room, the wide variety of delicious and thoughtfully prepared buffet dishes, and the wonderful Onsen—all exceeded our expectations. Everyone in our group was very satisfied with this trip. When we visit Kusatsu again, we would definitely like to stay at Hotel Ichii again.

From the moment I was picked up, the staff made a great impression, and as soon as I stepped into the Hotel, I was soothed by a wonderful aroma scent. I was shown to a private Room to check in. The Room had a simple design and was very comfortable to stay in. I also enjoyed choosing my favorite scent with the aroma diffuser in the Room. This time I joined the 1-night, 2-day fasting course. Since it wasn’t a water-only fast, I had carrot juice, homemade umeboshi (pickled plum), bancha tea, and more for dinner and again the next morning. After checkout, they treated me to rice porridge, miso soup, handmade umeboshi, hana ingen beans (runner beans), and bancha tea—everything was very satisfying. Personally, the hana ingen beans slowly simmered over two days with beet sugar were so delicious that I couldn’t help asking if they were available for purchase. After check-in, I also received a brown-rice onigiri with umeboshi, which I enjoyed on my long-distance bus ride home. There is no TV in the Room, but Wi‑Fi is available so you can use your smartphone. However, since it was such a good opportunity, I tried not to use my phone during my stay as much as possible. Time flew by as I read health magazines in the lounge with herbal tea in hand; opened the window in my guest room to read my own book while listening to birdsong; and reviewed personal finances that had been put off due to everyday busyness. From the Onsen bath area in the morning, you can see Mt. Asama—the view was truly wonderful. If there’s one thing to mention: since exercise is part of my routine personally, having showers in every Room would have made it even more comfortable by allowing me to rinse off quickly after working out. Other than that minor point, everything exceeded expectations—the staff were lovely throughout—and it was a stay I would definitely like to repeat.

Because it is located a little away from Yubatake, we were able to spend a very quiet and relaxing time. The interior has a refined, design-forward atmosphere, yet since the building was originally a cottage and has been renovated, it also feels wonderfully cozy with the warmth and scent of wood. The guest-room bath with free-flowing Onsen water direct from the source was a bit hot at first, but once we got used to it, it felt amazing and allowed us to fully enjoy Kusatsu’s Onsen. After bathing, we felt warmed through to the core and our skin felt pleasantly moisturized. Even the amenities such as lotion were high quality, and we could sense attention to detail throughout. Both dinner and breakfast were truly outstanding, and each dish reflected great care in ingredient selection. The vegetables, shiitake mushrooms, and Joshu beef grilled over a wood fire had an especially fragrant savoriness that left a strong impression. The octopus rice at dinner and the white rice cooked in an earthenware pot at breakfast were also exceptional—perfect with grated yam and bonito flakes. It was a meal where you could really appreciate how delicious the rice itself is. We are not very knowledgeable about wine or sake, but there was an impressive selection, and the well-informed master recommended options tailored to our preferences—making this Accommodation particularly appealing for those who love drinks. Some past Reviews included harsh comments, but after staying ourselves, we could clearly see sincere efforts to improve; it felt like this Accommodation continues to evolve into something even better. Even understatedly put, it was an exceptional stay. We were completely satisfied with everything—the Facility offerings, Onsen baths, cuisine, and hospitality. It was such a wonderful Accommodation that we would absolutely want to stay again when visiting Kusatsu.

This is my third year traveling to Kusatsu Onsen in summer, and I was finally able to stay at Naraya as I had long hoped. The free-flowing Onsen from Shirahata Gensen was wonderful, and I enjoyed it many times. The Room was clean, and the meal was excellent—especially the sushi served at the end, which was so delicious that I left completely satisfied. I felt there were many younger staff members, but everyone greeted me with a smile, making it a great trip. I would definitely like to stay again.

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.

This was our first stay—my son’s family of five and I. The room was very spacious with high ceilings, so the grandchildren were thrilled and ran around happily. The small upstairs space also had a wonderful view of Mt. Asama right in front of us, and it was truly relaxing to enjoy a drink while playing my favorite Western music. My grandchildren can be quite sensitive, so we choose places to stay very carefully, but this time they loved it so much they asked me, “When are we coming again?” I’d love to return again soon. The staff were kind and efficient in preparing everything for us; their attention to detail made our stay very comfortable. It really was a wonderful night. Thank you very much.

This is a perfect Ryokan with meticulous attention to every detail. The building is beautifully maintained, and the finishes and Facilities feel refined. The Onsen is excellent, and the amenities are well stocked. The meals are delicious, served on beautiful tableware, and satisfy both taste and presentation. Drink prices are reasonable as well. The location is close to Yubatake, making it easy to enjoy a stroll around the area. I would definitely like to stay here again. Thank you very much.

This was our second stay, the first in two years. The buffet offered a wide variety of dishes, including local specialties unique to the area. Both the buffet staff and the front desk staff were very kind and attentive, which made our stay truly comfortable. In particular, the buffet staff explained things in a way that was easy for our child to understand and spoke to us in a friendly manner, which we really appreciated. When we stay in Kusatsu again, we would love to choose this Accommodation. Thank you very much.

I have visited Kusatsu several times, but this was my first stay at this Accommodation. First of all, the Onsen was excellent. The outdoor bath with snow views in the cold weather warmed me up, and the water temperature was just right—perfect. The buffet was also delicious, wit

Although the building is historic and compact, the cuisine—and even the tableware it is served on—are outstanding. The hot spring water comes from both the Yubatake source and the Ryokan’s own private source, each offering a distinct bathing experience. The staff are wonderful and exceptionally attentive. This is an Accommodation you will want to stay at again and again.

I had a very comfortable stay! There may have been a few minor housekeeping issues, but the Room and the Hotel overall were clean. I was very satisfied with the meals as well! I thought it might be nice to use even more local ingredients from Nagano. I would love to stay again. Thank you very much.

We stayed for one night during the Obon holidays with my daughter’s family. My son-in-law was visiting Kusatsu Onsen for the first time, and he really enjoyed the delicious meals and the yumomi experience at the Ryokan. All of the staff were kind, and even our 9-month-old grandchild was able to enjoy it, making it a wonderful trip. We would like to stay at Sakurai Ryokan again.

We stayed for one night and two days with our grandchild. As mentioned in other reviews, the building and rooms are indeed a bit old, but everything was properly cleaned and we had no issues. With the all-you-can-play passport, we enjoyed bowling, the pool, craft-making, festival-style games, quizzes, a stamp rally, and more—plenty to keep us entertained. The free shuttle bus from the hotel to Yubatake at night was extremely helpful; it was my first time seeing the Yubatake illuminations, and I was surprised by how many tourists were there. Even though it was summer, walking around Yubatake felt pleasantly cool—almost a little chilly—which was wonderful. The next day we used the hotel shuttle again because I wanted my grandchild to enjoy street food and try the yumomi experience as well. We had only ever visited Kusatsu in winter before, so this was our first summer visit. While news reports talked about extreme heat in Tokyo, we were amazed at how cool and comfortable Kusatsu was in summer. At night we didn’t need air conditioning in our room—it actually felt slightly chilly. Summer in Kusatsu is great. The food was delicious, and everyone at the front desk, reception counters, and shop—especially the international staff—was very polite and pleasant. Every staff member provided excellent service; I was truly impressed. This hotel is highly recommended for families with children as well. We would love to visit again. The only downside is that the hotel is so large that it’s easy to get lost—especially when trying to find the baths (as other reviews mentioned), and yes, we got lost too. Overall though it was a wonderful hotel. Thank you very much.

You can enjoy the gentle Yubatake Onsen in the calm, refined atmosphere of a long-established Ryokan. The food is delicious, but above all, the staff are exceptionally kind. Every visit leaves me impressed by their outstanding service. At check-out, the gracious proprietress sees you off with great care, and you can truly feel how her attentiveness is reflected throughout the entire team.

We checked in early and enjoyed the Onsen before dinner. The perfectly comfortable Onsen temperature was wonderful! Drinks after the bath were also great! There was a wide variety at the dinner buffet, but we were so full that we couldn’t try everything. Breakfast also had a great selection and was delicious. One thing to mention: it was disappointing that there was hardly any hot water from the faucet in our Room. We could see the Yubatake lit up at night from our Room. We actually wanted to take a walk to the Yubatake right in front of us, but it started raining and we couldn’t go, which was a shame. The exterior of the building showed its age, but choosing Daitokan was absolutely the right decision. We’d like to stay again. Thank you very much.

It was a very beautiful Hotel with great service, and I felt the staff’s hospitality and attentiveness were wonderful. The in-room open-air bath was also excellent! I think guests would be even happier if there were direct access from the shower room to the open-air bath. The distance is short, but I couldn’t help worrying about water dripping while moving around when wet, so with a little improvement it would be perfect. For guests, dining is also an important point, and it was very good! I also posted photos—late-night ramen was delicious, especially the tomato ramen recommended by the staff. It’s a Hotel that made me want to visit again after a long time. To all staff members (including makeup and bed-making), thank you very much for such a wonderful time.