Omiya Ryokan

Japanese-style double Room with breakfast and dinner included.I also requested a pick-up from Yamagata Station. On the way back, I took the bus to Yamagata Station from the Zao Onsen Bus Terminal, just a few minutes’ walk away.I arrived early, but was able to leave my luggage and explore freely. The staff member who assisted me felt unexpectedly curt, which seemed different from the Reviews. The person who showed me to my Room also didn’t seem to notice a fairly large dead insect right by the door when it was opened. That was disappointing.I was very satisfied with the Room, meals, and baths. The entire building is covered with tatami mats and you take off your shoes, which feels great, and everything was well maintained. All staff were pleasant in both their service and greetings. Since the baths switch between men and women, you can use both areas; I enjoyed the warm feel of wood and traditional atmosphere. Some Reviews said it was small, but as a woman I didn’t find it cramped since there weren’t too many people using it at once. Both dinner and breakfast were delicious—I finished everything. The Yamagata beef shabu-shabu was truly excellent.There is a portable air conditioner in the Room (I think), but because its duct runs out through the window, the top of the window doesn’t close completely tight; I couldn’t help noticing that gap. I saw a similar setup in the lounge as well, so I assumed it’s installed as a measure against summer heat.There is no elevator—only stairs—which I actually liked very much. Around this time of year we could hear spring cicadas (maybe), which was soothing. From the entrance you can see a gentle slope leading down to the main road, along with steam rising from the Onsen—an impressive location. It’s a small but comfortable Accommodation with a warm atmosphere—thank you very much.

Used the Shuttle Service from Yamagata Station (transfer at a parking lot near the sister Hotel, Shiki no Hotel). The moment I arrived at Omiya Ryokan, they quickly wiped down my suitcase so I could roll it around inside without worry. It was very comfortable being able to walk around the Accommodation without slippers. Because Zao Onsen’s sulfur content can cause corrosion, they said they do not have an elevator (the stairs were a bit tough, but understandable). The smell really was strong! In the large public bath there were ventilation openings on the wall to prevent sulfur exposure, so it felt a little cold while bathing—but the sulfur-rich Onsen made it worth it. Maybe because it was slightly off peak season, they had availability and upgraded my Room from a semi-double to a standard double. Feeling grateful, I ordered not only a glass of wine at dinner but also an extra mini bottle of Takahata Winery sparkling wine “Yoshi.” I was happy they offered Yamagata wines too—not just imports. The rice was Tsuyahime. The firmness after cooking was exactly how I like it!! It was delicious both at night and in the morning. Usually when using solid fuel for hot pot at the table, staff light it right as you sit down—but I eat slowly while drinking and reading. They kindly told me at the start, “Please let us know when you’d like us to light it.” Such thoughtful service. The grilled American eggplant with cheese also paired perfectly with wine. Since this is a sister property of Kokusai Hotel and Shiki no Hotel, their bath-hopping pass that lets you enjoy day-use baths at those two Hotels is great. Omiya Ryokan is a little farther away, but still walkable; in mid-March the snow on the roads had melted so there was no problem walking there. When I asked staff whether there were still snow monsters (juhyo), they said this year they had already melted… But since I’d come all this way (and even though it’s pricey), I paid for the ropeway and went up to the summit—and there they were! Locals might say those weren’t “real” juhyo anymore, but for tourists they were more than enough. When I sent photos to an acquaintance, they said that when they went before it was so windy they couldn’t even step outside at the top station—so in that sense mine may have been better luck. There weren’t huge thick ones, but since I wasn’t skiing down through them anyway, just being able to enjoy them around the top station was plenty. During peak season there can be very long lines for the ropeway ticket counter/boarding area, so shifting your timing slightly is definitely worth considering.