Hirayu Onsen Private Hot Spring Nakamura Inn

We were able to stay at a great price, and the meals were incredibly delicious and very generous—we really had to work hard to finish them. There was Hida beef served both teppanyaki-style and as sukiyaki, and the vegetables were fresh and very tasty. We also reserved the bath for private use, and we were moved by the breathtaking star-filled sky. There was no air conditioning, but it wasn’t a problem. The Room was old, but we knew it came with that condition, so it was fine. Our whole family was so satisfied that we all said we’d like to stay again. With souvenirs included as well, I think it’s a truly wonderful Ryokan.

It was my first stay here in a while. Previously, we were escorted to our Room, but this time the staff explained the layout using an in-house map at check-in. I was able to reach my Room without getting lost. The many staircases and maze-like interior gave a real sense of history and brought back fond memories from my last visit.The baths included a hotter bubble bath and a warmer large public bath, and there were also two types of open-air baths with different temperatures. I prefer hotter baths but also wanted to soak slowly, so I went back and forth between them. In the open-air baths, there were not only mineral deposits but also some moss and leaves floating—very much like a natural Onsen. Preferences may vary, but personally I liked the atmosphere. The floor can be slippery in the bathing area, so caution is needed—though that’s understandable given how good the water is.At dinner on a previous visit, they lit the sukiyaki and steak while we were still eating appetizers, so I ended up having cold steak—an unfortunate memory. This time, each table had its own lighter so we could start cooking at our own pace. Since my wife eats slowly, we were able to enjoy everything deliciously until the end. The Hida beef was excellent, as were all the other dishes. We were very satisfied.Breakfast featured buffet-style fresh vegetables and pickles, Onsen eggs, hoba miso with steamed grilled salmon, steamed warm vegetables in a bamboo steamer—gentle dishes that felt good for the body. Like many others, I ended up having extra rice and ate heartily from early morning.It seemed like each dining area sectioned off about five families per Room group or so, which made it easy to dine without feeling self-conscious. Especially at breakfast salad buffets elsewhere there are often long lines; here there was no need to queue at all, so it was nice to eat at a relaxed pace.The foreign female staff member who served us was also very polite; her explanations of each dish left a good impression.A couple of notes: there were paper towels (?) by the sink in the Room wash area; if possible, it would be nice to have an actual hand towel for that space—it’s not ideal for drying your face. Also, there was spare toilet paper provided in the restroom; however it looked slightly wrinkled as if it had once gotten wet and dried again before use on this stay (or possibly remained from before). I would appreciate it if this could be checked and replaced during cleaning.Overall both the Onsen and meals offered high satisfaction levels. The spacious building has a strong sense of history, yet thanks to thorough cleaning throughout we had a very comfortable stay. Thank you very much.It may be several years from now again—but I’d like to come back and stay here again.