"Lovely view, good onsen"

"The vast grounds are covered with lush moss in the garden. The rooms are made of marble, and the furnishings are thoughtfully designed. The hot spring water is very warming. The food is delicious and locally sourced. The TVs are up-to-date, with access to Amazon and other services. I would like to visit again. However, if I were to offer a criticism, it would be that communication between employees seems to be poor. Also, while there are no basic issues with the facilities, the toilets are hard to lock, and maintenance of aging areas such as the air conditioning may be lacking."

"Perfect! Staffs were amazing"

"It was a short walk away from the Minakami Onsen bus stop and the room was clean. Loved the private onset overlooking the river as well. We didn't have breakfast there as the price was a little steep for us (~27 SGD) but there's a nearby bakery and other F&B, so food was not an issue. They provide PJs and a cardigan to put over as well. Staff was nice too."

"We had a wonderful stay at Minakami Kogen and our children keep asking when we can go back! We stayed 4 nights midweek in ski season with a 5 and 8yo. Hotel staff helpful and responsive to emails. Booking the shuttle from Jomo Kogen station was fast and easy. Staff were lovely and helpful in person too, most spoke English and they had translate as well. Connecting corner room was spacious by Japanese standards (we locked the corridor door which gave us a large suitcase space and room to get snow gear on and off). Food (buffet restaurant) was excellent. Lots of variety and each food had clearly marked allergens which made selection easy (we are pescetarian and don't eat meat and there were lots of delicious options). We didn't have problems with availability of early dinner times except on our first day. Both indoor and outdoor onsen were great. We didn't find the walk across the carpark to the outdoor onsen a problem and it was usually very quiet, sometimes we had the bath to ourselves. My children find some onsen too hot, but the outdoor one was perfect because it had two sections, one hotter and one cooler. Snow activities were excellent. We could generally choose an activity, walk up to the desk and book to do it right away. One of the days we bought a lift pass and used the long 500m sled run which was excellent and it was fun to be able to ride the chairlift even though we didn't ski or board. The kids parks were great too, the tubing and sledding was good fun and never crowded. We did the Takaragawa onsen excursion through the hotel and enjoyed it. (Mixed gender, clothed bath along a scenic river). Overall, this hotel far exceeded our expectations and we really enjoyed our stay. Would stay here again."

"I think it's a good place to reset. It's nice that you can drink as much as you want from check-in to check-out. I came by car, so it was a shame that I couldn't drink in the morning. It can't be helped because of the location, but the roads are narrow when you come by car, and the Joetsu Line runs right there, so if you are worried about the sound of freight trains at night, it might be better not to go to the river side. I love trains, so I was very satisfied."

"It was a family trip with my dog. It was good to be able to spend free without putting it in the gauge in the room. It was good that the food was very delicious."

"Stayed overnight at Hoshi Onsen and it was honestly magical. The highlight was soaking in the outdoor bath while snow gently fell around us, super peaceful and almost unreal. The traditional ryokan atmosphere, from the wooden interiors to the quiet surroundings, made it feel like stepping back in time. The onsen itself is beautiful and serene, especially in winter. Service was warm and attentive, and everything felt very authentic and well-preserved. It’s the kind of place where you just slow down and fully relax. Definitely coming back, this is one of those experiences you don’t forget!!"

"I visited this inn for work. The sister inn Senjyuan was really good, so I decided to stay here this time! I wanted to relax by myself, so I booked one with an open-air bath. I made a reservation on the day, but they were flexible in their response. The hospitality was reminiscent of Senjyuan, from the moment I arrived until the time I was shown around. The food was also very satisfying, and made generous use of local ingredients. I really enjoyed this traditional hot spring inn."