Nogawaya Ryokan

During my one-week stay at Yunotsu Onsen, I stayed at Masuya Ryokan for the first five nights, and Nogawaya Ryokan, a long-established inn two doors down, for the final night. The reason why I didn't stay all six nights was because the final night was on a Saturday, and Masuya Ryokan's prices were set much higher (which is pretty normal), so I changed to Nogawaya Ryokan, which is a little more affordable. It's also fun to try different places. That's why I thought this detailed information might be helpful for those who are wondering which one to choose. (If you'd like, please also refer to the review of Masuya Ryokan.) [Room] I stayed in a Japanese-Western room called Kushijima, which was renovated in 2022. The room has been fully renovated while retaining the design of the Japanese-style rooms in traditional inns. There is a bedroom and a chair and table in the living room, which is very appreciated by the elderly. The shower room, toilet, and other water facilities are also sparkling clean. There is also a veranda space overlooking the charming hot spring town. After a bath, it was great to cool off on the veranda with a Tora-san beer. The inn as a whole is not barrier-free, but this room is and is the closest to the entrance. If you can slowly go up and down the stairs (Kushijima is on the second floor), you will have no problem staying here comfortably. [Amenities] I really liked the fact that there were no excessive amenities, only simple ones. The hot spring towels also had a logo on them, which is great for hot spring lovers (by the way, the ones at Masuya Ryokan didn't have a logo, which was a shame). The fabric and color of the haori coat were very elegant, and it was of better quality than the ones at Masuya Ryokan (← a bit unfashionable), so I really liked it. [Food] Dinner was served in the room, and was an orthodox "ryokan menu," but it was very delicious. It was as delicious as the "Masuya Ryokan," which has a reputation for being the best in Yunotsu. We had breakfast in the large hall. The breakfast was a combination of traditional and local cuisine, but to be honest, Masuya Ryokan was the winner. [Bath] There were some negative comments in past reviews about the small baths, but there is a reason for this. Yunotsu Onsen has two hot springs, both of which are famous for their excellent spring quality, but the amount of water is small, so the inns in the hot spring town carefully share it and draw it. Therefore, in order to have a bath that is 100% source water, they have no choice but to make the bath small. They do not do the sneaky thing of adding water to the source to increase the amount of water, heat it, and put it in a large bath, as is often done in other hot spring areas. In addition, at Nogawaya Ryokan, the water is drained from each bath once a day, cleaned, and refilled with new water. So the small baths are not a negative thing at all. By the way, there is one private bath, which I think is easy to use for people who need assistance or those with children. [Hospitality] Both the owner and the proprietress are very kind. They kindly accepted my early check-in, and also arranged for me to use the private bath as soon as the water was filled, arranged for me to get some "Tora-san beer" which was sold in limited quantities and was in short supply, and even showed me around the neighborhood in a shuttle to the station. [Yunotsu Kagura] I stayed on a Saturday, so I was able to see Yunotsu Kagura after dinner at the inn. Ryugozen Shrine, where Yunotsu Kagura is dedicated, is a 30-second walk from the inn. Yunotsu Kagura was a powerful and wonderful local performing art. You can make a reservation for Kagura directly with the Yunotsu Onsen Ryokan Association, or you can request it from the inn where you are staying. By the way, the seats that are easy to see and comfortable to sit on are "20-22". For details, please click on the link from the "Yunotsu Meguri" website. Yunotsu Kagura is basically only dedicated on Saturdays, so it is recommended to stay on Saturdays, but since there are many other things to see in Yunotsu, I strongly recommend staying for multiple nights. [Location] The inn is located in a beautiful townscape that has been designated a World Heritage Site, about a 15-minute walk from JR Yunotsu Station. They also provide transportation to and from the station. The hot spring town is small, so outdoor baths and restaurants are within 5 minutes of the inn. It's also fun to stroll around the hot spring town in a yukata. [Access] The nearest station is JR Yunotsu Station on the Sanin Main Line, which has few trains. It is a remote area far from all the major surrounding points, including Izumo Airport, Iwami Airport, Okayama Station, Hiroshima Station, and Yamaguchi Station. However, it is an inn located in a very beautiful hot spring town that maintains silence and dignity. This inn is highly recommended for those who want to quietly enjoy the good old Japanese hot springs.