Rekishi-No-Yado Kanaguya

Kanaguya was the most unusual and highly unique hotel we have ever stayed at. The artistry in the construction of the hotel brings Japanses culture to life. Every floor and every hallway tells a story. The location is the best for being right in the heart of onsen area and you must go outside into the streets wearing the Yucatan and wooden shoes to klomp around with all the others visiting onsen in the night! And then, if you purchase the dinners, you will be treated to the most authentic meal service ever. So authentic, we couldn't eat everything, but the Japanese couples around d us did! It's like attending a tea ceremony, but for an entire meal. If you can afford Kanaguya, stay here and immerse yourself!

We wanted to stay in a traditional ryokan with access to hot spring baths and Kanaguya ticked all the boxes. I found this guesthouse while researching onsen close to the snow monkey park near Yudanaka Station, which we planned to visit. The fact that it is cited as inspiration for the bathhouse in Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away was another reason for us to want to stay here. A beautiful traditional wooden guesthouse with eight baths, five of them private, and also access to the nine public baths in Shibu Onsen town (although we found these far too hot to actually bathe in, we enjoyed collecting all the stamps on a special towel!). Our room was Japanese style with sliding doors, tatami mats and futons. There was a bath and WC, but no shower, but it’s expected that guests use the hot spring baths available. All amenities are provided including yukata, obi belt, jacket, bathing supplies, and each bath has washing soap, shampoo and conditioner in dispensers. Staff were very friendly, and so polite, although the majority had limited English we did use google translate at times. The multi course dinners were amazing, served in the exquisite dining room at the top of the house, which was originally a theatre, at traditional low tables and seats. Served in beautiful individual ceramic dishes, with multiple appetisers, followed by main dishes, miso soup, rice, and lastly desert. Although not everything was to our taste, the presentation was amazing and it was a wonderful experience trying so many different flavours. We stayed two nights, and the meals were different each night. The guesthouse has a limited website page in English which directs foreigners to book via a specific third party (tour operator), but when I contacted her via the provided email was told the ryokan was closed for renovations during our preferred dates! Not helpful, as presumably they only wish to sell you a tour! I then did a wider search and found the ryokan available to book on Trip.com. Clearly it was not closed! I would definitely recommend staying at Kanaguya and visiting Shibu Onsen if you wish to experience a traditional ryokan.

Fantastic hotel, the building was unique, the staff was very nice, the dinner & breakfast were delicious and the experience with the various onsen amazing. I would highly recommend

A magical hot spring resort. I have been to many “older” traditional establishments and this one is definitely the most impressive. It’s really out of this world. The multiple private baths are absolutely fantastic, we did almost all of them and each had a unique feeling. The dining hall is absolutely stunning. Don’t hesitate!

為了住這家酒店特地去了湯田中，酒店的確很古老，房間打掃的也夠乾淨且大，衹是老房子，難免屋裡頭會有些花園裡過冬的小飛蟲出現，晚上燈打開就會飛出來，酒店有好幾個湯池，個人感覺還是公共的湯池最舒服，水燙且乾淨，私湯泡了一個，看到湯裏有肥皂碎，感覺不怎麼衞生而且水温也不夠，總之個人建議泡公共湯。酒店有免費送車費服務，入住時預約一下就可以了，酒店的免費晚餐也蠻豐富的，胃口小的根本吃不完，早餐品種一般也能吃飽，

春節去日本橫濱待了一週後決定去長野湯田中泡温泉和看猴子泡温泉，於是選擇了入住金具屋。白天的金具屋在湯田中鎮並不顯眼，普普通通，但晚上的金具屋就與眾不同了，網上説它是《千與千尋》的原型湯屋，倒也十分契合。據説這家旅館已有250多年的歷史了，而且是木製結構，裏面開合轉接，曲折迂迴，本身就擁有多個湯池，特別是頂樓的露天湯池，天上下着鵝毛大雪，身體卻泡在熱湯裏，何等醉人意境。旅館給的一個鑰匙牌可以到街上的任何一個湯池泡湯，讓你應接不暇，那種穿着浴袍拖着木屐穿梭在街景中的感覺似乎穿越到了從前，此景此情此心境，不正是童話再現嗎？湯田中必去，金具屋必住，猴子泡温泉必看。