Arai Ryokan Reviews

Even though traveling solo felt a bit lonely, the overall experience exceeded my expectations – it was absolutely perfect. Everything from the ambiance and facilities to the service and food was impeccable. It's clear why this 150-year-old onsen ryokan has such an allure; I now understand why literary greats like Ryūnosuke Akutagawa and Yasunari Kawabata chose to stay here. They have four public baths, each with its own unique charm, and they rotate access between men and women at different times. If you plan it right, you can experience all four even with just an overnight stay. Dinner was a kaiseki meal served in my room between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM. The food was good, but the pace was very slow, and I actually started to feel sleepy towards the end. The paper hotpot tofu for breakfast was a unique and delightful touch. A taxi from Shuzenji Station took about five minutes and cost less than 100 RMB. I truly hope to have the chance to stay here again in the future.

I booked the stay with two meals. Breakfast was a nine-grid bento style, and while dinner wasn't exactly traditional Japanese cuisine, it was filling. The hotel itself is an old-fashioned, traditional Japanese-style building. In the morning, there was hardly anyone around when I walked, and the whole onsen town was very quiet. It's also right next to Shuzen-ji Temple.

The environment, hot springs, and service were all excellent. I will definitely stay here again next time.

Great Ryokan with histories, traditional Japanese style garden settings with water, koi, walking bridge, two private onsen, and several public ones, the onsen water quality is one of the best in Japan. Great Japanese food.

Amazing trip, very traditional ryokan with a deep historical context. Very genuine experience.

It was a great experience! Very authentic and impressive.

I visited this ryokan with high expectations, given its rich history and tradition, and I'm so glad to say it met them all. I made some wonderful memories here. While the cleanliness was a slight concern due to the nature of tatami flooring, I was completely satisfied with everything else, from the service and meals to the hot springs!

Arai Ryokan, built in 1872, is a luxurious ryokan with 31 Japanese style guest rooms are located in various private cottages. Its 15 wooden structures are registered as the national cultural assets. Many Japanese celebrated artists made frequent visit and the big art collection is housed in the ryokan. A wooden bridge leads to the guest rooms which overlook either the river or the courtyard with its large pond full of carp. Arai Ryokan’s traditional Japanese cuisine kaiseki served features local fresh seafood and vegetable of each season.

A very old but beautiful ryokan. The dinners and breakfasts are incredibly filling and varied. The grounds are very atmospheric and full of character. The open-air baths are a must-visit, especially during the momiji (autumn leaves) season.

Perfect room, perfect Onsen. Perfect meal and perfect service. I would love to visit again. The bed was incredible comfortable!

This was truly a fantastic experience.  Everything was better than I'd imagined. I rarely think "I should come back here", but for this place, I'd make a special trip just to come stay again, even if for only one more night.

Fabulous stay at this beautiful ryokan. Staff was unfailingly helpful, attentive and kind, even though they spoke little English, and we speak even less Japanese. The meals were amazing and the five onsen were fantastic. Our stay was peaceful and restorative...just what we needed!

Very traditional onsen with rooms rebuilt but keeping the historical decoration and environment. Enjoyed very much the Japanese food and service.especially their breakfast. Dinner was not truly our taste on all dishes , mainly veggie and seafood. But in general very impressive experience and will recommend to friends who are looking for authentic Japanese Onsen .

The best ryokan I have ever visited in Japan. You feel at home. It is located in a picturesque place with its own sakura alley, momiji. There is a bamboo grove. Breakfasts and dinners (kaiseki) are interesting and delicious. You can feel the constant attention of the ryokan staff. The onsens are varied and beautiful, after visiting them, my skin became very smooth. The rooms are historical, large, classic, very pleased. I recommend Arai Ryokan!