“The cutest granny!”

On our way back from skiing in Hakuba, en route Tokyo, we made a stop at this beautiful quiet town to stay for the night at a family run Ryogan …Turned out ? One of the trip’s highlights ! At first impression, the traditional wooden house looked especially fragile in this freezing cold night with traditional heaters; yet the welcoming smiles radiating from the young pretty host in her beautiful kimono warmed our hearts as darkness fell. The traditional heated bedrooms and heated blanket covering settees were warm and comfortable. We got a hot bottle in our blanket on each futon - cute :) Walking to the dining room and onsen was COLD. We had Japanese dinner at the Ryogan served by the beautiful same host in kimono. Very charming. One dish was horse meat sashimi!! The cook was the grandma - the cutest grandma in the world! We just loved Grandma and everything! It was snowing when we closed up the night in on sen. We were the only group of guests that night so had the on sen to ourselves only. Immersing in hot water in a very cold night while watching silver flows of snow falling quietly was such an experience ! The next morning, after yet another beautifully prepared traditional Japanese breakfast, Grandma in her lovely cooking apron and the sweet host saw us off at the front gate. There were lingering photo takings and good bye sayings before we finally walked slowly off to our car. What a memorable stop over of our route to Tokyo !

We absolutely loved our stay at Masuya Ryokan. A very historic, family run place with a lot of character. The meals were delicious and we really enjoyed our onsen experience within the ryokan. They even drove us to a station further away which was so kind (for a small extra fee).

“Quaint historic ryokan in Aoki”

We loved this historic, family-run ryokan. The meals were amazing, and beautifully created. Our hosts were very accommodating, kind and helpful, and went above and beyond, driving us back to Ueno station at the end of our stay. This also gave us an opportunity to have a lovely conversation with the hotel owner, learning about his time living in Australia 40 years ago. There was a choice of 2 onsen and we preferred the larger one with its outside area that was very pretty. It was cold in Aoki, but the room and beds were warm and comfortable, as well as there being additional heating in our room which was situated in the older building.

“It’s a SHAME for anyone who runs such a dirty ryokan. I won’t pay even half priced !”

Ancient historical building

It was exactly as expected, a wonderful authentic Japanese Ryokan and completely appropriate for the price we paid for room with shared facilities. The staff were fantastic.

A heritage ryokan onsen and they are keeping its tradition. The staff were so lovely and very helpful they made our stay so welcoming. The owner (I guess) gentleman even helped us carry our bags upstairs. At check out, they also stayed outside and waved us goodbye. So honoured. If you choose to stay here, take the responsibility of understanding the heritage of this ryokan.

“Overall, this was the highlight of mine and my wife's trip to Japan.”

Masuya Ryokan was truly a joy. This historic, family-run ryokan with provide you with a comfortable and authentically Japanese experience throughout. The tatami rooms were well-maintained, the mountain views were breath-taking, the staff was so kind and welcoming, and the food was incredible. Easily the best Japanese food I've ever had.

“A very traditional experience”

Very spacious accommodation and traditional onsen on site was included. The staff were very accommodating and even offered to extend the onsen hours for our late arrival.

“It was the most special time, we wish we could have stayed more. Maybe one day, we will come back!”

We loved the room, the view, the vibe and most of all, the people.

Very accommodating with our schedule and needs. Gave us everything we needed and was very clean. Food was amazing

“Beautiful authentic Japanese experience in an historic house full of character — an out of time experience for any trave”

The Ryokan was beautiful and perfect for travellers who are looking for a traditional Japanese experience. The house was full of character and it felt authentic and out of time. we loved the views, the layout and the space we were given. The staff were lovely and attentive to our needs — they even privatised the onsen for us two and offered lifts to get us from the bus stop. They were a lovely family, we will keep a beautiful memory of our stay.