Beautiful lodge on the river bank. Cosy and friendly atmosphere, great location easy to reach everywhere

“Beautiful family run pension by the river”

Beautiful Location by the River. Charming building with onsen. Extremely nice staff.

“Perfect location and amazing experience”

A great little pension accommodation right on the river. You can dig your own hot spring bath here outside, or use the facilities indoors too (private onsen bath, great for couples). It was pretty easy to get here by bus after walking the Kumano Kodo, and was a nice relaxing place to recover from our journey. The staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful. The food was good but I encourage you to look up the difference between "pension", "Ryokan" and "hotel/inn" accommodation styles. This is pension and provides a mix of Japanese and western, mostly comfort food. It was tasty and filling, but don't go expecting a full kaiseki-style experience.

“Great location to enjoy a beautiful valley, best suited to non-hikers”

Beautiful location right by the river with all rooms offering a view across the valley. Great spot from which to enjoy the natural hot springs or explore further afield in Hongu area. Western style would suit those looking for a relaxed stay.

“Exceptional stay”

We really enjoyed our stay here, and would love to return. The best things are the lovely family who run the guesthouse, and the location in front of the hot spring river

“A lovely, homely place to stay.”

The dinner and breakfast provided were lovely. The family running the accommodation were very friendly and welcoming. We liked the private onsen and the close proximity to the river with hot pools.

“Wonderful location and great for Onsen bathing”

Staff was incredibly polite and helpful. Location was spectacular, right outside public natural Onsen. They also had a private Onsen in the accommodation which was very convenient. Food delicious, everything clean.

“We had a perfect stay, thank you for your kind and caring hospitality. We we return to Japan we would definitely book yo”

“A sublime homely Onsen”

The family running the hotel are lovely, helping us out after our long and wet trek. There was nothing better in the world than the hot Onsen bath and nourishing dinner. It was very sweet to be served by the young daughter who made us an origami. We felt very much at home here. I loved the hot Onsen water from the river right outside as well, after the host had dug holes especially for us. All in all we had such an amazing stay.

Everything was perfect - location,, room bigger tham expected with lovely view over the river, friendly hosts, who helped us with bus information, spotlrdsly clean, comfy beds individual onsens available plus option to dig out your own in the river.

“Exceptional hospitality and the perfect Kumano Kodo base.”

The vibrant red flowers by the window look so beautiful in the soft light. Megumi-san and her husband, provide world-class service. Their expert advice on hiking trails and bus timings saved us so much stress. The location is unbeatable—just seconds from the bus stop. There's also a convenience store within a 30-minute walk. Having a hot onsen waiting for us after a long day of trekking was the highlight of our stay. Highly recommended for any pilgrim！

“A healing dream straight out of a Ghibli movie.”

A stunningly beautiful and warm wooden lodge that offers pure tranquility. Everything is spotless, and the soft lighting creates such a welcoming atmosphere. I stayed for two days to rest a leg injury and found it to be the perfect place for healing. The attention to detail is amazing—the onsen baths are drained and refilled with fresh, hot spring water every afternoon, reaching the perfect temperature just in time for a soak. The meals looked like they were straight out of an anime! A truly safe and comforting haven for any traveler.

Good Kawayu Onsen location with a river view room. Staff were friendly and helpful.

“Great stay at a homely inn”

Great experience at this very homely place after a long hike. The host was really engaging and helped with everything I needed. Food was lovingly prepared and served. The private onsen and bath is lovely as is the view of the river right outside. Just a little out of the way from the main Hongu area but there are buses, and it's close to the Ukegawa trailhead. Recommended.

A warm welcome, hot springs, and hearty meals are here to greet you at this lovely lodge. The hosts were very helpful in helping us plan our route for our onward journey. Overall, would highly recommend!

The owner & staff were lovely.Very convenient location opposite hot springs & close to bus stops.

“Lovely”

Wonderful family and wonderful staff. Attention to details and general super welcoming atmosphere. I stayed for 4 nights full board. I am vegetarian and both the breakfasts and dinners every day were amazing nourishing and varied. The view from the window, the fresh hot pot of tea in the room and the indoor and outdoor onsens are a treat.

“Perfect, I'm coming back for sure!”

What an amazing place, seriously. First of all, the family who run the place are very friendly and make you feel at home. The accomodation is so pleasant- warm, spacious, clean, and the two private onsens are perfect. The meals which you need to pay for are very substantial and delicious, so definitely worth it in my opinion. The view of the river from my room window was unbelievable. I appreciate the little touches like the giant pot of hot tea in my room too. This is the ideal place to go to relax and enjoy nature and something really unique with the river onsen (which is only open during winter by the way)!

Extremely nice and welcoming family. Emu, their daughter, was the sweetest! Located right across the street from the river. Very nice onsen.

Location and food service. Owner is very hospitable.