“Magical”

Our stay at Shibu Onsen KOKUYA was honestly one of the most magical experiences my partner and I have ever had in our lives. From the moment we arrived until the moment we sadly left, every single part of our stay felt like something out of a dream or a storybook. The ryokan itself is absolutely beautiful, full of charm, warmth, and tradition. The streets surrounding the hotel were breathtaking, especially in the evening light, and walking through Shibu Onsen felt like stepping into another world. The onsens were incredible. Every bath had its own atmosphere and character, and the entire experience was deeply relaxing and unforgettable. After travelling through busy cities, this place felt peaceful, healing, and genuinely special. But what truly made our stay unforgettable was the staff. Every single person we met was so kind, welcoming, funny, and attentive. They went above and beyond for us in every possible way. They helped organise transport to the Snow Monkey Park, arranged taxis to the station, organised our luggage, helped us with food requirements, and made us feel completely cared for the entire time. Nothing was ever too much trouble. We especially appreciated how thoughtful and accommodating everyone was regarding my vegetarian diet. Even with language differences, the staff made such an effort to help me and explain dishes kindly, and it meant so much to us. The service here is beyond hospitality, it feels personal and genuine. You can truly feel the heart and care that goes into this ryokan. The Snow Monkey Park being so close was another amazing bonus, and the hotel made visiting it completely stress-free and easy. Out of everywhere we have travelled, this is one of the few places that made us emotional leaving. It was peaceful, beautiful, welcoming, and unforgettable. We will remember our time here forever. Thank you so much to everyone at KOKUYA for giving us memories we will carry for the rest of our lives. We already dream of coming back someday.

“A gem”

Everything, this place is an absolute gem!

“A wonderful experience”

This 400 year old traditional Japanese inn (ryokan) is a real treat. You are warmly welcomed with indoor slippers and gowns (yukata) provided for your stay. Traditional dinner (at 6pm) and breakfast (at 8am) are provided and are exquisitely presented. You eat at a private table. There are a variety of onsens available at the ryokan which are used privately rather than communally. The water is very hot (41 degrees) therefore a top tip, if this is too hot, would be to pick an onsen with cold tap available too! Some are indoor, some out and also some rooms have an en suite onsen. You also have access to the town’s public onsens. A shuttle bus at 9am is provided to take you to the snow monkey park amd also your luggage can be stored free of charge at the nearest station (Yudanaka). It is a very relaxing amd well thought out stay.

“Highlight of our stay!”

The staff were very welcoming as soon as we entered the ryokan, they showed us everything which was very appreciated. We booked a room with private onsen and it was so lovely (see the picture attached). There are 8 onsen in the ryokan, they are all private, we didn’t knew that before coming so it was such a great surprise for us. We had the chance to try at least 4/5 of them, they were all so good! We had breakfast there in the morning, generous, Japanese breakfast! This stay was truly the highlight of our trip!

Everything was amazing. Highly recommended! Thank you for everything

“great location, uncomfortable, very expensive”

location

The staff was warm and helpful.

“I enjoyed the space and the onsen. It was almost magical! Would reccomend and come back again for another stay!”

The whole ryokan experience

“Incredible Onsen stay. Would highly recommend”

Incredible experience all round from the staff and the dinner to the on-site onsens, of which there are about 8-9. The staff were so friendly and helpful, including picking us up from the station to dropping our luggage off at the station for us to collect when needed.

dinner and breakfast kaiseki is yummy. it is a fun experience hunting for the many onsens inside this maze of a ryokan.

“Must stay if in Shibu. If you are on the hunt for a ryokan with amazing baths - come to Kokuya!”

The KOKUYA building is about 400yrs old and so charming and well maintained and modernised with fantastic facilities. The highlight was the 8 baths in the building. When we went in Feb, no reservations needed to be made for these baths: if you find it “Vacant”, you enter and lock it and the entire bath is yours. If it is “occupied”, you can come back later. The food is amazing and the service awesome. Ryokan meals are typically amazing, so what sets this place apart is really the individual charm of each of the bath rooms.

Outdoor private onsen

“A perfect stay”

Great staff, great location, wonderful food, beautiful onsens, just perfect

“Highly recommend!”

We had a fantastic two night stay at Kokuya! We felt so relaxed from the moment we arrived. The staff were all friendly and welcoming. The food was outstanding and the onsens were bliss.

“Memorable onsen stay”

A truly wonderful experience. Soaking in the onsen waters outdoors in the winter air was absolutely delightful. The facilities were clean, and both dinner and breakfast were delicious, made even more special by the warm, friendly, and attentive service from a lovely staff member who enriched the entire dining experience. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend this ryokan, especially for anyone who may feel shy about public bathing and prefers the comfort of a private onsen experience!

“A gem of a traditional Japanese hotel in the heart of Shibu Onsen. Enjoying the multiple onsens within the property was”

Lovely, clean traditional hotel in perfect location. The staff were very friendly and offered a shuttle to the station. The multiple onsens within the property were amazing.

“A step into the real Japanese heritage.”

All the staff were incredible so kind and accommodating. We really enjoyed the traditional food ,presentation exceptional. Onsen private and ever on of the 10 incredible.

The staff are very attentive and speaks good English. But overall, the onsen hotel experience is not as good as the other ones. Room is small but the shuttle bus is a bonus

Once in a lifetime experience

“An unforgettable experience and would highly recommend for anyone looking for a traditional Japanese spa experience”

A real Japanese experience and the Onsen facilities