Hoshi Onsen Chōjukan

Repeater from the past 20 years, the place is magical. The whole experience has always been amazing, really. Its like time has stopped and it is a magic moment. However, over the years, the hospitality has somehow changed. They used to serve breakfast and diners in the room or in the main dining hall. You had the choice. Now the choice is gone and we are all packed in the main dining hall with limited choice for hours : diner 6 or 6.30 , breakfast 7.30 or 8 am. Very strict with no exceptions. The japanese hospitality is also not the same as the whole kitchen staff is now all non experienced and have trouble speaking and understanding japanese, same with the level of English. We stayed two nights and they used to make the room (tidy up the futons and replace cups etc), this is also gone. It is still a magical place but perhaps they should be careful about not losing their roots that started it all - 150 years ago.

We were in Hoshi Onsen 25 years ago, and we loved it so much that we decided to visit it once more during our recent Japan trip. Hoshi is one of the most traditional and older onsen in Japan, with more than one hundred years of history. Walking in its corridors or lingering in Hoshi-no-yu (the main indoor bath) you can really feel as if time had completely stopped and as you have plunged in a remote era. Yet it provides any possible comfort. Important renovations have been made, but always with great taste and respectful of tradition. Dinner is excellent and also the open air bath is really beautiful. The surroundings are also very nice and deserve a walk. It is a bit expensive, but no doubt worth the price

Visiting Hoshi Onsen Chojukan as an American was quite different from other experiences I had in Japan. Soaking in the baths twice a day was peaceful and beneficial. A few tattoos did not seem to be a problem in the baths. The meals served in the dining room were outstanding as well. I eat a lot but it became difficult to finish the meals with so many different foods available on offer. The service was friendly and responsive, the hotel is well staffed in regards to how many guests it receives. The surrounding area is incredibly beautiful in summertime, and there are many fun areas and activities for tourists. The wifi and the phone signal are poor, which helps with disconnection and relaxation. My mind felt very quiet after staying here for three days.

A magical inn in the mountains, overlooking a river. Incredibly peaceful place to unwind and recharge in beautiful surroundings, with exceptional food and attentive staff. I'll be back for sure.

TONS of BUGS! There were even dead bugs with dusts attached to them, meaning they didnt clean the room properly. Bugs were climbing around my bed, toilet, everywhere. PLUS the receptionist is super UNfriendly.

Situated in the deep mountains of Gunma prefecture, this Ryokan has mostly remained untouched over the decades. The wooden structure has the authentication touch you will not find in the modern hotels. There are three different baths. They are all accessible to women and men, but at différent time. The baths are open all night except during the cleaning time (early in the morning). Overall , the baths are large and very relaxing. One of the baths is mixed. The rooms are are very well preserved and very clean. The food is exactly like what you can expect in a high quality Ryokan. It was an excellent experience and I strongly advise the travelers to visit this place, far from touristic areas.

It took around three hours to get to but it was truly worth it. An out of the way location, from Tokyo it took two trains and two buses later it was worth it. Dinner & breakfast were explained to me in English The baths (there are three) were timed per male/female - a bit confusing- the outdoors one was amazing at night. Would be incredible in winter. I know it says no photo in baths but I had to capture them

Getting to the location was in itself an adventure as it requires taking the train and two buses. The experience was absolutely fantastic - the property and bath houses are absolutely gorgeous and made the trek well worth it. I wanted to stay at a traditional ryokan and couldn't have asked for a better location. The staff were friendly and the food delicious. Was definitely one of the top highlights from my entire trip to Japan and I hope to return one day.