Caroline W
Google
The ryokan was clearly very grand in its prime, but there were some aspects of our stay that made us compare it unfavourably against other ryokans we had stayed at.
The most critical is sanitation. On arrival, we noticed that the carpet in the lift and in the common areas of upper floors had an unpleasantly sour and stale smell, like pickles. The room we stayed in was very musty as well, to the point where we had to take antihistamines to avoid dust allergies from affecting us. The curtains and sofa both did not look or smell clean. Perhaps it was because we had booked a cheaper room, but I should think the price paid should have no impact on cleanliness. In fairness to the ryokan, the washroom was well cleaned and areas such as the common room, the dining area, and the entryway were well kept.
The second is the timing of the bus services, especially during seasons when the sun sets early. As the ryokan is located in Yamanaka Onsen and quite a distance from JR Kaga Onsen, staying at the ryokan means depending on the shuttle service they provide (unless you pay for a taxi, which is not cheap given the distance). Even taking the earliest available shuttle, by the time we arrived at Yamanaka and checked in, there was not a good deal of daylight hour left to check out the sights - and this was in mid November during peak momiji (autumn leaves viewing). Likewise, the shuttle bus departure times are right at check-out, which means not a whole lot of time to explore the town during daylight hours as well. Worse still, the tight timing of the shuttle arrival at Kaga Onsen means that you either rush to catch the train or you wait an hour for the next one (the shuttle bus stops quite a distance away from the station entrance). We would recommend that the ryokan create a little more flexibility for travellers, such as by offering earlier arrivals and letting visitors leave their luggage with the ryokan before check-in (or vice versa by allowing later departures). The shuttle bus timings should be adjusted so that it is better aligned to the Shinkansen schedule as well.
The above two issues created a particular disappointing stay since the bus timings essentially meant there was little we could do outside of the ryokan for a 1-night stay, and we lost the best daylight for viewing the autumn leaves; at the same time, the abysmal condition of our room made staying in the ryokan highly uncomfortable.
Where the ryokan shone was in its baths and the evening entertainment, with great performances by geishas from Yamanakaza.
I hope the management considers how to improve on the two points mentioned so that the ryokan can attract more new travellers, as there are many beautiful sights in the region for them to explore.
