Nogamihonkan Ryokan

The best stay of my 3 weeks Japan trip. If you are non-japanese and are looking to stay in Onsen Ryokan without worrying too much about etiquette, this place is for you. I'm not suggesting this place let you do whatever you want, this place explains the Japanese way really well, in english. They have English speaking staff that can answer any queries you have. The breakfast team explains what to do with the Japanese breakfast, do you don't feel like an idiot or uncultured. The breakfast itself is also really nice (if you like Japanese food that is). They serve Kabosu juice (citrus fruit that is local to the prefecture) with breakfast - the most refreshing juice. You pay one-off JPY300 (at the time of my stay) to use unlimited washing machine and dryer - which is super affordable and convenient. Nogami has 2 public onsens that they rotate for male and female - so you get to experience both. If you are not keen on the Japanese bathing ritual, they have 3 private onsens for a very reasonable price hourly rate. I have tried all-but-one of their onsens and they are super clean with good temperature. My family of 5 stayed in Family room and despite the initial worry of sleeping on futons, we had the best sleep (probably onsen before bed also contributed to our quality of sleep). The bathroom of the family room is SUPER spacious (if you stay in Japan hotels before - you know their bathrooms are tiny) with double vanities. The lounge is super cosy with tea coffee (hot and cold) available (free) at all times. I was very sad to check out from this Ryokan ....

Nogami Honkan has a convenient location—an easy walk downhill from Beppu Station and surrounded by plenty of food options. It’s also within walking distance to Beppu Tower, where you can enjoy nice views of the city and the sea. We went during the day, but I imagine the night view would be beautiful too. Staying here gave us a feel of the quieter, local side of Beppu. While the town itself is calm with fewer people, tourist spots can still get busy with tour groups.However, compared to other traditional inns (ryokan) we’ve stayed in around Japan, the service here felt minimal. We didn’t get the warm or inviting welcome typical of Japanese hospitality. The room was quite dusty, the in-room shower was dated and run-down, and the road noise was noticeable even on level 4. The room had a smell when we first entered, and I had to use lavender disinfectant spray and essential oils to make it more comfortable. The sea view from the room was a plus, though.Facilities were basic. The private onsen costs 500 yen, while the public onsen is free, but both felt quite run-down and not very well maintained. There are vending machines on each floor, plus free water, coffee, and tea machines, which were convenient for our family of four.Breakfast was included and was one of the highlights. We enjoyed grilling our own fish and cooking our own eggs and toast right at the table with all the ingredients and utensils provided.Overall, it was an okay stay mainly for the location and local experience, but the condition of the rooms and onsens, along with the lack of warm service, made it feel below the standard of other Japanese inns we’ve visited.

I was checked in by Suhit when I arrived. He spoke excellent English and Japanese. He walked me through the configuration of the Ryokan and the timings of the 2 male onsens available for complimentary use and the paid ones available for private booking. My visit to Beppu was focused on visiting the onsens around the area (and you should too), and Suhit was incredibly helpful to share his favourite onsens that should not be missed. Please do yourself a favour to order the Ryokan traditional breakfast. Its super high quality, has a wide variety and super nutritious. The onsen was well stocked with amenities, ice cream, free water and tea. If you're heading to Takegawara Onsen (2min walk), there's a free basket and towel to take along with you to the onsen, available next to the check-in counter.

good value for money! would definitely stay againlocation: it's relatively further from the station , around a 8-10min walk. there is a 7-11 just around the cornerroom: my room came without a bathroom but for the ladies are 3 cubicles shared among the 7 mix gendered guests on the floor. i did not have to wait in line at all. there was more than enough space in the room to open my suitcase wide and still feel comfortable. bed and pillow was a bit hard though, and you can hear anyone talking loudly downstairs outside the building as the room is on 2nd floor, tho that doesnt happen very often. food: amazing balanced breakfast that changes everyday - really delicious!onsen: the one on 2F was smaller than 1F, but very good and comfortable. clean too. you can book a private onsen room for 500yen (50mins) staff: all of them were super friendly, helpful and made me feel welcome. there are english-proficient staff available 24H as well :)

The place is not obvious from the main road and it took us a while to find it, using Google Maps. The inn is walking distance from Takegawara Spa, which had better signage. There are nearby shopping malls so food and shopping is not a problem.|The staff were very helpful. After storing our bags before our check-in, the staff were very helpful in guiding us how to get to Beppu Hells. The bus terminal, next to the JR station, is walking distance away.|There are free public baths within the inn but we rented a private one for 50 mins. It allowed my shy family members to each take turns to use the onsen privately. Such a great option for us!|The breakfast experience was lovely. Even though the serving staff could not speak English, she was very enthusiastic as she gestured how to eat and enjoy the food.

• A traditional Japanese-style accommodation with good prices, offering an onsen. It’s about a 15-minute walk from Beppu Station, and check-in starts at 4:00 PM. • We chose a shared room for six people with a toilet, but no private shower, so we used the shared bath area. • The shared bath is traditional Japanese style, meaning it’s a communal area where you sit side by side to shower. • Overall, the hotel and rooms feel a bit old, but they’re very clean and well-maintained. The futon mattresses are thick and comfortable, making it easy to get a good night’s sleep. • The staff are very friendly, provide great recommendations, and speak English well.

This ryokan is at a convenient location. We could wear their yukata, sandals, and also borrow their towel and walk to Takegawara Onsen for a sand bath.||We stayed in a Japanese style room with tatami and futon. The room seems a bit rundown but acceptable. We also booked the family bath (500 yen for 50 min), which was a nice experience.||There was free coffee/tea and water machine on each floor, and we had no problem with the wifi reception.||The staff was nice and friendly and we saw many non-Japanese speaking guests there.

A great quiet onsen hotel with limited rooms. Some rooms have private onsen bath. Staff are excellent and helpful. Recommend booking with two meals. Very reasonable price. Will try to visit again in future.