Oku Jozankei Onsen Kasho Gyoen

My stay at Okujozankeionsen Kashogyoen offered a mix of memorable highlights and noticeable shortcomings. On the positive side, the warmth of the welcome and the attentiveness of the staff were truly commendable. The architecture and interior design are undeniably chic—evidently deserving of the design awards it has received. The aesthetic is both contemporary and thoughtful, creating a visually pleasing environment. That said, several aspects detracted from the overall experience. The property is situated adjacent to a busy road, and the constant sight and sound of passing vehicles—even from the garden—somewhat diminished the sense of tranquility one hopes for in a retreat. Additionally, while the garden features an expansive platform, the absence of evening lighting made it feel underutilized and somber after dark. Similarly, my balcony—a feature I was particularly looking forward to—lacked any form of illumination at night, limiting its usability and ambiance. Another disappointment was the lobby’s central fireplace, which—especially on a snowy arrival day—was unlit and went unnoticed, missing a valuable opportunity to enhance the atmosphere. Dining presented mixed impressions. The Italian dinner, though adequate, lacked creativity and failed to surprise. Likewise, while complimentary drinks and snacks were provided, their presentation felt lackluster and did not reflect the establishment’s design ethos. Overall, while the stay had its merits, it fell short in delivering a consistently premium experience—particularly when considering the price point, which seemed to outpace the value actually received.

Just an amazing stay! 🥰 It was absolutely comfortable, private and we felt well taken care of. The attention to detail from the layout, architecture design, hospitality and the food (such amazing food with so much care) just made us want to come back again. Beautiful onsen in the room with an amazing view!!!

What a Great Place! Warmly greeted by staff, room overlooked forest, in room onsen with view, common area include wood burning fireplace and cozy library. Dinner was off the charts, it was a multi course Italian dinner executed to perfection. Breakfast included a whole grilled fish, doesn’t get any better.

A true gem! We just returned from an adventure all over Japan with our 20 yr old nephew and staying here was a highlight of our trip. We spent three nights and loved every second. The entire experience was a delight, the staff was amazing from check in to our waves goodbye. Lorre was so helpful and took excellent care of us all. We loved our spacious rooms and the dinners were phenomenal. I highly recommend this gem for the value and quality and beautiful staff. Cheers to all and a huge thank you.

The staff is friendly and attentive. Pun-San is nice and able to support us during our stay. The room is big and the in room onsen is wonderful. Housekeeping is on point. There are free snacks at night with rice ball, mini cake and tea. We stayed for 5 nights and you will get tired of the dinner after two nights as they repeat the menu. The italian food do get a bit boring… We end up skip dinner one night even though we have paid for it. It will be nice if they have more choices going forward or they allow you to opt out dinner and paid just for accommodation. If you are just staying for the weekend is fine.

Wonderful boutique hotel with private onsens. Amazing service and attention to detail. Free shuttle bus service to/from Sapporo station, as well as accessible by taxi or regular bus (about 50 mins). Italian themed dinners made with fresh Hokkaido ingredients. Breakfast was Japanese style with many small dishes. Award-winning indoor architecture. Highly recommend this place for a relaxing weekend getaway.

This is one of the best hotels I have stayed in Japan. I have well travelled in Japan before and the staff there treated me as their family member. I would like to specially thank you Yamaguchi and Matsuyama san and the driver (sorry I did not get his name), they went beyond their duties and helped so much during my stay. Yamaguchi san spoke English fluently and Matsuyama san provided great suggestion on attractions near the hotel. The driver was lovely and he spoke English well too! ||This hotel, although is a bit far away from Jozankei Onsen area (about 10 minute drive), it has a very nice view of the forest. The hotel provided all day coffee, late night snack and soft drinks during the stay, so we dont have to go to the convenience store for food. ||The dinner was very nice, I love the pasta and beef especially. The breakfast was served as semi-buffet style. ||There is no outdoor onsen unfortunately. It would be nice if there is one facing the beautiful forest. ||Housekeeping was very good and the room is spotlessly clean! ||Remember to reserve your slots for a free shuttle between the hotel and Sapporo JR Station. It only takes less than one hour and you are in this hidden gem.

This is our second night here and it Is such a great place, I wish we could give 10 stars for everything. We have a room with an Onsen, and have used it six times already. Rooms are great, the three meals we’ve had a great, the service is great. I could not wait to give this hotel a great rating, more to come a few days.