Okunikko Yu No Mori

If you want to escape the crowded touristy areas and find a quiet little hotel in a beautiful setting with top notch service then this is a great choice. Yunoko is a small gorgeous lake up above Lake Chuzenji. The people working at Okunikko Yu No Mori were so friendly and welcoming. Meal service was wonderful, skilled wait staff seemed to bring an endless series of courses, everything beautiful and delicious. I went for an early morning walk up by the hot springs source and saw several monkeys! Very happy I decided to add this stop to my Japan trip, thank you!

Located not too far from Lake Chuzenji is this small hotel tucked among the snow. Driving is preferred. There are only 16 rooms in the main building. The staff were very attentive and service was top notch. They even assisted us with our luggage all the way and parked our car for us. The highlight of the hotel is of course the open air onsen right in your own room. It was snowing and this made it all the more magical. The room itself was huge and we had modern twin beds and even a rocking chair. The bath and the toilet were separate. Meals were provided and were delish. Very fresh ingredients from the local area. There were 2 more small onsens that guests could use all to themselves without a booking. Just walk in and lock the area after yourself. There were indoor and outdoor baths and again the view was awesome. It was not crowded and we did not have trouble getting to use these public areas all for ourselves. Small areas with sitting and log burning fireplaces to chill and have some complimentary coffee and ice cream were a nice touch. Though pricy the experience was worth it.

This was the third visit for my wife and I to Oku Nikko Yuno Mori and we enjoyed our stay no less than on previous occasions. The spacious room was very comfortable and, most importantly, the outside bath was amazingly relaxing. As we have always found here, the staff were most attentive and friendly, without being intrusive and both meals we were served were memorable. We love coming here and highly recommend it.

Paid a quick, one night visit here in mid October and thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing and comfortable stay. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the staff and we found the service provided was attentive, but discreet, adding to a most peaceful stay. Our room had a lovely private outside onsen and the breakfast and dinner were both excellent. Situated a few minutes walk from Lake Yuno, we found the ryokan to be ideal for a quiet getaway amidst spectacular nature. Well worth the cost, we will certainly be returning on our next visit to Nikko. Highly recommended.

I wanted to write this review because whilst researching for Ryokans, I noticed that most reviews were in Jap and the ones in Eng were on the high-end. Okunikko, however, is quite affordable, about S$300 per person for a night's stay with a wide spread for breakfast and dinner. On top of that, we had our own onsen which is great for a visitor to Japan who is not used to stripping in front of strangers. They are extremely thoughtful, providing all the amentities one needs for a stay, although that might be true of a lot of accommodations in Japan. However, the only thing that will deter me from staying here again (if I get to visit the beautiful Nikko again!), is the distance. From Nikko station, the bus ride is about an hour+ as this ryokan is at the top of the mountain. I also wished there was a convenience store nearby, but that's no fault of the ryokan! Also, do request for a traditional Jap room to fully enjoy the Japanese experience ; )

We visit them every year. Oku Nikko means "Far Nikko" so it is further than Nikko, takes about an hour by bus from Chuzenji-Lake. Yes, it takes longer to get there but this ryokan is totally worth the distance. All rooms have its private onsen outside so you can enjoy the fresh air both in summer and winter. For summer, the air is much cooler than Nikko and in the winter having Onsen in snow is just heaven. Their Kaiseki dinner and breakfast is amazing, you will not regret. This is not a big ryokan so if you appreciate quiet onsen ryokan with beautiful Japanese dinner and breakfast, this is the place to visit when you come to Nikko. Don't forget to ask for a discount bus ticket when you book.

Relaxing, cozy place to stay, Serving delicious food. Would love to visit again someday.

Beautiful scenery, wonderful hot spas, extravagant dishes ever. Highly recommended place to stay. Just amazing.