"Located quite far from the main town. If you’re driving a car then you can choose this ryokan. Otherwise you’ll have to adjust your timing according to their shuttle bus service. Food is decent. Service and amenities is good. The outdoor onsen is amazing."

"The place was clean and the hot springs were great, but when we arrived for dinner, which was supposed to start at 6:30 pm, it wasn't ready. We were kept waiting, and even after being seated, it took over 30 minutes for the shabu-shabu pot and meat to arrive... some people waited for an hour. The website showed luxurious tempura and other dishes, but all we got was shabu-shabu, sushi, simmered dishes, and jelly. Breakfast was also disappointing, and this was with two meals included, costing over 10,000 yen per person compared to a room-only stay! And to top it all off, there were only about five staff members, so I wonder how they plan to get through a public holiday... All the staff were foreigners, and their Japanese was broken. It was heartbreaking to see one person working so hard and apologizing. It's such a shame, especially since they said they were trying to make a living by renovating a closed-down inn."

"The hotel is located about a half-hour drive from Josho Kogen Station. A free shuttle bus is available; the hotel will email you one day in advance to confirm your reservation. The hotel is situated in a small village, lacking modern amenities like restaurants and cafes nearby; exploration is primarily confined to the hotel grounds. The hotel is divided into two main areas: the main building, which includes the lobby, restaurant, courtyard, and a public hot spring bath; and the off-site area, which features guest rooms, a private hot spring bath, and a small cable car. Both areas are accessible by the hotel's driverless tram, but it's very slow. A normal walk takes about four minutes, involving many stairs, which is not ideal for guests with mobility issues. The hotel's overall style is a retro farmhouse feel, somewhat like staying in a small temple. The rooms and the exterior are decorated with great detail, featuring many antique-looking items, and the hotel also has a large collection of antiques. It's quite unique and different from other Japanese-style and modern Western-style hotels I've stayed in. The main onsen (hot spring) appears to be mixed-gender, while the annex is separate for men and women. The onsen has a sulfurous smell, but it's not strong, and there are indoor and outdoor areas. As for the food, I'd say it's slightly above average, but the portions are huge—you can easily get full! 😂 The hotel is built on a hillside, and our room was at the highest point of the annex, overlooking a large rice paddy in front of the hotel. The view was very expansive, and the scenery was stunning on sunny days. The rooms were generally large and offered good privacy. There was a bathtub in the room, but it wasn't filled with hot spring water. In summary, the hotel has a unique style, and the room views are nice, but the location isn't particularly convenient. Overall, the value for money was slightly low for me. I only booked this one because I couldn't find any other onsen hotels available. Overall, it was a slightly above-average experience."

"2 bunk bed, include very proper breakfast, best view and ski ground inside the hotel, Try the outdoor onsen in winter so amazing"

"The buffet at Minakami Juraku has a wide variety of dishes for both dinner and breakfast, and they are all delicious. This is my second time here, and it lived up to my expectations! The snowy scenery from the window in the morning is amazing."

"We came from Tokyo to stay overnight to refresh ourselves amidst the scorching heat that has been continuing day after day. The temperature was just 20 degrees, and the sound of the river babbling was very refreshing. The food was delicious and the portions were just right, so we would like to come back next year with our pets."

"Fenomenal break away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and Kyoto. There is nothing more refreshing than a dip in the outdoor onsen followed by the most beautiful and nutritious dinner prepared with local ingredients. This places should be publicised more but then again perhaps its magic still lies in the fact that you need to do your research properly to find it and then make more out of the way arrangements to get there (Shinkansen to Jomokogen but then you have to book a local taxi in advance). The bus day trip from the bus station just outside we took one day to Minakami was also worthwhile. If you are a foreigner and want a real taste of Japanese countryside and onsen life, this is the place ❤️ Thank you to the lovely staff for a wonderful stay!"

"This is my fourth stay. Each of the three large baths has a different atmosphere, and if you choose a time when there are fewer people bathing, you can enjoy your bath at a leisurely pace. The buffet has a wide variety of dishes for both dinner and breakfast, and there were quite a few "Japanese dishes using vegetables as ingredients" that suited my husband and I's tastes, so we took a little bit of each dish and enjoyed many dishes. However, the seats at the venue are designated by the staff, the tables are too small (so small that you can't put your dishes down after you've finished eating), and the distance between the adjacent tables is only 20 cm on one side and 40 cm on the other, so it is far from being a situation where you can eat leisurely and calmly. This time, the two old women sitting next to me (they said they were about 80 years old and their husbands had died) talked nonstop for over an hour during the meal, rather than eating, so even if I didn't want to listen, I heard their conversation for over an hour and memorized it, so it was not a situation where I could eat leisurely. The same situation happened when a group of people drinking all you can eat was sitting next to me at this hotel before. If the hotel staff read the reviews, I strongly request that they separate the seating into two areas: [area for people who want to enjoy their meal slowly and quietly] and [area for people who want to drink as much as they like and continue talking]. If you choose a time slot after 8:00 for breakfast, most people will have gone home, and you can choose a quiet and calm seat and eat slowly. More than ten years ago, I made a similar proposal to a hotel in the area, and a week later I received a response that [the distance between tables will be about 80 cm]. I have remained friends with that person, who had an attitude of valuing customers from the customer's perspective, and have stayed there many times since then. Today, the hotel continues to thrive as a hotel representing the area."

"What a surprise. A gem. Spacious room. Small hot bath on the terrace with a view on the river. Initially, looking at the dining room, I thought food would be basic. BUT the set menu was really really good. 10/10. 1 michelin star. A series of small so well presented european dishes with a small touch of Japanese cuisine. Une oeuvre d'art. Excellent. Breakfast, Japanese or European. Excellent too. Staff was great too. We will definitely come back."