Traditional Japanese Ryokan - Kokuya

Traditional Japanese Ryokan - Kokuya

If you have been following this blog, you probably heard about Kokuya, a traditional Japanese Ryokan located in Nagano prefecture. I visited Kokuya during my trip across Japan and I really loved it. The whole area and Shibu Onsen Kokuya itself reminded me of traditional Japan. Everything is decorated in a traditional way, the rooms, baths, even the staff wears traditional clothing. 

The room in which I stayed was quite large and included a private open-air bath with hot spring water, which was one of the highlights of the whole room. The room itself consisted of several areas. First one is a small entrance hall where you would leave your shoes upon entering the room. Then there was a bathroom which had a bidet toilet and a bathtub. The main room consisted of a large area that was intended for several tatami mats, traditional Japanese beds, and also had a traditional Japanese table. Then there was a small sunroom which had a table and several chairs, so you could relax there if you did not prefer the traditional table. 

And of course, there was a small outside courtyard which includes my own private open-air bath with hot spring water. I was able to enjoy a quick bath whenever I wanted all the while enjoying the fresh mountain air. The room also had standard amenities such as these flat TV, safe box, refrigerator, air purifier and humidifier, many toiletries and so on. All in all, the room was absolutely perfect in my opinion. I had everything I needed and more and it truly made me feel like I was living in old Japan. I suggest that everyone experiences this at least once in their lifetime if not more. I know I will definitely return here when I come back to Japan!

Everything about Shibu Onsen Kokuya left a good impression on me, but the thing that impressed me the most was the high-quality traditional dinner and breakfast they serve there, all made from local ingredients. I was there for 2 nights and enjoyed every meal they prepared for me. The first dinner was a full course and included amazing meals such as boiled Shinsyu-Wagyu-Roast beef, local salmon, steamed egg custard with eel, cooked duck, deep-fried tofu and many more. Most of these I have never tried before in my life, and I was stunned by all the delicious meals I had discovered. The staff member that was serving the dinner was quite helpful and she explained every meal to me. 

On the second dinner I had a similar experience, tasty and unique traditional dishes from local ingredients, prepared and served with care and precision. I also had the chance to try a locally brewed beer and I have to say I was positive surprised by the quality. 

The breakfast was similar, but I also had an option to have a Western breakfast instead of a traditional Japanese one, so each morning I had a different one. Japanese traditional breakfast included a bowl of freshly cooked rice, fresh vegetables and fruit, and Kokuya’s signature onsen tamago—soft-boiled eggs cooked in hot spring water, while the Western food you can get in many hotels, but with a unique spin.

I have to say that the meals I had in Kokuya were the best part of my whole stay there, and that says a lot since the whole stay was a great experience. Both the rooms, baths, and sightseeing, all were amazing, but the meals we're on another level. I wholeheartedly recommend that you check out Shibu Onsen Kokuya and book stay here if you want to experience the additional side of Japan. I'm sure you will enjoy every minute of your stay at this unique place. 

Shibu Onsen Kokuya

Shibu Onsen Kokuya

Kokuya is a traditional Japanese-styled inn, also known as a ryokan, located in Shibu Onsen, a small town in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture. Kokuya has a long history since it was founded almost 400 years ago and is currently overseen by the 16th generation of owners, making it one of the oldest hotels in Japan. Even though it is located far from the major cities like Tokyo or Nagoya, it is relatively easily accessible. I took a 4 hour-long bus ride from Shinjuku to Nagano, where I transferred to a local train, and one hour later I was in Shibu Onsen. There I was greeted by the staff of Kokuya who escorted me to the ryokan. 

When you get to the town and to the ryokan itself, you can feel the weight of history all around you. Everything is decorated in a traditional way and it makes you feel like you traveled back to a more simpler time. I really enjoyed the look and feel of Kokuya from the moment I got there. Not only did the staff pick me up at the train station, but when I arrived to Kokuya itself, even more members of the staff were waiting to greet me. They were all very friendly and explained to me all about Kokuya and how to experience it in the best possible way. Shibu Onsen Kokuya itself consists of three buildings that are connected and they contain many rooms and hot spring baths. 

The rooms are separated into two groups, ones with a private open-air bath with hot spring water and without one. The ones that have a private open-air bath with hot spring water included inside the room are separated into three categories C, B and A, from which A is the best. All rooms have that traditional look and feel and no matter in which one you stay at, I believe that you would enjoy it since it is quite a unique experience. 

Kokuya also has six public and two private baths that use free-flowing hot spring water from six different spring sources, and the guests can enjoy all of them. The private ones can only be occupied by one group of guests and the rest are free to use by everyone, however they are gender restricted. Half of them are for men and half for women, but every 12 hours they change which gender is allowed to use that bath. Some of them are outdoor or some of them are indoor, some are more large while some are smaller, some have warm water some have extremely hot water, so there's something for everyone. And if that is not enough for you, there are 9 additional public hot springs located inside town just a short walk from Kokuya. You can access them thanks to the key you receive as the guest of the ryokan. Apart from the rooms and baths, Kokuya has several dining rooms most of which have private enclosures so you can dine in private. 

One more thing I want to point out is the surrounding area. It has several interesting, although less known places you should visit. Some of these are mount Yokoteyama, Kusatsu-Shirane volcano, and the famous Jigokudani Monkey Park where you can witness Japanese snow monkeys bathing in natural hot springs. To conclude, Kokuya has a lot to offer, and if you want to get that feel of traditional rural Japan, it is an ideal place to stay at.