Reviews of Shirasagiyu Tawaraya 3 stars

A memorable stay in Shirasagiyu Tawaraya - a beautiful temple in the heart of Takayama. we stayed in a lovely room overlooking the tranquil garden. the highlight of our stay was the meditation session the following morning. it was great to take part and to learn more about meditation and Buddhism.

It would have been great to hear more about the temple, its history and daily life for the monks there. it’s a shame that you had to pay extra for the meditation as the stay was already expensive. a great visit though.

Classic, tasteful, everything needed was thoughtfully provided. Thank you!

The coffee service could be better quality

We had a truly unforgettable stay at this ryokan. From the moment we arrived, the attention and care from the staff were exceptional. We are especially grateful to the young woman who kindly assisted us in English—she was incredibly helpful and patient, especially since it was our first time staying in a traditional Japanese setting and we were a bit clumsy with the customs. Thanks to her and the whole team, we felt completely comfortable and welcomed throughout our stay. The room with a private onsen and sauna was absolutely incredible, offering stunning views that made the experience even more special. The traditional dinners and breakfasts were both delicious and plentiful—each meal was a true feast, beautifully presented and full of flavor. The area around the ryokan is also beautiful and peaceful, perfect for a walk or simply to relax and take in the atmosphere. We also really appreciated the convenient shuttle service to and from Kagaonsen Station—it made the logistics of getting there effortless. We wholeheartedly recommend this ryokan to anyone looking for a warm, authentic, and luxurious Japanese experience

everything was excellent from staffs services, quality of food, to property. We love the place

The hotel did not provide the hotel to hotel luggages transfer service. The hotel should consider this service in the future, it would make life easier for guests.

It was very clean, the scenery was absolutely stunning. The meals were excellent, made with local products. The place is super nice in itself, and the staff is delightful. It was my birthday, and they gave me a photograph of me and my mother. I appreciate it a lot! The shuttle bus is super easy to find as well.

I found it a bit disappointing that we had to pay an extra for the drinks of the meal and the bath taxes, considering the price of one night, which is not cheap. There was not much to do around, but for one night I guess it was enough. The breakfast is A LOT haha I was full for the whole day, maybe a bit less would be perfect.

The outdoor onsen was the best, and the traditional Japanese food was also delicious. The tatami rooms were also wonderful, and the Riverwalk was great!

N/a

Staying at Shirasagiyu Tawaraya was one of the highlights of our family's trip to Japan. The river rushing by outside our window was so relaxing, and the onsen was incredibly peaceful. The kaiseki dinner was amazing--I will never forget the carefully composed elements that made up each of the courses. The breakfast was wonderful as well. Yamanaka and the area around the hotel are also very charming. We just wish that we had stayed two nights instead of one!

Amazing Japanese hotel, you feel back in time. We had breakfast and dinner, delicious! The onsen open to the forest, we loved it. Even they do not speak to much English, everyone was nice and communicate

Cozy place that mixes traditional and modern aesthetic. Friendly staff. Small town with some great views and friendly people

Not much of a seafood person so the food was ok. To be fair I didn't ask to see if there was another option

I’ve booked the special Japanese-western room with semi open air bath which was fabulous, good size and design. Love the private Onsen bath. Free shuttle services.

Air con can be better.

The facilities were so perfectly clean and well well maintained and well equipped, especially the Onsen We stayed in a traditional Japanese room and loved it, including the futons to sleep on the floor The staff was extremely attentive, helpful and friendly. The dinner experience was the highlight of our Japan trip and I can only recommend it!

The room was gorgeous and the view was amazing. There was a delicious dinner and breakfast included in our booking and a shuttle bus to and from the train station. We were so relaxed and comfortable during our trip. The staff were very professional and courteous. The private onsen is amazing, it's spacious enough for a large group (even ten people or more), though I think only three or four can wash at a time.

Most of our issues come from just being foreigners, so I mostly want to advise other foreigners and do not want to complain. Some things foreigners should know are that the breakfast and dinner are very traditional and so there may be food there that is not to your taste. Both meals are large enough that you can set aside a dish if you tried it and it wasn't your favorite, and the staff didn't remark to us if we preferred to not eat a dish so I think they understand it is a cultural difference and not a remark on the quality of the meal (the quality and presentation of both meals is excellent). Secondly, the public baths are not tattoo friendly. Many Americans (us included) have tattoos and so I think it's important to say that if you have them you will have to book the private onsen (~$25). And lastly, the yukata come in one size (multiple lengths are available though), so if you are plus size over maybe a 2X, it might be a good idea to bring your own. Staff were very courteous and accommodating in all things so these things are not a reflection on them nor on the overall wonderful experience we had, just some things we wished we knew before going.

We went there to experience a japanese traditional hotel, as well as to rest after 10 days in Tokyo region, before going to another 10 days of walking in Kyoto-Osaka-Hiroshima region. Overall, was the perfect experience... The shuttle from JR station to the hotel has a great schedule. The staff was very nice and available, the room marvelous and traditional, very spacious also. The surroundings of the hotel are beautyfull and great for a walk in the woods by the river. The public onsen of the hotel is relaxing and an amazing experience (we went 3 times in 2 nights).The view from the room also wonderfull. This was the most expensive hotel (per night) we had in our 25 days japan trip, but worth it! I recommend it to everyone. I think 2 nights are perfect to rest and enjoy the experience, with breakfast included. Breakfast has like 14 different things in front of you, and change each day. You can try lots of different stuff from Japan.

We did not tried the dinner since it was extremely expensive, so we wont say if it is good or bad. But the local restaurants of the village are cheap and very good. Totally recommend skiping the hotel dinner and go to the village instead (2 min walk).

The staff were so kind and accommodating during our stay. The location was also very central to the Yamanaka Onsen town, perfect for exploring the area. The baths were beautiful and had a lot of great amenities, including hair ties, popsicles, and several Dyson hair dryers. Our room was the most economical one, and yet it was still very large and pretty with a great view. And the food was great; so meticulously prepared and presented. The egg dishes in particular were our favorites.

It would be better if it offers ala carte menu for dinner.

It's wonderful to stay one night in the guest house to explore Kanazawa, we recommend a family trip here.

Everything - the service, food, and the gorgeous room with a private onsen and lounge. Most relaxing hotel ever.

More English at meals would be nice! I wish we would have ordered the crab ahead of time? That's it.