Very kind owner. Swimsuits and shovels available for the river. The pricing is very good and apparently booking.com doesn't adjust for solo travel here. The owner gave me cash back and insisted on an instant picture as a gift.

Not much to do except laze at the river.

This was a good stay at Minshuku Sumiya Onsen. The host is very friendly and helpful. The Minshuku has a fantastic location right in front of the Kawayu natural river onsen. The Minshuku provided bright orange towel sweaters which we wore to go to the public river onsen 100m down the road. We stayed in February, so although it was like 2C out, it was amazing to sit in a very hot natural hot springs river. The premises of the accommodation has everything we needed. The bedding was clean and comfortable. The dinner the host prepared for us was good and plentiful. After hiking the Kumano Kodo for two days, it was a veritable feast. There was a hot pot, fish, rice, pickled vegetables and things like that. The breakfast was also plentiful and tasty. The host gave us tips on the next day's hike to Koguchi. He took a Polaroid picture of us and gave it to us as a souvenir. We also ordered a bento lunch, which was a very dense lunch packed with calories. I never ate so many calories while on a multi-day hike (I'm used to carrying my own lightweight food for multiple days). The lunch had egg, rice balls, chicken, fish and picked vegetables. An experience to remember!

The premises show their age in terms of cosmetic upkeep. A place like this must be an endless battle to maintain. But this is still an excellent stay for the adventurous budget-minded hiker doing the Kumano Kodo or visiting the area. The shared sink facilities could use a good scrub. This place has a lot of heart and I recommend it.

A great small guest house. The hosts were very pleasant and accommodating, very good English skills. Thank you! Everything was clean, the futon beds actually were surprisingly comfortable. We very much enjoyed the private onsen! Since the guesthouse is not big we did not have to wait to use it even once. The location is very nice, it is near the river and everything is within walking distance (except for groceries shop but that is expected in such a remote area).

While this was not a problem at all it is still worth mentioning. The facilities are old so you should expect that. Despite that everything was clean and functioning well. It also added to the authentic feel.

The host Kohei was soo nice and friendly. Spoke reasonable english. This guesthouse was perfect, it's just across from an outdoor onsen and they provide robes and slippers for going outside, unlike other guesthouses! The meals were really nice and well priced, would recommend doing all the meals at least once. There was even a free washer and free massage chair! Everything you might need is provided. Do not use the dryer though, it doesn't really get hot and it's coin operated so you'll just waste money. the building is a bit old but everything works. there was one shower only when we were there but no issues with sharing it and the bathroom itself was nice. Also - he does message and say that meals must be ordered 3 days in advance, but that's really only true for the dinners. You can order breakfast before 8pm the day before and lunch before 2pm or something like that.

nothing really!

The owner is very friendly and helpful, before we arrive and also during the stay. We arrive early at Kawayu town, it is super laid back, not many choices of restaurants during the day or should say hard to find any food at lunch time. But the staff/owner there very helpful, search and recommend the nearest restaurant for us trying their best to help. The best of this guest house is they are super close to the outdoor onsen area. Just walk across the road.

Their bathroom and toilet need a bit improvement. Not dirty but can be better. We can see they are doing their toilet upgrade.

This property was amazing and the host Yuri was delightful! The public river onsen was OUTSTANDING. It was our favourite onsen in Japan and only a 2 minute walk away - would recommend cold river plunges! The lunches and dinners (we skipped breakfast due to early hike days) were exceptional and some of our favourite meals of the trip. Our room was spacious and comfortable and the massage chair in the lobby was amazing after a few hard days of hiking! Would stay here again and would recommend staying here instead of the other onsen locations nearby (Yunomine/Hongu).

Shower facilities were ok.

It's my third time staying and again it was wonderful. The new large river onsen is right next to the guesthouse. it's a beautiful, peaceful neighborhood. Again, Kohei the owner was incredibly kind and helped us out with bentos for the Kumano Kodo, tips on where to eat the next day, etc. This time, he recognized our family and sent us off with a souvenir onsen towel for each of us. He really goes out of his way to help everyone. Really recommend including the dinner, breakfast, (to-go bento too) if available. Kohei makes a home-made feast and you sit down to a delicious meal cooked by him after being at the river onsen all afternoon. Such a memorable trip (Thank you!)

Nothing - it was all good! Look forward to being back again next year.

Great place to stay if you’re hiking or traveling around the area. The host was super friendly, the and the room and sheets were clean. We also dug our own onsen in the river just outside - but there’s also a public outdoor onsen by the river as well as an indoor one in the minshuku. I also learned that “Minshuku” refers to a type of traditional, family-run guesthouse or lodging. Staying at a minshuku typically involves a more personal and homely experience, with the hosts often preparing homemade meals (usually Japanese-style), and the atmosphere is usually casual and friendly - I think it was all those things.

If I have to point out something I think perhaps the ceiling in the indoor onsen could use some new paint but that’s really a minor detail

Wonderful stay in nature! The place is amazing – just two steps from the river, where you can even enjoy a natural onsen right in the water! The rooms are spacious, clean, and very comfortable. The people here are incredibly friendly, kind, and always smiling, which made the stay even more enjoyable. The food was also delicious, with great care put into every dish. It's a perfect base to explore the beautiful area of I-Komono and discover the stunning nature all around. Highly recommended!

The location is great opposite the outdoor onsen and right beside the bus stop. The cooked meal and breakfasts were fantastic and Hokei was a fabulous and accommodating host. He went over and above by posting an item to us that had been left behind. He also helped arrange our luggage transfer during the kumano hike - which was greatly appreciated.

Nothing, loved every part of our night's stay.