Staff are super caring and I felt overwhelmed. The place is clean. Family friendly. All the meals, especially dinner, are top notched. The osen condition is perfect. I wish the pool would be a bit bigger but that's plenty to use for my family of 5. I will definitely come back with friends and family again

I know it is Japanese tradition but I noticed staff only talked to my husband who does not speak a word of Japanese when I am fluent in Japanese. Every time I booked a dinner they always went to to my husband for confirmation , whom turned to me and questioned why I didn't confirm with the staff. The bill always sent to my husband and I felt almost invisible except they gave me a stack of clothing and sandals including the ones for the boys. The meals are delicious but too heavy for small eaters. I wish kids size would be smaller. Also , when you called at the train station for shuttle, the staff couldn't understand English. I am glad I speak Japanese. I wonder what happen to those who cannot speak

This place is a real gem for relaxation. Our room had a great view to the Biwa lake, comfy beds, and an open air bath. Our first dinner was a 10+ plate Kaiseki menu, and as our second dinner we chose crab shabu shabu, which was excellent as well. Tried public onsens (indoor and outdoor pools), private onsen, and massage. Wore Yukatas the whole time :) All public and private areas were exceptionally spacious. The staff were very welcoming. There was a shuttle to/from the nearest train station.

Breakfast is traditional Japanese, and for Western kids in particular this is something to be aware of. I won't count it against the hotel, though, since it clearly belongs to the traditional ryokan style.

Such a comfortable and luxurious stay. Loved how spacious our room was and the view. The private hot tub in our room was beautiful, with a nice view of the lake. The yukatas provided that we could wear around the hotel was a special touch. The kaiseki dinner was amazing - the staff were extremely pleasant and the food was phenomenal. The breakfast was also a nice experience. Both dinner and breakfast were included in our stay. They also provided so well for our baby - he was only 5 months so could not use most things they provided, but he did lie in the baby rocker that they provided while we had dinner. Very thoughtful. Both my husband and I used the public baths - such a calming and serene experience, especially the outdoor area. It was such a relaxing stay and it was a shame that we only had one night here.

That we only had one night!!

Everything!! There are no complaints! Everything was superb, from the room, food, staff, hot spring bath, service. We were blown away by the superb quality. It was here that I now have a top favorite of all time in a few categories: BEST umeboshi plums! They make them in house. So sweet! Nothing like I've ever tasted. BEST peach tea! This was our welcome drink upon arrival. BEST wasabi They use the real, grated root. BEST tamago Rolled egg at breakfast. So deliciously flavored! We booked the room that has its own hot spring bath in the room. This was beautiful and so relaxing. All the amenities were fantastic. I very much surfboard the body moisture serum and lotion. It's needed after dipping in the bath multiple times. We didn't know that this out is on the top "premium" floor, and included private kaiseki dinners with multiple courses. The breakfast was superb. I'm so glad this was my partner's first experience in Japan. He got the full, authentic experience. We look forward to coming back again!

No complaints!

This was a one night splurge, and I have never felt so well attended. I stayed in the Nakagawa Woodcrafts Concept Room. It was beautiful and serene. The balcony held my own private open-air hot spring bath that looked out to the lake. It was supremely restorative. I appreciated the information provided in English on how to wear a yukata (there were 4 in the room to choose from) and on how to use the onsen. A 12 course Kaiseki dinner in a private dining room overlooking a small garden was included. Before I arrived, they had emailed questions about my dietary needs and the courses were adjusted to fit me. Have you ever had whipped salt? Between the feast and the baths, I slept through breakfast, a faux pas I regretted when I found they were waiting for me.

I didn't like that I had to leave, lol.

The staff picked us up from the train station which was very nice. You also receive yukata which you can wear at the dinner. You are asked to choose the hour when you want to serve dinner and during that time they prepare the futons in the room. We all slept incredibly well on the futons. We also got massages and went to the onsen which we have enjoyed. There are 2 public onsens, one is for females and one is for males. They both have indoor and outdoor onsens. You also have the possibility to use a private onsen.

You have a nice view to the lake, but the location is kind of remote. Most of the staff didn’t speak english. We didn’t find the food very tasty, we only enjoyed some of the dishes. It would have been nice to receive more details and instructions about how to prepare and eat some of the dishes. The hotel is also a bit outdated.

Greeted immediately and guided to a seating area, provided with complimentary drinks and sweets during check-in (not your typical check-in experience). The tatami room was beautiful, I went with a friend but this is definitely more of a couples/family experience. Everything in the hotel was immaculate and of a higher quality compared to your standard hotel. I booked the private onsen which was amazing and my friend used the open-air bath tub (takes a long time to fill up). The private shuttle provided by the hotel is convenient.

Check-in wasn't as streamlined as I would of liked after a long day traveling. The staff were friendly and tried their best but it was apparent this hotel doesn't cater much to English speaking tourist, so encountered some uncomfortable experiences. The meal looked amazing but once again the language barrier resulted in some issues and made me leave early and feel I was disrespectful to the staff.

We stayed in a room with a private mineral bath. The room was as large as an apartment, with its own foyer, and areas that could be contained by beautiful screen doors. We loved the space, the views and the wonderful service, but especially the food and the ritual of having our own private dining space, which evidently goes with the ‘special’ rooms. This is a great place to unwind, leaving the rest of the world behind! Staff were beyond excellent! If the canal boat is running its a great excursion to take. Food was just superb.

Take some good solid socks if you have to wear orthotics, and put the orthotics in the socks. No shoes in the private dining room, nor in the rooms. If you like being barefoot this place is heaven. But if you’re older like me, and must wear your orthotics, you will need a bit of ingenuity. Also, the pillows are truly Japanese, beans in the under-side and soft on the top side. One per twin bed, although the twin beds were like two queen size. I asked for more pillow cases for the extra pillows in the cupboard and of course they were available immediately. There’s not much close by, but the staff will drive you to the station and pick you up if they can when you go on day trips.

The staff is amazing. They’re so attentive and treat you like royalty the hotel rooms or original Japanese furnishings which makes it feel very authentic. They also help you with Shuttle bus services when you need it the chef is fabulous and I can’t say enough about how meticulous and delicious his cooking was. He took our dietary restrictions, very seriously and made fabulous meals. I especially love the check in where they seated us. We didn’t have to stand all. They explained the detail details of our stay.

I loved everything the only thing I can think of is that the western beds really weren’t western. They were hard so I put two futons and a comforter on top and after that it was perfect. Also, the pillows are different. It didn’t bother me, but they have beanbags on one side and a pillow on the other, so if you’re used to self western pillows, you might have to be flexible.

It is located facing Lake Biwako, and the rooms have a beautiful view. Personnel are very professional and ready to help at all times. We had a fluent English speaker help us with check in and explain how to use and enjoy the facilities.

The bathroom size is small compared to what we’re used to, and struggled a bit with sizes of sandals and robes, but it was resolved. No plan b for food, it’s exclusively Japanese (we signed up for this) but coffee was expensive, available in the dining room, and no refills available, you had to pay for each 4oz cup.