Name: Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku
Address: 1899 Fujiwara, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gumm, Gumma, 3791721, JP

8/10

Excellent

21 Feb 2020

Charlie

Beautiful setting on the river. Excellent service form the staff.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

06 Feb 2020

Verified traveler

Very beautiful Place....nature onsen is wonderful... I’ll come
back sure!!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jan 2020

Verified traveler

This is my favourite onsen near Tokyo and it is becoming a ritual for me. Staffs are friendly and professional. All the meals they prepare are great. I have been recommending this to all my friends visiting Tokyo.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jan 2020

Verified traveler

love the outdoor onsen, though they change the way of dipping (with a bathing suit, instead of being naked) .

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

03 Jan 2020

Selene

What we liked:
The outdoor baths, mixed gender.
The buffet was delicious and varied.
Being in the middle of nature

What we didn't like
Rooms and bathroom fittings are old.
The changing rooms could be cleaner
Rooms were not cleaned everyday

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

01 Jan 2020

Verified traveler

Outdoor onsens were lovely and relaxing. Buffet dinner was average would prefer less quantity and more quality food.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Dec 2019

Verified traveler

natural beauty üvvvvvvvüvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

10/10

Exceptional

27 Dec 2019

Verified traveler

Excellent hot spring bath. my personally feeling that the hotel should pet a cat XD

Partner

8/10

Excellent

02 Dec 2019

Verified traveler

Great and memorable experience. Excellent getaway from the busy city life. Staff were friendly and helpful. Dinner and breakfast were buffet style but tasted mediocre. Hallway and bathroom had bad smell. Hotel needs slight renovations.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

04 Nov 2019

Verified traveler

Service was top notch, great food and drinks selection. room was clean with stunning view.

Would be better if more amenities can be provided (ie towels and bathing suit) as it was cold and rainy

Overall excellent and would highly recommend!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Oct 2019

Thanawang

Real Heaven

nice view / atmosphere

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

18 Oct 2019

Laurent

Over rated

Good points : Clean, baths was very pleasant, food was very good, personal was really kind.
Bad points : the price / quality rate is not good regarding the room given, except if you are a zen adept. Confort was poor for that price.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jul 2019

Ashley

Best stay of all my Japan trips!

Our stay at Takaragawa Onsen in May was the highlight of all the trips I've made to Japan!

1. Amazing & friendly staff! During our stay they assisted with our questions re. post-springtime activities in the area and referred us to amazing water rafting companies and tour options! I also expressed an interest in Udon as I read the Gunma prefecture was known for their udon and I received numerous recommendations and suggestions from the staff- thank you so much! All were とてもおいしいい！

2. Rooms are very clean & traditional complete with tea and all the comforting necessities you could ask for.

3. Shuttle transportation is available and free of charge making the stay and getting around convenient!

4. The Onsens (baths/hot springs) themselves are absolutely stunning and incredibly relaxing! As a guest you have access to them 24/7 which was amazing for a midnight bath. They were also never even remotely crowded during our 3 night stay.

5. Again, seriously the staff are incredibly helpful. One afternoon before dinner we wanted to do a bit of trekking and asked what a good route might be and they not only told us but escorted us tothe trail and explained what we should expect to find along the way. They also gave us walking sticks with bells affixed to the end should we run into any wildlife.

6. Dinner menu is amazing! We don't eat breakfast so I cannot vouch for that however the dinner was fresh, tasty, & full of a variety of options.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

31 May 2019

Branden

I loved my stay here! The hot spring was magical and the dining experience the first night was great! They were tattoo friendly and my overall experience was exceptional. With that said the rooms could use a little repair in certain areas. Overall I would 100% recomend staying here if you want to experience an onsen that could be out of a fairytale.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

22 May 2019

Verified traveler

Very good first experience. The Annex section need some renovations (hole in wall) the hotel was already undergoing renovations so this is likely to happen soon for this section. The onsen was nice et hot!

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2019

Verified traveler

The setting was magical. The views from the onsen was breathtaking. The food was delicious. The staff was very friendly and helpful.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

18 Mar 2019

Rey

This is a beautiful Onsen/ryokan location with a natural setting that will be rare to match. When we went in March, temperature was around 5 deg and we got beautiful snow fall that made it more picturesque. The outdoor onsen was clean considering it was outside and beautiful rock formation pools and backdrop of traditional Japanese architecture, trees, river. The main pool was a good warmth and one smaller pool was quite hot. Men are required to wear a towel in the co-ed pools which was a bit annoying but not enforced strictly so was fine to soak without it when women were not around.
The food is the only thing that needs improvement. It's buffet style for dinner and breakfast so you will be able to find some things you will like. But it's not the typical quality of ryokans.
The service was really great. The host who greeted us was super friendly and funny. They have a shuttle bus that will pick you up and drop you off at Jomokogen train station. Which connects directly to Tokyo. These are only available at limited times during the day.
The rooms are traditional with futons on the floor. Room is older but clean and comfortable. Ours was a 'smoking room' but I was happy there was not smoke smell in the room at all.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

06 Mar 2019

Verified traveler

My wife and I loved our stay. From the check-in, to the baths, to the food, to the friendly staff. The location is beautiful and the onsen always you to fully enjoy the surroundings.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

21 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

Great outdoor onsen. Nice landscape by the river. The downside was too far from everything and the hotel free shuttle bus schedule is only 2-3 times a day. If you need to check out in the morning, you need to get ready by 9 am. Breakfast was served from 7-9am which is too early for people who want to wake up late and relax more.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

31 Jan 2019

Verified traveler

Nice hotel with wonderful outdoor onsens especially in the winter

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2019

Verified traveler

Staff very friendly and always willing to help you as much as she can. Love the

8/10

Excellent

20 Jan 2019

Louis

Average onsen, great staff

The staff were really friendly and helpful. Very foreigner friendly.
However, the onsen itself was pretty average - the water wasn't really very hot.
Food was decidedly average - although reasonable for the price.

As a long-term resident of Japan, I would put this in the lower half of my onsen experiences.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Dec 2018

Verified traveler

Good experience with the outdoor onsen in a wonderful view. Staffs were friendly and welcomed.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Nov 2018

Prabir

Nice stay, nice people and nice place

love Japanese etiquette.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Oct 2018

Yukio

The MOST!!!!!!

Amazing location, nothing like this its like a travel to the ancient Japan,

Family

4/10

Poor

27 Aug 2018

Lee

VERY disappointed!

VERY disappointed! This was meant to be one of the highlights of our honeymoon, turned out not to be. The place/rooms are ok, food is 'ok', but they don't tell you about the BUGS until you get there. Impossible to relax at the onsen as there are masses of HUGE bugs trying to bite you. The 'mixed' onsen is a joke. And then you are forced to check out at 9am!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

03 Aug 2018

Verified traveler

It was a very nice 1 night stay, I would not stay more than that, as the hotel is in the mountains, not much to do during the day. Onsen is beautiful, all-you-can eat dinner was very good. Be sure to schedule free pick-up from the train station.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 May 2018

Kevin

Enjoyed the onsen and the meals provided.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 May 2018

Mart

Thw hot spring was amazing, the staff was kncredibly accomodaring and the room itself was quite nice. Food they serve was amazing and shuttle was very convenient. If i ever came back to Japan I would definetley come back here.

10/10

Exceptional

10 May 2018

Verified traveler

Great thanks experience, a bit far away

We took the train to minakami and then took a bus up to the hotel. The train took a long time and the bus was about 49 minutes and cost 1150 yen per person (despite most internet sources saying 620. We got there and the staff was SO NICE AND FRIENDLY and even spoke pretty good english. Our room was big and clean and had a great view. We loved sleeping in futons and wearing yukatas everywhere. The food was really good (very japanese-y) and the onsens were super relaxing. Despite there being quite a few people at the meals, there were not that many people at the onsens. It felt very private and secluded. It was great! They have the women wear covering dresses in the mixed baths and men have a small towel to hold in front. We had a 10/10 experience and would recommend to anyone. However, tips to make it better: take the Shinkansen to Jomo kogen station and take the takaragawa bus up there (reservation required). That’s what we did on the way back to Tokyo and it was MUCH FASTER! And the bus was free that time :)

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2018

Jasmine

Beautiful nature view along the river.

Very pleasant stay and love the open bath onsen. The dinner is sumptuous and restaurant staff is very attentive. Overall love the place and will definitelybe back.

10/10

Exceptional

30 Apr 2018

nanie

Nice hotel

Good with family and hotel have shuttle bus service from train station

8/10

Excellent

23 Apr 2018

Verified traveler

Lovely setting, friendly and helpful staff

The staff were very friendly and helpful and explained everything we needed to know about using the indoor and outdoor baths.

The rooms were very comfortable, if a little dated, and the dinner and breakfast was delicious.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Apr 2018

Verified traveler

Stayed two nights at this famous onsen with wonderful rotenburos. Enjoyed the additional day because most visitors leave at 9:00am and new visitors arrive at 3:00pm. We had the large outside baths almost all to ourselves.

8/10

Excellent

15 Apr 2018

Verified traveler

Very nice river onsen

First of all, the outdoor bath (Rotenburo) is simply awesome. Roaring river nearby, 4 baths, I've not seen better. Will definitely be back. The grounds around the onsen are very fun as well. The room was antiquated but not why I came. Reminded me of my Japanese grandmother's place back in the 80's. Charming in it's own way, but may not be for everyone. I missed the last shuttle bus so it was a $100 cab ride to the onsen, but took the shuttle on the way back. Got breakfast and dinner were included (I got full board), but only ok. No other food options apparent. There is a lunch place across the river (3 minute walk) where you have to buy your lunch, which is inexpensive and of good quality (better than breakfast and dinner IMHO)

10/10

Exceptional

12 Apr 2018

Lyn

100% expectation exceeded

Better than expected form the time we arrived. Well co ordinated transport allowing enough time to enjoy all the facilities available. The room s were traditional Japanese tatami very comfortable and scenic overlooking the river. It even snowed as if in cue as we arrived. The Onsen was immaculate and we felt comfortable the entire time. The food was divine and incorporated local specialities in the Kaiseki set. Great value for a full overnight rejuvenation. 100% recommend.

8/10

Excellent

10 Apr 2018

Bowie

Great place for chilling and relaxing

Nice hotel in a quiet town. Great outdoor onsen with beautiful scenerio. Getting there was quite convenient. It takes and hour by Shinkasen from Tokyo and another 45 mins by hotel shuttle bus. Room was quite old, there are insects in the room,toilet had bad smell. The japanese futon is quite hard. Staffs are polite and helpful. Overall, we had a wonderful time but rooms should be renovated.

6/10

Pleasant

26 Mar 2018

Dottenmoira

Older Japanese Inn

Hotel is somewhat past its prime but still offers good example of traditional Japanese ryokan with hot springs. It boasts multiple outdoor hot springs but water temperature was a bit lukewarm for our liking. Inn seems to cater to foreigners (ratio of foerigners to Japanese was about 10:1 when we stayed), and meals are therefore a hodge-podge of traditional Japanese and western, served in a dining hall instead of the individual rooms. Hotel is far out in the country with nothing else within walking distance, so plan on spending most of your time in the outdoor baths or enjoying your traditional Japanese room.

10/10

Exceptional

14 Mar 2018

Verified traveler

Very good hotel

Good Food and Good open air onsen.The serveice is best ..The hotel is a bit old but very nice and clean

8/10

Excellent

01 Mar 2018

Verified traveler

Magical Onsen experience

The onsen experience is truly amazing and magical. There are 4 onsens in the premise for you to hop around and you don't necessarily have to stay in the room. Rooms are clean but aged and it takes a while to get used to the hard floor. :D Food at the restaurant was alright but not great.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Feb 2018

Verified traveler

the resort is very beautiful. the staff is great, very good service. the facilities is good.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2018

Verified traveler

The stay was amazing however, it can be a challenge to contact the onsen by phone. Although the onsen is open, they can only be reached between certain hours and certain days. This can make communication difficult especially if you are from a different time zone. Also, not everyone who answers can speak English. If you have accommodations before coming to the onsen, they can probably help you arrange things by phone.

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jan 2018

Mike

Dreamt of this place for years.

Overall, a very pleasant experience. From the food, to the hotel, to the hot springs, all of it was a pleasurable experience. The only thing that I felt was accurate in other reviews was the quality of the room itself. Although I personally didn’t have a problem with it, the rooms do have some water damage and signs of mold. Other than that, the rooms were completely fine. I was even able to shove my beers into the snow from the bedroom window lol. I will be definitely going back as it was such a magical place to visit and have a very pleasurable time. If you love hot springs or ever take a trip to Japan, make sure this is on your list of things to see.

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jan 2018

Verified traveler

The staff mirrored the beauty of the surrounding nature and hot springs. A magical place in the winter snow.

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jan 2018

leksata

Very nice place The open air onsen is very well. Staff is very nice.

10/10

Exceptional

28 Dec 2017

Mikael

The best onsen experience you can have

I was at Takaragawa Onsen over one night with my girlfriend in the end of December and it was awesome! We got picked up by their shuttle bus from the Jomo-Kogen train station and it took about one hour to get to the onsen. Once we were there the check in was easy and the room was really nice. One thing that was a little bit inconvenient was that they had no showers in the private bathrooms, so you'd have to go down to the first floor to shower in the common bathroom together with everyone else. I had no problems with it, I actually enjoyed the company.

The onsen itself was just amazing. We where lucky because when we arrived it started to snow and it didn't stop until the day after. This means we had the most spectacular view of the onsen ever, with one meter of snow piled up along the way to the hot springs. Overall the experience was amazing and I would definitely do it again if I could.

The dinner was also very nice with traditional Japanese food and the personal spoke quite Ok English. The futons (matresses) were a bit hard, but that's what I expected from the beginning.

Overall a really really good experience.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Dec 2017

Verified traveler

Amazing place and experience, wish I stayed longer

Amazing onsen/rotemburo, I wish I stayed longer. Would have liked to have slightly better service, my impression was that it was slightly understaffed, but the location, the thermal waters were so amazing that everything else doesn't really matter. It's that great. Be sure to plan ahead how you are getting there and what times. The web page has great information on that.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Dec 2017

Andrey

Excellent

What an awesome place to visit !!!
Great experience !!! Great people !!! Great service !!!
A MUST SEE place !!!

10/10

Exceptional

13 Dec 2017

RINTHIP

wonderful hotel

wonderful place to stay
services are great
onsen are fantastic

Partner

8/10

Excellent

26 Nov 2017

Nan

The scenario around the hotel is beautiful. Outdoor onsen is very nice experience. The staff is helpful.

6/10

Pleasant

26 Nov 2017

Verified traveler

Amazing onsen with beautiful view..but the room was old toilet were small .the futon wasn't comfortable maybe beautiful I not used to it..breakfast and dinner choice was very limited ..

Family

10/10

Exceptional

21 Nov 2017

Hayley

An Amazing Experience

The trip to the Onsen was amazing, definitely worth the travel. The staff were incredibly attentive and friendly. The hotel itself is a little run down, but it didnt effect our experience as we spent most of our time in the springs!

8/10

Excellent

10 Nov 2017

Sunee

Onsen paradise in nature!!!

Amazing natural surroundings really impressed us. The hotel is nice and well-maintained with superb view from our room. We thought we lost the safe key and informed thr front reception who was extremely kind and took the spare key to open the safe box right away without any hesitation or questioning about the original key. Attentive staffs and delicious food are another plus. We did enjoy our time here. The only minus is the woman outdoor onsen is a bit isolated and has no bathing facilities therein.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Oct 2017

Robert

Beautiful Japanese-style inn (ryokan) nestled in a rural gorge, complete with four open-air hot springs (onsen). Great friendly staff, and amazing dinner and breakfast buffets full of authentic Japanese cuisine. Can't say enough how incredible this place is, definitely worth the trip for at least a day. They offer shuttles from the local train stations (45 min drive from Jomo-Kogen, where the Shinkansen stops) but you need to call to book a pick up.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Oct 2017

ben and sandi

This is once in a life time experience, the place is so beautiful, mesmerizing, world class, ive never seen a kind of onsen like this before. I can’t wait for my next vacation to come back:)

6/10

Pleasant

13 Sep 2017

Oriana

Animal cruelty

Shower too far from the hot springs I see lot of people did not shower before go into the pool
If you are concern about hygiene, please don't go there
And beside they lock up two bears in a small cage very cruelty to animal I was very upset to see the animals was suffering.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Sep 2017

Thomas

Traditional ryokan experience

Staying at a ryokan should be on every Japan traveller's checklist. Spending a day away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo did us wonders, surrounded by beautiful scenery and almost unbelievably hot natural water.

Would definitely come again next time im in Japan!

6/10

Pleasant

16 Jun 2017

Hong Yeong

Nice Onsen and Good staff, especially the staff that serve us during our meals. The room we stay in is outdated and need some refurbishment. The old wings (including rooms) just in need of spruce cleaning if not a full renovation. Onsen's view are great but need more regular cleaning.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jun 2017

Verified traveler

This was our first onsen experience and it was glorious! The resort is beyond picturesque, the staff is fabulous, and the food is amazing. I've never felt as at peace as I did soaking in the gorgegous outdoor hotspring! I'm glad they have a women-only space, as I didn't want to wear the towel-dress they give you for the mixed gender pools, but it seemed like people appreciated being able to share the experience with differently-gendered partners and friends, which wouldn't be possible if they segregated all pools by gender.

Good for this gaijin, as they allow foreigners with tattoos!

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2017

Tommy

Traditional Onsen Hotel

This was a great relaxing experience. Beautiful outdoor onsens right in the valley. They serve you a traditional Japanese dinner and you get a breakfast buffet in the morning. We will definitely be coming back.

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2017

Suda

Nice onsen and hotel

I had a good time there, would like to come again.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Apr 2017

Julio

Amazing Place

The location, the staff, the food, the soaking pools are amazing. I also loved the hotel; outside has a beautiful aged look, worn down by time and elements. Inside the building its so beautiful, all wood, the rooms are traditional Japanese tatami floors, well heated. A getaway is what Taragarawa gives you. I definitely hope to go there again. The only thing i would do different is bring a pillow, theirs is a makura (buckwheat) pillow, which I'm not used to but I lived and it's a story to tell.

10/10

Exceptional

02 Mar 2017

G

Magical, bucket-list experience

What a fantastic place! We were picked up promptly from Jomo-Kogen shinkansen station, warmly welcomed, and shown to a lovely tatami-clad Japanese style room overlooking the river with the accompanying sounds of rushing water. We could daily choose fresh and colourful yukata & obi (kimono & sashes) to wear in and around the ryokan - adding to the traditional feel.

We enjoyed buffet breakfasts in the dining room and magnificent countless-course Japanese dinners served in our rooms - all part of the price of the package we chose. The impressive indoor onsens are hot and soothing for sore muscles, and the outdoor rotenburo nothing short of breath-taking.

Don't come expecting nightlife or partying - it's just not that sort of place. There are multiple ski-resorts within a 15 minute drive, however, so you can hit the slopes during the day and ease your aches back at Takaragawa Onsen afterwards. There's nothing quite like sitting all toasty in the rotenburo while the snow is dumping down.

Thanks for your warm hospitality - we'll forever be wishing ourselves back...

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2017

Verified traveler

Secluded getaway

Loved our stay. Getting there was very convenient with a shuttle bus from the Shinkansen station. Absolutely stunning during a snowfall. Definitely would stay there again! Food was also great.

8/10

Excellent

15 Jan 2017

Allan

Nice onsen resort with nice scenery

Shutter bus sevice provided. Wonderful dinner in room. Friendly staffs. Nice scenery. Very comfortable stay.

8/10

Excellent

09 Jan 2017

Iced

Nice outdoor onsen with great atmosphere.

This hotel has nice outdoor onsen with snowfall during winter. This place is really relaxed when stay. The view from the window is awesome. The room is spacious, but lack of maintenance. You can't just wear Yukata during stay at the ryokan because heater doesn't work well. The room was a bit dusty plus freezing weather then I got sore throat during stay.

6/10

Pleasant

16 Nov 2016

Karen

Hot Springs Were Great. That's It.

So here's the deal. The grounds are beautiful and the outdoor bathing areas are wonderful. My issue is with everything else. We were in the East Building, which I'm told is the newer development and was in the Hotei room. I walked in and it felt like we were at a rundown Super 8/Motel 6. The walls had stains and deep scratches in them. The ceiling of our sunroom sitting area was water damaged with brown water stains on them. The main room light had tons of dead bugs and dust on it. Now on to the bathroom. There was a rust stain in the sink and the tub. The shower/tub space looks like it hadn't been updated since the 90s and smelled of mold. In the toilet area, it seemed clean but tiles that wrapped around the lower wall were missing.

My final and last gripe is the indoor women's public bathing area. Baths - great but when I looked up, the ceiling was peeling with some water damage stains and mold.

This place could be so wonderful. Just needs some TLC.

8/10

Excellent

09 Sep 2016

K.Gleeson

Beautiful location, however hotel can improve.

Let's start off with the positives.
The room: Even though we were in economy the room was spacious and the view of the river was beautiful.
The baths: The baths were amazing they were clean as could be for somethings outdoors, the views from the open air baths were amazing. Safe to say being in the bath was the most relaxing thing I have ever done. The indoor bath was good too.
The staff: Very friendly and helpful, their English was efficient enough for us to understand each other.
The food: The food was very fancy and well presented. I preferred the breakfast method of having a buffet.

The negatives:
The room: Our room was very dusty, the building was old but the things I saw could be sorted with a quick dust. Also the pillows were very uncomfortable. As we were only staying for one night we didn't say anything but I'm sure the staff would of helped. But it would have been more professional to dust before the guest arrived.
The baths and staff: Nothing really to say both were very good.
The food: Dinner was presented very well but it was for people who are well accustomed to Japanese cuisine. I would have preferred a buffet simular to how breakfast was served.
Other: BUGS BUGS AND MORE BUGS seriously the place is crawling with them. Beware if you don't like them. A few reviews mentioned the bears - we didn't see them but could see the cages they looked a bit run down.

10/10

Exceptional

08 Sep 2016

Verified traveler

Gorgeous traditional Japanese inn with hot tubs

Along a beautiful mountain stream surrounded by lush forests, this bey traditional ryokan has several lovely thermal pools. Huge meals with few western options. Little English is spoken. If only they allowed you to play in the river and go hiking... Too many bears!

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jul 2016

Zabrielle

Heaven

Gorgeous traditional Japanese style ryokan. The Onsen(hot springs) were gorgeous pools of stone. They were large and well built with water fountains and amazing statues.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 Jul 2016

CJ

Glamping

The setting and onsen experience were excellent. We had a room in the original building. It is old, a bit musty, there were cobwebs. The public baths and hotpring are freshly renovated and clean, however. The food was tasty, healthy and satisfying. Most of the staff were friendly and helpful - great introduction to onsen culture for beginners and women may cover up. If you would like a luxury experience then request a room in the new building. If you are on a budget and appreciate \"rural charm\" I still highly recommend this onsen. Still a highlight of our trip.

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jul 2016

John

Magical Place

This place lives up to all that has been said about it. If you like Onsens set in beautiful natural settings this is the place to go. Our room was on the 5th floor and afforded a great view of the river and surrounding mountains. The staff was friendly and the food was great. Dinner was in a private dining room just for our family while breakfast was in the shared dining hall with more western style chairs and tables. There is a restaurant and gift shop across the river where we got a great curry lunch.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 May 2016

marisa

This place was great! I will be telling everyone about it. Our bathroom needed a remodel other than that experience was great
We will never forget this place.

10/10

Exceptional

13 Apr 2016

Verified traveler

Takaragawa Onsen - A World Class Experience

Our stay at Takaragawa epitomized the definition of a superb experience. The onsens are obviously not to be missed and what I imagine most people will come here for. I won't spoil too much for you; just know that you're in for a magnificent experience with a variety of dipping options at your disposal.

A stay here comes with traditional kaiseki meals for dinner and breakfast. In short, kaiseki is a Japanese meal using fresh/seasonal ingredients and involves something like 7-10+ courses of various traditional japanese platters. I couldn't begin to describe the culinary journey your taste buds will experience when partaking in these meals. In large part the meals are so enjoyable because of the quality of the staff, who take their time to explain the various dishes presented to you, and are perfectly attentive without being overbearing. Moreover, as a general matter, the staff at Takaragawa are genuinely caring and seemingly always open to sharing stories and connecting at a personal level.

I rarely write reviews and tend to just mark scores, but I truly feel a responsibility to evangelize Takaragawa and the quality of their staff so that as many people as possible get a chance to share such an incredible experience. You do yourself a disservice by missing this experience.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Mar 2016

Verified traveler

Very good stay. Nice hotel staff. Nice onsen(s). Feel like nobles.

8/10

Excellent

21 Jan 2016

Phoebe

The outdoor onsen is in a really picturesque setting. The English website makes it super easy to get information and travel to and from the area despite it being slightly out of the way. This is a great traditional ryokan experience for foreigners. Extremely friendly and helpful staff. Interesting traditional food (lots of it in one sitting). You'll not go hungry.

6/10

Pleasant

27 Dec 2015

Verified traveler

Fantastic onsen and tatami room experience.

Fantastic onsen and tatami room experience ( minus the lumpy wheet pillows which are common in Japan).

Beautiful location .
Not impressed by the caged bears in the garden area and bear soup on the set course menu.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Dec 2015

Verified traveler

Old place but still very clean

You can tell right away this building is old, the staff will tell you as they walk you to your room. Everything is very clean, food is great and the staff are super friendly. Onsen is open 24 hrs!!

8/10

Excellent

22 Dec 2015

Verified traveler

disappointed

The atmosphere of the hotel is very good, out door onsen are superb. The room are a bit old including all the equipments in the room. The hair dryer is my room was fall apart , the bath tub was old and stained.
Check out time is 10.00 am. The staff was rushing try to get us all of the hotel. The food was not impressed. The only great thing about here was the outdoor onsen and stream.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

18 Dec 2015

Jeremy

Beautiful onsen, that's it.

The main purpose of staying in this hotel is the Onsen. The outdoor onsen was beautiful and the experience was amazing. Other than that, there's nothing great about the hotel. The room is old but very spacious. The tap in my room was rusty and the water coming out of the tap was icy cold. We woke up in the morning and found a huge spider crawling on my bed. Free wifi was strong. Meals were alright. My room didn't come with an attached toilet so I had to shower in the shared bathroom which was 3 minutes walk from my room. The room was expensive so overall it's not a great deal.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

30 Sep 2015

C

Wonderful Outdoor Onsens but Lacking Cleanliness

The staff was excellent and did their best to make our stay comfortable, including shuttle rides between train station and the hotel. Our room was quite spacious and we were able to enjoy the traditional Japanese living arrangements. We really enjoyed the outdoor onsens, four in total with one women-only. However, the cleanliness could be improved. The carpet in our room had many stains and areas around windows and ceiling corners often had cobwebs and insects.

8/10

Excellent

04 Aug 2015

Dax

Amazing Service, wonderful Onsen, but smoky...

First off--customer service at the Onsen was exceptional! They tried their best to meet any request, and the food service staff were wonderful. Here are the Pros/Cons:
Pros: Awesome customer service. Remote location so you were definitely away from the hustle/bustle. The hotel is exclusive, and you feel that way. Food was amazing (multi-course, superb quality) and the staff were great. Onsen was wonderful. The buildings and the architecture were great, and the location next to the rushing river was fabulous.
Cons: Two major cons--1) no non-smoking rooms (mine was smoky--had them do a fumigation service at least once per day; helped but smell still bothered me). 2) They have some bears in cages that supposedly they are protecting, and they reared from cubs, but I think it is cruel and a gimmick at the cost of those bears experiencing life outside a cage. Another con for some may be that it is so remote that you have to use a car or the expensive busses to eat elsewhere--wasn't a concern for me, but may be for others.

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jul 2015

Smitti

Can't imagine a better onsen in all of Japan.

I had a corner room on top of the older wooden building. Worth it for the vibe and authenticity. I was worried about sharing a bathroom but it's no big deal.

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jun 2015

SEULKI

Perfect for a day

Perfect
Will take my mum here again
Love onsen and traditional Japanese room and foods

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Apr 2015

Turky

12 April 15

Impressed and nice staffs. Really enjoy my time there. On zen make me fell good and healthy.

8/10

Excellent

07 Apr 2015

Max

Comfy mountain hot spring.

We got there during a blizzard and the experience was amazing for us. The baths are all coed except for a woman only bath, but the women get a kind of dress to wear for modesty. The place gave off a very comfy mountain cabin type of feel and the water was incredible. The food too was also incredible. The staff was also very patient with the fact that we did not speak very much Japanese.

8/10

Excellent

30 Jan 2015

Verified traveler

Best onsen

Great onsen!

Family

8/10

Excellent

20 Jan 2015

Cat

Beautiful outdoor onsen

This is my second time staying in this onsen and this time it snowed in January, and was simply gorgeous just like the movies! The snow flakes fell slowly and everything is nicely covered. I am from Canada so I'm used to seeing snow but these are like white virgin snow! The best part was to enjoy the view of snow while in the open hot bath relaxing!

They also provide a bath rope for women to wear now, so definitely made me more comfortable and be able to enjoy the experience even more. Based on my research in the nearby area, this place definitely offer more outdoor mixed gender onsen than most places.They also included meals if you stay over one night, although quality wise is average compare to other onsen places. With that said, price overnight is very reasonable and affordable compare to onsen in Hakone. To me, if you want to try the outdoor open spa experience, definitely recommend it!

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jan 2015

Christian

A perfect escape from modern Japan

Perfect location, nice Japanese rooms with great view to the river. A friendly staff but they don't speak so much English so you can be a little confuse at the beginning of your stay. A little more English information could be nice to understand the Onsen tradition. But it's a must in your visit to Japan.

10/10

Exceptional

30 Nov 2014

Jamie

Lovely rotenburo

The staff at this hotel are very friendly and the man who showed us our room spoke English very well and was hilarious. We had a corner room overlooking the river and the view was amazing. However as the room was on the corner it did get cold at night, but the heaters were sufficient at heating up the room quickly. The traditional Japanese dinner and breakfast provided was beautifully prepared and tasty. Futons for the night were stealthily prepared by staff whilst we ate dinner. The rotenburos were lovely at night and not too crowded, and as they are mixed, women are provided with bath dresses to wear in the water. A free shuttle bus is also provided to and from Jomokogen station. The only downside was seeing the bears in cages, but the man who looks after them seemed to care well for them.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Nov 2014

Verified traveler

A must visit onsen

This is the most beautiful Onsen that I have been in Japan. Old traditional place that is very well maintained. Difficult to get there but well worth the effort and a must visit for those who loves Onsen. Being a mixed gender onsen, you do not have to be separated from your love ones and can enjoy the soaking together. 3 large beautiful pool along a flowing stream that adds to be beauty. Dinner and Breakfast is all included even though not stated in Hotels.com listing.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Oct 2014

Verified traveler

Best mixed-gender open space onsen in Japan

It is very hard to find an onsen that does mixed gender. This one suits our needs, definitely recommending this to other couples who enjoy the beautiful nature of outdoor onsen yet prefer not to be separated with the partner.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Dec 2013

JaJar

great experience! midnight onsen with snow drop ,that's great!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Dec 2013

Marvyn

Superb

In my opinion, this can be considered the king of all onsen ryokans in Japan. You have to stay in order to experience the goodness. One of the largest outdoor and mixed gender onsens. I will definitely give it a 4.5 star out of 5 star ratings. The only vibe I have is the isolated location of this ryokan and the limited transfer service offered by the ryokan. Highly recommended.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Dec 2013

Catherine

Very authentic experience

Excellent stay! We enjoyed our traditional japanese stay at this onsen. The experience was outstanding! The onsen was excellent, it was a little awkward sharing the onsen with both gender, but you get use to it quickly and everyone goes to their own corner, no one really bother you. I would recommend for those who want to try out a true Japanese experience who isn't afraid of being a little naked.

10/10

Exceptional

26 Nov 2013

NZer

Fantastic place, but not food

We loved our stay at Takaragawa. The riverside onsen was amazing, and they give you modesty towels to wear in the pool. The food wasn't anything to rave about, and there was a lot of it! But the experience was worth it!They picked us up from Minakami train station and dropped us off, which was very helpful.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Nov 2013

Lee family

Great service

The staff were very friendly and helpful . They make our stay very memorable . A great place to rejuvenate . Beautiful autumn foliage around the onsen .

Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Aug 2013

Traveltheworld

Inspiring scenery, very helpful service

This onsen offers a truly wonderful mountain hot bath and ryokan experience for both locals and foreigners. It is reasonably easy to reach from Tokyo (I took the shinkansen to Jomo Kogen, then a bus to Minakami Station, then a bus to Takaragwa onsen. I understand the hotel can also do a pickup from Jomo Kogen or Minakami). The hotel has an atmospheric feel which, whilst not slick or modern, is charming and conducive to serious relaxation. The staff at the front desk spoke English and were very helpful in making arrangements (including for adventure activities such as canyoning). Recommended.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Apr 2013

Richard

Best Onsen in Japan

The Most Awesome Onsen Hotel in Japan!!

Family

4/10

Poor

09 Apr 2013

Verified traveler

Great Onsen but old building in terrible condition

Onsens are over 100 years old are really nice. The hotel however is very old and has not seen any renovation for the last decades. The place is also overpriced. The service is low and the food of low quality as well. I would not recommend to stay there.

Family