Albergo Yuraku in Yugawara

This was the best ryokan experience I’ve ever had, from the food to the exceptional service. The ryokan was very clean and we stayed in your normal tatami mat style room. They provided a nice tour and explanation of the facilities and our room. Even though no one on the staff spoke English, they made a huge effort to accommodate us with specially printed instructions and menus, and to communicate with us. Everyone who worked there was so welcoming and friendly, it felt like a true ryokan experience. The highlights included the outdoor private onsen and the food. It was one of the best tasting menus I’ve ever had and a great breakfast as well. Unlike some ryokans that charge for the use of the private onsen, you can make multiple 45 min reservations for free. The outdoor onsen was beautiful overlooking the mountains and large enough for 10 people. The location was convenient 15 min by bus from Yugawara station. It’s near Man-yo park which has been renovated by a cafe, workspace with very yummy food and now has a very nicely maintained walking path and chairs. Fudo Falls is also nearby which has a cute tea house and a family who sells handmade bamboo candle holders. I highly recommend Auberge Yuraku for a relaxing, cozy break from the city for either foreigners or locals.

It's a great place to reset from your daily routine. Enjoy coffee while listening to Bose and taking in the space and the flow of time around Yugawara.
As other people have commented, the building is old, but that's also enjoyable.
The chef's passion is clearly conveyed here, and it's up to you whether you like the chef's slightly distinct flavors.
The private open-air bath is also very charming and highly recommended.
I didn't mention it, but I was very happy that they were considerate with my dinner dessert. I also liked the young man who served us.
Thank you very much.

The rice is delicious

Excellent ryokan, the dinner and breakfast are particularly to recommend.

An inn that I would like to visit again. I went to Yugawara for the first time in many years. close! ️ I'm grateful that transportation costs are low. Yugawara is nice! The hot water is nice, and the food here was delicious. Is breakfast normal? My morning coffee was ⁉️⁉️, so I called the staff, but they said no. →I'm very disappointed. There were some small details, but overall I think it was good. I wanted to go again. The private open-air bath was very spacious and comfortable. It would be even better if your second request is accepted. thank you for helping me.

This is an auberge with natural hot spring water. It was definitely an inn I wanted to stay at. The inn is located a few minutes down a steep slope from Yugawara's main street. The room was a simple and beautiful 10 tatami Japanese style room. The bathroom is stocked with toiletries, etc. There were two keys and two bath towels and yukatas each. However, there were no sliding doors in the Japanese-style room and washroom (or toilet area), so it was a little difficult to change clothes. It also looks like it was made in the past, and the top of the sliding door is low. You can use the private bath once for free (40 minutes), so I used the rock bath. Although it is a private bath, there is an indoor rock bath and an open-air bath. The bath and changing/washing area are quite large (there are two washing areas). The bath is fed by natural hot spring water. The next morning, when I went to the indoor bath (cypress bath), there were three washing areas. This indoor bath has two baths, one hot and one relatively lukewarm, and I relaxed in the lukewarm bath with a window. Please note that there are two sinks in this bathroom. The other indoor bath seems to be larger. By the way, there is a lounge where you can drink coffee, tea, and mineral water, as well as a library room with books and magazines. My friends never came back from this library rule (lounge) after taking a bath, so I was wondering why, even though they didn't serve alcohol. When I asked him about it, he said that he was reading magazines. Afterwards, I went to the library lounge and enjoyed reading some magazines while drinking coffee or tea, so I ended up staying for a long time. The chairs by the window were comfortable to sit in, and the library lounge itself was a very comfortable space. In addition, there was a wide variety of books and popular works by literary greats connected to Yugawara. After early morning baths and after meals, I would come to this library lounge to drink coffee or read the newspaper. Dinner was a collaboration dinner of Italian and Japanese cuisine that was eaten with chopsticks. Although we were eating at a restaurant, it was okay to wear a yukata and it was comfortable. The waitstaff are experienced and have great customer service. But a newcomer? I felt that there was a huge gap between the way things were supposed to be done. The meal I chose this time was ``2 appetizers, a sashimi platter, warm vegetables (and fried vegetables according to the menu), fish dishes, meat dishes, rice and soup, dessert and drinks.'' The vegetables are organic. Some people were served bread, and it seemed like they had a different course. The course was a full course, but it was healthy, creative cuisine that wasn't heavy even though it was Italian. The taste was also good. Especially the meat dishes and desserts were very delicious. It looked beautiful and enjoyable, and the dinner took about 2 hours. The last drink was decaf coffee. My friends who are concerned about caffeine have been drinking decaf, but I thought it might be a good idea to have herbal tea for people who can't sleep due to caffeine. You can also enjoy a variety of wines by the glass or decanter. A full bottle of wine starts at 2,800 yen, so I ordered that. It's a light drink and goes well with food. For breakfast, you can choose between Japanese and Western food, and I chose Japanese food. It was a satisfying breakfast. There were unique items such as salted squid ink, castella-style *grilled rice, and meat sauce topped with hot springs*, all of which were delicious, and we both ordered refills of rice. The panna cotta dessert was also refreshing. Check-out was at 11am, so I took a bath even after breakfast. It was a satisfying stay with delicious food and nice hot springs.

1 hour by train from Tokyo. 8 minutes walk from the bus stop. There is a hill to climb and the inside of the inn is full of stairs, so it may be difficult for elderly people. The French course meal at the restaurant was very delicious and the amount was enough to fill my stomach even without upgrading. We are a family that always eats well. My teenage daughters were also delighted with the beauty of the course, and I have fond memories of being able to relax in yukata and slippers. There were separate rooms for upgraded and non-upgraded courses, and the restaurant itself was a bit concerned because the tables were close together and the small children were making a lot of noise, but the customer service and the deliciousness of the food were perfect. is.

Here you can get a Michelin star experience for half the price, or less. Actually I find it better flavor than most one Michelin star restaurants. Highly recommended.

Anyway, rice is the best. Very satisfied. It feels like the private rock bath is also relaxing (do you understand?) Also, I want to go during the cherry blossom season, but it's a little extravagant for my family. I wonder if I can go on an anniversary (laughs)

A retro inn.
There is no elevator,
Since there are many stairs, it may be a little difficult for small children and elderly people.

However, the room is a very calm Japanese-style room, and I've been relaxing.

The room does not have an open-air bath,
There is an indoor bath of cypress, and I am very satisfied because I can take it anytime.
You can also reserve a private bath for free.
We booked a rock bath in the morning and came in.

And the food was served at the restaurant "Pinoclare".
Because it's an auberge
The food was very delicious.
I had a course that fused Italian and Japanese food ♡

What surprised me a little was that I could hear the monkeys barking and running from the room.
That was a little scary. Lol

As a traditional style onsen, it's "pretty good". But if you consider how excellent the dinner was (Michelin star level) and cost, it's exceeds all expectations and is a fantastic value. Highly recommend.