Find hotels near Minobu in Minobu, Japan

This is the third onsen hotel I have the pleasure to visit and all in all that one was the best, although there were several of small things I’ve seen done or thought of better. The hotel staff is very good: professional and helpful, one can experience full Japanese hospitality one should expect in such a place. Among the staff there are people speaking very good English - not typical in such establishment. The hotel location is in the middle of nowhere but this is all right really as all you need the hotel provides. You can just enjoy the hot springs fully there. I had injured my legs earlier so was not very keen to stroll around but previous research showed for a day or two you can find there some nice routes. Access from the station can’t be easier either. Rooms are slightly ran down but not over the level I’m used to within this price range. They are clean enough and spacious (Japanese room for two). Ours had nice mountain view (with train tracks in the foreground but I liked it), our friends got similar (but with road instead so they were less happy). Selection of complimentary tea snacks was great every day. The onsen took me a little by surprise. First of all they have two open baths (rotenburos) of which one is nicer (arrangement, plants surrounding, bath sizes). One is for men, the other for women but they alternate them every morning (so they say, during our stay it seemed to be every two mornings) so if you stay long enough you will experience both. For such a big hotel they both should just be bigger really. There was no crowd but sometimes it was close to it. But the really surprising thing was there seems to be no rule there against tattoos. Not in written, not in pictograms or other signs. We actually met a Japanese grandpa one evening there with full back tattoo. Now I’m not strongly against it really but this is kinda strange if you are familiar with onsen etiquette. The hotel has also its own foot bath on the terrace with a view on small park arra

When we booked to stay one night at Shukubo Kakurinbo, we didn't know what to expect since there weren't any review on Agoda (at that time) We've been traveling around Yamanashi for work and needed a quiet place to recharge for the last night of our trip. Firstly, it's advisable to drive to the lodge, due to its not-so accessible location. There is a local bus service from the train station but it's infrequent. And you need to walk up a steep hill to get to the lodge. Not ideal for travelers with heavy luggage. The lodge was converted from a temple dormitory for monks but the interior looks as cosy and lovely as a typical ryokan (Japanese inn) We reserved their dinner set in advance (a must) which turned out to be a good idea since we arrived late and were too tired to venture out for food. The nearest town to find food is about a 15-20 minute stroll from the lodge but we're not sure what time the restaurants close. Dinner turned out to be a sumptuous vegetarian "kaiseki" affair with a selection of exquisite dishes like fried natto patties (delicious), yuba tofu skin marinated with rice vinegar, tofu-stuffed tomato soup, tempura vegetables and finished off with yummy homemade tofu ice-cream topped with a choice of three homemade fruit preserves. At 3000yen per person, the set meal is a steal. As some reviewers said, it's worth staying at Shukubo just for the food! The shared bath comes with a 'wine' hot spring bath which eased fatigued muscles. Breakfast was equally scrumptious - a traditional fare with nori-layered omelette, shoyu-marinated beans, cold tofu and natto. Our room and the dining area look out to an exquisite Japanese garden with singing birds ( in the morning). The impressive Kuon-ji temple with its 289-staircase and gigantic posts is a must-visit, and is a 15-minute stroll from Shukubo. We would definitely return for a longer stay next time round.