Sakaeya

My stay at Sakaeya was without a doubt the highlight of my 3 week Japan trip. I did a ton of research to find an onsen town for a traditional ryokan experience before splurging on this stay and this exceeded all expectations. Staff were above and beyond friendly and accommodating, the superior quad room was very spacious and comfortable. I recommend including half board for breakfast and dinner. In my private dining room, the multi course meals were delicious and each presentation was a work of art. Shuttle to and from station and monkey park was the cherry on top. The unique experience of everyone walking the streets at night in Rakuten to visit the 9 onsens with private key cannot be matched. Don’t hesitate, book!

This is a true Japanese cultural and cuisine experience that was the highlight of our holiday. The room with private Onsen and private bathroom was exceptional and much better than we imagined for a traditional Raikan and the Onsen experience was worth pushing our comfort zones for. The culinary offerings were incredible (even if many were not to our taste) they clearly pride themselves on perfection, symmetry and are proud of their cultural roots. Some of their dishes have been presented to the imperial household and wearing traditional clothing and private intimate dining you simply couldn’t ask for a truer traditional & cultural experience at the highest end. The Raikan bus to the snow monkeys is only a 5 minute drive and they ask for a small contribution to cover their costs. The private Onsen on the terrace was an absolute treat.

Our experience was beyond expectations - the staff were so accommodating, friendly and very knowledgable. We had a suite with private hot spa - which was private and enjoyable as we enjoyed the hot spa while it was snowing - which was amazing! The dinner and breakfast was some of the best food I have ever enjoyed - and I have been many places around the world. I had my adult son with me - it was a special birthday - and the staff remember and arranged birthday surprise at dinner. I cannot rate this accommodation more highly - it is one of the most memorable stays I have ever experienced.

We loved this Ryokan. We had a suite with a private onsen and it was everything we hoped it would be! We had western beds which were very comfortable. We stayed in suite 502 and it was very spacious with complimentary drinks in the refrigerator (beer, sake, water). The staff was incredible and their English was good. We had our own private dining room for breakfast and dinner each day. The meals were delicious. You must be adventurous and willing to try everything, but it is so worth it. We wore our Yukatas to dinner each night and really enjoyed the traditional Japanese experience. The inn is in a quiet area of Shibu Onsen. We stayed two nights so that we could spend a morning at the Snow Monkey Park. The staff arranged for us to take a van up to Snow Monkey Park entrance. We did have to walk the 20 min to the actual entrance from where we were dropped off, but it is an easy walk. Of note, you can rent snow shoes or gear at this point if needed. We didn't need to, but it is nice to know this is available in snowy conditions. When we first arrived at Snow Monkey Park around 10:00 a.m., we were told there were no monkeys in the park. This apparently happens when they are breeding and eating in the Fall (it was 12/5). We chose to pay and go in anyway and wait to see if they came. About 30 min later, we suddenly had tons of monkeys running down the mountain to the hot springs. It was incredible!! There is a nice little restaurant just outside of monkey park entrance to grab lunch. We chose to not arrange transport back from Monkey Park, and very glad we did this so we could spend as much time as we wanted at the park. The walk back was 45 min downhill and not bad at all. The afternoon we spent enjoying our private onsen. It was the most relaxing part of our 3-week trip to Japan. The staff arranged for us to have transport to the train station on our final morning as well. We didn't want to leave! Highly recommend this hotel!! It was worth every penny!!

We had an unbelievably wonderful stay. As soon as we arrived, the atmosphere made us feel relaxed. Our room was large, authentically furnished and the beds were very comfortable. On the 4th floor there is the option of choosing from different pillows (pillows for tense necks, headaches etc.). The onsen was furnished to a high standard, there are two inside and one outside. Several activities are within easy reach. A bus stop is a two-minute walk away. By bus you can reach the well-known Snow Monkey Park, but also Shiga Kogen, a beautiful hiking and skiing area. Many thanks to all the staff who made our stay so enjoyable.