Syoho En

“Shohoen/Syohoen ryokan with private onsen in former wealthy Oyamada clan mansion.”

This not your ordinary ryokan, this is not your ordinary onsen. Shohoen and its staff will be your family near Akita. We spent five nights here in autumn. It was as if we visited far away grandparents living in a wealthy large old country mansion. As if they had told their staff to pamper us, as gr… more

This not your ordinary ryokan, this is not your ordinary onsen. Shohoen and its staff will be your family near Akita. We spent five nights here in autumn. It was as if we visited far away grandparents living in a wealthy large old country mansion. As if they had told their staff to pamper us, as grandchildren deserve. Preparing the best extensive oldfashioned kaiseki meals, with traditional produce from the region: cooked 'kiku', chrysanthemum flowers, crab from Onomo river that borders the property, crab miso, all kinds of fish, etc etc. During our travels through Japan we have enjoyed many kaiseki meals, in expensive ryokan, but this was the summit. The grandparents of course would have told their driver to drive us to a station and to shops to buy things we would need. That's what Hiromi, the owner's wife and master chef, did with us. Far more care and attention than this they gave us: called a carpenter if he had some timber for my wood carving, found an excellent bakery in Kabocha, washed my trousers when I had fallen. This is the first hotel where not having our private ensuite bathroom was an advantage. For we could use the fantastic hinoki clad onsen room all day, every day. The scent in this hinoki onsen is delicious, a mixture of hinoki scent and sweet iron. No sulphur, no chloride. What a great experience. At first we wanted to visit Akita city and other onsen in the region, but we stayed here and walked amidst the autumn colors, watching the swans and the river and enjoying the silence of a countryside river around this beautiful, haevenly country mansion that is Shohoen. Perfect service and TLC. And much less expensive than other ryokan. Experience of a lifetime, in two days we have to go back to Kyoto, and Shohoen will stay a dream come true.

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“the secret place”

I found this place thanks to Tripadvisor : only Japanese reviews did not scare me as i have travelled in Japan before. And yes : we were the only europeans during our visit. One of the other guests could not refrain from asking where we had found out about it. Because it is in the middle of nowhe… more

I found this place thanks to Tripadvisor : only Japanese reviews did not scare me as i have travelled in Japan before. And yes : we were the only europeans during our visit. One of the other guests could not refrain from asking where we had found out about it. Because it is in the middle of nowhere. And both great and small at the same time. This is a family owned old house. Respectfully maintained and the former house of the rich farmers family has opened up to welcome guests. This way trying to stay alive as the economic situations have drastically changed. The house is missing the many servants that are needed for up keeping a large wooden house, a large garden. But the house still has its hospitality. Its high quality onsen, and rotenburo. And : its absolutely wonderful gastronomy. To overseas visitors : yes in this genuine old house you hear the people in the room next to you, in the hall way or even beneath you. That is part of being genuine. We wanted an interesting place within easy driving distance from Akita airport : we certainly found it.

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