Kinosaki Yamamotoya

“Wonderful time in Kinosaki Onsen”

We did not really know what to expect as this was our first visit to an Onsen town, but we really had a wonderful time! The hospitality at Kinosaki Yamamotoya was the best, we had a nice room and the food was fantastic. We stayed for two nights and got a different meal every day.

“Recommended ”

I came here from the review on TripAdvisor and found that this hotel is very good to stay. Staffs are lovely and willing to help. Food is nice for both dinner and breakfast. However, please bring your room confirmation with you since firstly they can’t see that my reservation already includes dinne… more

I came here from the review on TripAdvisor and found that this hotel is very good to stay. Staffs are lovely and willing to help. Food is nice for both dinner and breakfast. However, please bring your room confirmation with you since firstly they can’t see that my reservation already includes dinner. They have WiFi but with low speed. Overall is still ok. I recommend this place

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“Perfect location, perfect place!”

This ryokan is right in the heart of Kinosakionsen. We had a traditional room right on the street front. The service is fantastic and their own baths (private and communal) were lovely. Kinosakionsen is lovely little place but can be hard to find food or a drink before 10am or after 5, even when th… more

This ryokan is right in the heart of Kinosakionsen. We had a traditional room right on the street front. The service is fantastic and their own baths (private and communal) were lovely. Kinosakionsen is lovely little place but can be hard to find food or a drink before 10am or after 5, even when they say they should be open so unless you're eating at the ryokan be ready to do some walking! Totally worth the though.

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“Well-established and very well-located ryokan”

Our first night at Kinosaki onsen was spent at this 350 year old ryokan, Yamamotoya. Upon arrival from Osaka, we dropped our luggage at the Kinosaki Onsen Ryokan Service Center directly opposite from the train station. For a token fee, they delivered our luggage to the ryokan, thus freeing us to ex… more

Our first night at Kinosaki onsen was spent at this 350 year old ryokan, Yamamotoya. Upon arrival from Osaka, we dropped our luggage at the Kinosaki Onsen Ryokan Service Center directly opposite from the train station. For a token fee, they delivered our luggage to the ryokan, thus freeing us to explore this quaint onsen town with ease (Onsenji's venerated eleven-headed Buddha is currently on its once every 30 years exhibition until 2021 April so this is a current must-see!). Yamamotoya is very well located in the center of Willow Street (Yanagidori) such that all the seven public onsens are within less than 10 minutes' walk - with two right next door to the ryokan, Yanagi-yu and Ichino-yu. One should walk Yanagidori during both daytime and at night because the atmosphere changes dramatically and beautifully too. Welcome tea was served by the affable and helpful Ryota-san in our room, as with all meals. And Ryota-san, who spoke good English, was the one to take care of us throughout our stay. We enjoyed our Tajima beef kaiseki dinner and their house-brewed stout. After dinner, we had a familial soak in the ryokan's private onsen which turned out to be a rather small earthen tub (prior reservation and charges apply - skippable imho unless, like us, you enjoy bathing privately as a couple), and then their public rotenburos. The night view of Yanagidori from our room's balcony was really remarkable. Breakfast was good though nothing stood out in particular. Unfortunately, the famed Goshono-yu was closed for repairs and Yanagi-yu didn't open in the morning so we only tried Kouno-yu and Ichino-yu. If not for Ryota-san's unceasing hospitality, we might have left Yamamotoya missing the feeling of genuine warmth from a family-run inn in Japan - surprisingly it felt rather pedestrian for such an established ryokan.

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