Hotel Fukinomori

“Traditional Japanese experience!”

We stayed at this hotel for just one night, whilst travelling through the Kiso Valley, and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience at this traditional Japanese inn, featuring a kaiseki-style dinner and breakfast, access to the onsen, and traditional sleeping arrangements in the rooms. We had walked fr… more

We stayed at this hotel for just one night, whilst travelling through the Kiso Valley, and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience at this traditional Japanese inn, featuring a kaiseki-style dinner and breakfast, access to the onsen, and traditional sleeping arrangements in the rooms. We had walked from Magome to Tsumago on the Samurai Trail, so we were hot, sweaty and tired when we arrived, but were able to check-in and get to our room immediately. The hotel is modelled on a traditional inn, so the rooms are tatami mats, and a futon-style bed was rolled out whilst we were at dinner. The futon was relatively comfortable, with the addition of our travel pillows we enjoyed a reasonable sleep. We enjoyed the Kaiseki dinner, my wife probably a little more than I did, as I have ‘..a juvenile palate..’, and some of the courses were a little odd for my liking. However we both ate most of the food presented, and left the table feeling satisfied. The highlight of the stay, however, was our first onsen experience. We were tired, hot and sweaty from walking, and soaking in the hot spring bathtub was utterly fabulous, and eased away all the aches and pains. I had watched a couple of you-tube videos on Japanese onsen etiquette, so I knew what to expect. As it turned out, I was the only person using the onsen on that session, so it didn’t matter, but knowing the drill beforehand put my mind at ease. If you get the opportunity, try it, it’s fabulous. The hotel is located in a secluded part of the valley, surrounded by trees, which were turning to their Autumn colours before our eyes. It’s a deeply beautiful place, and I would’ve liked to have stayed another night, to enjoy the onsen again, and revel in the peace and quiet of the forest.

less

“Traditional Ryokan in the mountains near Tsumago”

This is a rural traditional ryokan in the mountains. Its quite isolated so having a car is recommended since there is nothing much around the area. We stayed two nights in a spacious room with comfortable futon beds. We loved the place and the traditional ambience. The cherry blossoms were in f… more

This is a rural traditional ryokan in the mountains. Its quite isolated so having a car is recommended since there is nothing much around the area. We stayed two nights in a spacious room with comfortable futon beds. We loved the place and the traditional ambience. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom creating a surreal environment in the area. The ryokan had an relaxing onsen. Dinner and breakfast were multi small plates served Japan style in individual rooms. All food was fresh and servers were friendly. Front desk staff had limited English but we managed to get by. The guest lounge had coffee, tea etc. It rained most of our two days so we passed on hiking the famous Nagasendo Trail. We explored Tsumago and Magome instead. Ancient Tsumago was the highlight.

less

“Come for the nature and the onsen experience.”

You have to know what you are getting yourself into with this hotel. Beautiful traditional ryokan experience. Remote and in nature. Simple futon beds. They provide roves to wear around the property. Lots of rules about what slippers you can wear in the different areas. Star of the show is the ons… more

You have to know what you are getting yourself into with this hotel. Beautiful traditional ryokan experience. Remote and in nature. Simple futon beds. They provide roves to wear around the property. Lots of rules about what slippers you can wear in the different areas. Star of the show is the onsen. Absolutely wonderful. But you will need to be naked. Women and men have separate areas obviously. The indoor area has a cold plunge pool and a hot spring pool. There is also a sauna. In addition there are outdoor hot spring fed pools. Wonderful to lie there and be able to look up at the trees and sky. So relaxing. Truly a brilliant experience. The most challenging going thing however is the food. Again super traditional keiseki menu. Lots of tiny dishes of things from pickles to sashimi to horse intestine (yes really). There were lots of courses but it was quite tough going. Same for breakfast. Brace yourselves for this as it is the way of the hotel and I think you are coming to the wrong place if you are expecting a western style buffet. I’m glad we experienced it but we also ensured we had stocked up at the 7/11 for snacks as we certainly weren’t at risk of overeating here!

less