Kifu No Sato

“Modern yet traditional comfortable lodgings”

After spending the day driving from Osaka and making various stops for sightseeing-breaks, we finally arrived at KifuNoSato Ryokan. A Houseboy or valet met us in the car park and guided our car into one of the many car park lots. He also helped with our luggage. Once through the main doors, sho… more

After spending the day driving from Osaka and making various stops for sightseeing-breaks, we finally arrived at KifuNoSato Ryokan. A Houseboy or valet met us in the car park and guided our car into one of the many car park lots. He also helped with our luggage. Once through the main doors, shoes come off and you walk on tatami mats throughout the hotel. Check in was with high level of Japanese hospitality. We worked out when we wanted to eat and were informed about the bathhouse/onsen hours and identifiers. This is a Modern ryokan with traditional touches. Lots of ikebana flower arrangements around the hotel, mixed with massage and easy chairs on the ground floor. There’s also a coffee corner where you can get your caffeine shot. Room Our room was on fourth floor. There is a Lift in the hotel to take you up. Rooms are Tatami style - living room by day, converted to bedroom at night (while you’re eating dinner). The Beds are comfortable. We Did not feel the floor at night, mainly because the beds were slightly raised on a foldable thick mattress. Our room was Quiet and we slept well. The Room safe uses key in the key ring. WiFi can be received in the room. Yukuta is provided as well as pyjamas to sleep in. There was a Kitchenette in our room. It had a Hot water dispenser, and Freshly packed Tea bags, tea cups, and tea pot. Drink glasses are kept cold in the fridge. There is Soda and beer in fridge and this is chargeable. A jug of cold water is also stored in the fridge. Bathroom Our bathroom was a Japanese style onsen shower and metal bathtub, out in the open. As the weather was quite cold, we did not use this facility. The Sink area also quite cold. There are some Amenities provided. The toilet is in a separate room. Onsen The onsen is divided into Male and female onsen. The onsen is quite large with multiple shower points and a large indoor pool. There is also an outdoor pool. Amenities here are in stock - eg razors, toothbrush, q-tips etc. Family or couple onsen also can be rented for 45min. Onsen rules need to be observed. Food The food at the ryokan is Plentiful. Dishes tend to be fairly simple in taste, yet so very Japanese. The proprietress came by during dinner to check on guests. Staff The staff do Speak English, and this helped a lot with communicating what we would like. Definitely a good ryokan to base yourself in if you’re visiting the area. Good food, traditional yet modern ryokan, large onsen facilities, and some English speaking staff are what we liked while we were here.

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“Excellent and comfortable onsen”

In this small onsen town abt 2 hrs from Okayama, Kifu-no-Sato can credit itself for delivering a first rate experience. Rooms are well sized, clean and comfortable. It was busy when we were there - a mix of local Japanese and foreign tourists. Having said that, we always felt comfortable and at hom… more

In this small onsen town abt 2 hrs from Okayama, Kifu-no-Sato can credit itself for delivering a first rate experience. Rooms are well sized, clean and comfortable. It was busy when we were there - a mix of local Japanese and foreign tourists. Having said that, we always felt comfortable and at home the moment we stepped in. English language abilities were mixed but the staff tried their very best. Kudos to the first class effort! We enjoyed our dinner and breakfast very much - the lady serving us spoke excellent English and explained each dish in great detail that will put those Michelin restaurants servers to shame. She did this unhurriedly and with great poise - a reflection of the pride she takes in her job and the high standards she holds herself to. Its a great onsen and well done to the proprietress.

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“Good overall experience”

We chose to stay here for one night during our drive from Osaka to Hiroshima (2 hours from Osaka to Yunogo, and another 3 hours to Hiroshima), and it was a good choice. At least when you base it on price, Kifu No Sato has no peer among ryokans in the area, so we felt it was as good as it'll get in … more

We chose to stay here for one night during our drive from Osaka to Hiroshima (2 hours from Osaka to Yunogo, and another 3 hours to Hiroshima), and it was a good choice. At least when you base it on price, Kifu No Sato has no peer among ryokans in the area, so we felt it was as good as it'll get in Yunogo Onsen. Yunogo is a sleepy Onsen town that has either seen better days or is in the process of building up (not sure) - I'd bet on the former. There's not much to do, so I wouldn't consider it to be a destination in and of itself (unlike, say, Kinosaki Onsen or Kaga Onsen.) Kifu No Sato itself probably doesn't merit a visit for the sake of staying there, although if it was located in a most developed Onsen town, it would be a worthy option even among the better ryokans that might exist. Overall, we had a pleasant stay. The building itself is up there in age, and it's not old in a good way. It's a (somewhat faded) yellow-colored building that is not particularly attractive. There is also no garden - just a parking lot up front and then the main building (where everything is located in) just behind it. It gets better, however, as you approach the building, thanks to some tasteful Bonsai and Ikebana arrangements throughout the property, beginning with the outdoor entrance. We stayed in the Hiougi (Leopard Lily) Suite, which is the highest grade room at Kifu No Sato and measures 75m² in size. It felt more spacious than the specifications - there were two separate living rooms in addition to the bedroom, along with a bathroom (with dual vanities) and both an indoor and outdoor Onsen bath. On paper, everything looks up to snuff. In reality, it was also quite nice. The Suite was tastefully decorated, and the furnishings were of decently high quality. Given the age of the ryokan, it wasn't too shabby at all. It doesn't scream "luxury," but it's definitely a comfortable and spacious enough room to relax for an extended period of time. The dining experience was very good. The main thing we appreciated was the ability to dine in our own room - something that is increasingly hard to find, even in the very best luxury ryokans in Japan. The food itself was also pretty good. Nothing was particularly creative or awe-inspiring, but they definitely used high-quality ingredients, including locally renowned produce (such as Okayama Black Sesame.) Although Yunogo is about 90 minutes away from the Sea of Japan coast, they were able to serve "Zuwai-gani" (Japanese Snow Crab), a delicacy that is available between November and March each year. And it's not cheap! Several Crab dishes were complemented by various Appetizers, Sashimi, Tempura, Vinegared Octopus and Beef / Shrimp dishes, and everything was prepared very nicely. It wasn't particularly memorable, but we had a satisfying meal nonetheless. The same can be said about the breakfast. All dishes were fresh (and freshly prepared) and healthy, with a good variety of small dishes as is common in ryokans. All in all, we have no complaints regarding the food offerings. Is Kifu No Sato a destination ryokan? I wouldn't go as far as saying that. However, if you happen to be in the area, I'd be hard pressed to find a place that approaches the level of accommodations, food and service that Kifu No Sato manages to offer - all at a price that won't break the bank.

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“A pretty good hot spring hotel”

Room was of good size and it’s clean and quiet. Very comfortable. Quite happy with what we had. Dinner and breakfast were included. Nice food and the portion was, like most hot spring hotels’ arrangement, more than enough. The public hot spring was nice. Though the hotel was busy, I didn’t feel t… more

Room was of good size and it’s clean and quiet. Very comfortable. Quite happy with what we had. Dinner and breakfast were included. Nice food and the portion was, like most hot spring hotels’ arrangement, more than enough. The public hot spring was nice. Though the hotel was busy, I didn’t feel too many people around. Overall, good for a short hot spring break. Won’t say it’s outstanding. But it’s good enough.

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