Yamagata Prefecture | Popular hotels and Ryokan (Japanese inn) based on customer reviews!

If you're looking for a kashikiriburo (private, reservable bath), I highly recommend the Zao Kokusai Hotel. The water here is a strongly acidic sulfur spring, which is unique to the Zao area. You'll know it by its classic cloudy white appearance. The hotel has three different types of private baths that you can reserve for an extra fee. The best part is that all of them are gensen kakenagashi—meaning they are filled with 100% pure, free-flowing water straight from the source (no extra water added or recycled). The main public bath (daiyokujo) can get pretty crowded at peak times. But with a private bath, you get to have that amazing, high-quality water all to yourself in peace and quiet. It's also a great hotel for solo travelers, so you can feel completely comfortable staying there on your own.

This winter, if you're planning a trip to Zao Onsen with friends, we recommend a stylish accommodation that is surrounded by scenic forests and lakeside. You can spend a blissful time gazing at the majestic mountains while enjoying the rich sulfur-rich skin-beautifying effects of the milky white natural hot spring "independent guest cottages Hyakuhachiho". There are also plenty of plans that allow you to enjoy local flavors such as Yamagata beef miso-grilled steak and teppanyaki. Free shuttle service and comfortable rooms with Wi-Fi are also attractive. Make unforgettable memories in winter at Zao.

Both dinner and breakfast at this inn were delicious and the portions were generous, so I was very satisfied. This inn is famous for soba, so I was able to eat soba for both dinner and breakfast, which was great for me as a soba lover. The rooms were clean, and I could see the waterfall from the window, so it was very relaxing. The open-air bath was just the right temperature, so I was able to relax while listening to the sound of the waterfall. The air was clear, and I was soothed by looking up at the night sky. I also enjoyed the atmospheric hot spring town, which was about a five-minute walk away.

This inn has a Taisho-era romantic feel and feels a bit old. It is registered as a tangible cultural property, so I would not recommend it to those who want a nice and clean inn. Although it is old, it is clean and the food is delicious. You will be satisfied with the service, such as free drinks including alcohol during your stay. (Alcohol is available until 10pm) It is a wooden building, so please be careful as sounds from neighboring rooms can easily echo. The hot spring is small but clean, and you can enjoy the hot spring water 100% natural hot spring.

If you're an onsen enthusiast, you have to try the private bath (kashikiriburo) at Miyamaso Takamiya. The Zao hot spring is famous for its cloudy white, strongly acidic sulfur water. It's honestly considered one of the absolute best water qualities in all of Japan. Here’s the real highlight of this ryokan: It's not just the main public bath—even the private, reservable baths are gensen kakenagashi. This means you get to enjoy the real, authentic onsen in total privacy. No tap water is added to dilute it, and the water isn't recycled or circulated. It's 100% pure, fresh-from-the-source water. The public bath is great too, but if you're the kind of person who wants to quietly and truly appreciate the pure water itself, then having one of these private baths all to yourself is the ultimate luxury.

この宿はゲレンデがすぐ近くなので、スキー目的の宿泊者も多いです。温泉も本格的で庭園露天風呂は四季の季節を感じられるロケーションになっていて素晴らしいです。夜はライトアップされるので幻想的な風景を楽しめます。お料理は山形名物の芋煮や和牛しゃぶしゃぶ、米沢牛ステーキなど幅広くあります。山形県なのでやはり白米が甘くておいしいのと、日本酒は外せません。名酒があるので合わせてみてください。スキー場からの距離は近いので効率的な動きが取れ、温泉もお料理も堪能できます。

I think Zenshichinoyu is perfect for solo travelers who want to enjoy an onsen in peace. The views from the kashikiriburo (private, reservable baths) are just fantastic. This inn has seven different private baths, but the open-air ones named "Ebisuten" and "Hoteison" are in the absolute best locations. They offer panoramic views overlooking the entire Zao Onsen town and the distant mountains. And, of course, they are completely free for staying guests. The main public baths can sometimes feel crowded and not very relaxing. But here, you get to have both the incredible Zao scenery and the wonderful hot spring water all to yourself. It’s a truly luxurious experience.

Among the many hotels in Zao Onsen, this one is recommended as a luxurious and beautiful one. In fact, this hotel is also related to the famous local haiku poet, Saito Mokichi. There are also photographs on display detailing the history of Zao Onsen, which is well worth a look. In addition to the open-air bath, there is also a hot spring bath, so you can fully enjoy the hot springs, and there is also a private family bath. You will be satisfied with everything from the dinner of Yonezawa beef and local cuisine to the baths and the atmosphere of the rooms.

There is a Japanese-style room with 10 tatami mats that can accommodate four people. For dinner, you can have Wagyu beef sukiyaki or Shabu Shabu（Japanese hotpot）. In the morning, you can have Buffet or a set meal. You can bathe in the sulfur springs of Zao Onsen 24 hours a day in the open-air cypress bath or rock bath. The ropeway station is right in front of you, a one-minute walk away. It's also nice that you can use the nearby Takamiya Group baths for free.

For a seamless nature retreat, we recommend this hotel, conveniently offering a complimentary shuttle from the Zao Bus Terminal. Perched in the highlands, it allows you to breathe in the crisp, clean mountain air and enjoy panoramic views of the natural landscape.The grand public bath is wonderfully comfortable and spacious enough to stretch out your legs and truly unwind. You'll also appreciate the authentic gensen kakenagashi onsen, with water flowing directly from the source. To complete the experience, the comfortable guest rooms feature their own stunning mountain views.

It is an inn in Zao Onsen with a plan for Yamagata beef. The hotel and guest rooms are clean and cozy. You can also enjoy a large public bath with 100% natural hot spring 100% natural hot springs. For meals, we recommend the Yamagata beef plan. You can fully enjoy fresh and high-quality Yamagata beef such as Shabu Shabu（Japanese hotpot）and nigiri.

In the Tohoku region, Naruko Gorge in Miyagi Prefecture is covered in beautiful autumn leaves and is Breathtaking view. I recommend the nearby Naruko Hotel. It is a long-established hot spring Ryokan (Japanese inn) that was founded 140 years ago. It is about a 3-minute walk from JR Naruko Onsen Station. It has the largest bathtub in the Naruko Onsen area and also has a variety of open-air baths with different themes. It is interesting to see how the color of the hot spring water changes subtly depending on the outside air and humidity. The food Buffet was very satisfying, with plenty of local dishes such as salt-grilled sweetfish and local sake. There are many tourist spots around the hotel, such as Naruko Onsen Shrine and the dam, so we enjoyed it thoroughly.

Takamiya Village Hotel Jurin is conveniently located within a 0-minute walk from Yamagata Zao Onsen Ski Resort. Guest rooms are available in Japanese-style, Japanese and Western room, and Western-style, and have a beautiful atmosphere with views of the Zao plateau, forests, and mountains from the windows. The hotel has a lovely large communal bath and an open-air bath, and you can also Visiting hot springs of the same hotel group for free. Dinner is kaiseki（a traditional Japanese multiple course meal ）made with local seasonal ingredients, and you can enjoy delicious Yamagata beef and Yonezawa beef. You can also compare local sake.

Step back in time at "Omiya Ryokan," a truly lovely inn brimming with the nostalgic charm of the Taisho Roman era. The entire building is lined with traditional tatami mats, inviting you to leave your slippers at the door and enjoy the soothing, relaxing feeling of walking barefoot.Here, you can immerse yourself in the authentic Zao Onsen experience, enjoying the characteristic sulfur-scented spring water in a variety of baths. From your room, gaze upon a panoramic view of the quaint onsen town and the mountains of Zao, whose beauty transforms with every season. At night, the romantic glow of the town's lights creates a scene of pure magic.

I think Gokan no Yu Tsuruya is a great place for solo travelers who want to make the most of their onsen experience. They have four different types of named kashikiriburo (private, reservable baths). Each one is unique—some are made of stone, others of wood—so they all have a completely different vibe. The main public bath is nice, but if you're traveling solo, the real highlight is "hopping" between all these different private baths. As long as one is vacant, you can use them as many times as you want, completely free of charge. The best part is getting to have your own private "yu-meguri" (onsen hopping) experience without ever having to leave the inn. That's the biggest draw!

The autumn foliage of Urabandai in the northern part of Fukushima Prefecture is spectacularly beautiful. We recommend the Urabandai Lake Resort Geihinkan. The crimson mountains reflected on the lake surface are a stunning sight. The hotel is luxuriously decorated and features numerous artworks and works of art. The open-air bath surrounded by the autumn foliage is the best.

How about Aoni Onsen in Aomori Prefecture? It is located a short distance from the roadside station "Niji no Lake." It is a independent guest cottages mountain village, with only farms and a few fields within a 2km radius. Various trees around the inn are changing color in autumn. You can see the natural scenery. Although it is a small, rustic inn, there are four baths, so you can Visiting hot springs in every spot.

For meals, you can enjoy a multi-course kaiseki（a traditional Japanese multiple course meal ）featuring Yamagata beef. They also have a selection of local Yamagata sake. The hot springs are equipped with 100% natural hot spring water in the rooms, making this a recommended inn.

There is a regular shuttle service, so access is good. You can see the Zao mountain range from the open-air bath in the large communal bath. For meals, you can enjoy creative cuisine including Yamagata beef sukiyaki.