Gunma Prefecture: Ranking of popular hotels recommended by Japanese people

For a graduation trip with a group of 5, especially if you're looking for great value (or what we call "cos-pa" – cost performance – in Japan!), you really can't go wrong with Itoen Hotel Kusatsu. They have spacious rooms that can actually fit up to 8 people, so your group of 5 will have plenty of space to hang out. The real highlight for many groups, especially students, is the dining: Dinner: It's an all-you-can-eat buffet with a huge variety of Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes. Plus, it includes unlimited soft drinks AND an all-you-can-drink alcohol menu (beer, sake, shochu, wine, etc.) – perfect for celebrating your graduation! Breakfast: Also a generous buffet with both Japanese and Western options, including fruits and fresh juices to start your day right. Now for the onsen – which is what Kusatsu is famous for! They have fantastic large public baths with gensen kakenagashi (100% pure, free-flowing hot spring water directly from the source). These public baths also feature an outdoor bath (rotenburo), a sauna, and a cold water bath (mizuburo) to cool down. A huge plus for groups, especially if some members are new to onsen culture: They offer free private reservable baths (kashikiri buro)! This is a fantastic option if anyone in your group feels a bit hesitant about the communal bathing culture (being nude with strangers). You can enjoy the onsen experience just with your friends. And for more group fun: The hotel offers free table tennis. There are also karaoke rooms you can use for free (usually for one hour per group). These are super popular, so if you want to belt out some tunes, make sure to book your karaoke slot as soon as you check in!

I have never seen such a large Buffet in a hotel. And it was delicious. As soon as I entered Buffet area, I was dazzled by the variety. I was also overwhelmed by the size and number of baths. There were various water temperatures, so I could choose according to my preference. It was like a bath Buffet. The staff were well trained and it was very comfortable.

標高1,200mのところにあるヨーロッパ調のリゾートホテルです。ベルツの森に囲まれていて自然に囲まれながら癒しの時間を過ごすことができます。群馬県産の食材を中心としたメニューが魅力的な和洋中ビュッフェがあります。季節ごとにテーマを変えてフェアを開催しているので何度行っても飽きないですよ。ディナーだけではなくブレックファストもビュッフェをやっています。目の前で一つ一つ焼き上げるふわふわトロトロオムレツが人気ですよ。温泉は源泉掛け流し内風呂、露天風呂があります。サウナもありますよ。貸切の露天風呂も5種類あります。草津温泉のシンボル「湯畑」や「草津温泉バスターミナル」へは無料送迎バスがありますよ。

This resort hotel has vast grounds. You can enjoy Kusatsu's hot springs, nature, and activities to your heart's content. Shuttle buses run from the hotel to Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal and the Yubatake, so you can easily access the hotel even without a car. Check-out is at a leisurely 11:00, so you can enjoy the hotel to your heart's content. There are also plans where you can rent colorful yukata. This hotel is also one of Ryokan (Japanese inn) that cooperated in the sound recording of the Ghibli film "Spirited Away," and it appears that scenes such as serving food at the bathhouse, walking scenes, the sound of the hot water, and the sound of cleaning the bath were recorded here. This is a popular spot among fans as a place where you can experience the world of Spirited Away.

This is a historic Ryokan (Japanese inn) that was founded in 1599. There are six baths, including an open-air bath, with two hot springs, so you can enjoy the hot springs to your heart's content. Please note that the washing area can be cold in winter due to the high altitude. The famous Yubatake, pictured here, is within walking distance, making it convenient for sightseeing. There are rooms with open-air baths, so you can enjoy a private open-air bath with free-flowing natural hot spring water. There are both Western-style and Japanese-style rooms, so you can choose the room that best suits the people you're going with. The food is delicious, and is served in 4-5 portions so you can eat freshly cooked water.

Located right in front of the Yubatake, the symbol of Kusatsu Onsen, this is a long-established hot spring inn with over 300 years of history. Its appeal lies in its hospitality backed by years of business experience, and its hot spring experience that will heal both body and soul. Meals are available in a buffet style, and in addition to Japanese cuisine such as sushi and sukiyaki, a colorful array of extravagant dishes are available. Brand beef steaks and roast beef served in the open-plan live kitchen, as well as the hotel's signature meatloaf, are also popular.

At Manza Hotel Juraku, meals are served buffet Buffet for breakfast and dinner. There are over 50 types of Japanese, Western and Chinese cuisine to choose from. They offer everything from classics like sushi and roast beef to sweets. The baths are spacious indoor baths with 100% natural hot spring, and the open-air baths offer Breathtaking view of Manza without any obstructions such as manmade structures.

This hot spring inn is located in the center of Kusatsu's hot spring town, right next to the Yubatake. It boasts a Japanese and Western dinner buffet, with a wide variety of dishes made with seasonal ingredients, from Japanese cuisine such as sushi and tempura, to tempura fried right in front of you by the chef, and sukiyaki made with local brand beef. This is a recommended inn where you can not only fully enjoy the atmosphere of the hot spring town, but also enjoy the delicious food.

This hotel is not only fully equipped with a sauna, but also has a cold bath, which is essential for a sauna, so you can alternate between hot and cold baths. You can enjoy the hot and cold baths of Kusatsu Onsen and the sauna. For dinner, you can enjoy creative kaiseki cuisine, and for breakfast, you can enjoy a Japanese meal while looking at the ever-changing garden scenery.

If you are looking for an inn in Ikaho Onsen that offers English service, I recommend this one. There are many foreign tourists in Ikaho Onsen, so you don't have to worry about anything. If you come across a foreigner in need of help, they will gladly speak to you, so everyone is happy.

This hotel can accommodate 5 people per room and is reasonably priced. There is a free shuttle from the bus terminal to the hotel and from the Yubatake to the hotel, so it is perfect for students who travel by train or bus. The meals include local Gunma delicacies, and you can also eat Joshu beef Shabu Shabu（Japanese hotpot）(or steak). The all-you-can-drink option is also good value for money, so it is recommended.

It's within walking distance of the Yubatake hot springs, so it's a recommended hot spring inn for those who want to enjoy the hot spring town at their leisure. You can also see the "Yumomi (A technique in which a board approximately 180cm long is placed in the hot spring to stir the water and lower the temperature until it is ready to bathe.) Show", a staple of Kusatsu, nearby. With its purely Japanese-style rooms and free-flowing hot springs, this is an inn that offers a truly Japanese experience. There are also private baths, so if you're not comfortable with large public baths, feel free to use those.

草津温泉の旅でホテルニュー紅葉に宿泊しました。温泉街の中心、湯畑からは少し離れていますが、送迎バスが頻繁に出ており、観光への不便は全くありませんでした。夕食は楽しみにしていた種類豊富なビュッフェ形式で、和洋中の幅広い料理がずらりと並び、地元の食材を使ったメニューや、別注で蟹料理や鮑などもあって心ゆくまで堪能できました。広い大浴場では、草津の良質な湯を心ゆくまで堪能でき、日頃の疲れが癒されるようでした。露天風呂も広くて外の景色をゆっくりと眺めながら浸かりました。冬は雪見風呂ができるそうです。リーズナブルな価格でこれほど充実した滞在ができるとは驚きでした。

It is a three-story wooden hot spring Ryokan (Japanese inn). The long, narrow hot spring is divided into two, so you can easily experience the difference between the Nishinokawahara hot spring and the Bandai hot spring. The meal is a kaiseki meal with 11 different dishes. The wild vegetable urui and apple with white sesame sauce, bluefin tuna sashimi, and grilled abalone were all delicious.

This hot spring inn is surrounded by abundant nature and has a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. It boasts two different types of open-air baths, one made of cypress and the other made of stone, from which you can relax and enjoy the hot springs while looking out at the nature of Oigami. Depending on your budget and the number of guests, there are rooms with open-air baths, so the whole family can enjoy the hot springs without needing water. The seasonal cuisine, which makes use of local mountain and river produce, is also delicious and appealing.

I recommend Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture. There are many sake breweries around Lake Suwa. You can also enjoy Kami-Suwa Onsen and Shinshu's local cuisine. At this inn, you can compare the taste of Suwa's famous sake. Coupons are also available for those who want to visit the sake breweries, so please inquire at reception desk.

We recommend Shima Onsen Kashiwaya Ryokan (Japanese inn), which meets the standards of an international hotel. It has English-language guides and Western-style toilets. The large hot spring bath is spacious and relaxing.

Itoen Hotel Oze Oigami Sanrakuso is a hot spring inn where you can enjoy the famous, historic hot springs of Oigami Onsen in a spacious large communal bath and open-air bath. From the open-air bath, which is the largest in Oigami Onsen, you can view the beautiful valley in each season. Dinner is served buffet style, so you can enjoy Japanese, Western and Chinese cuisine made with seasonal ingredients from Joshu to your heart's content. The prices are reasonable and within your budget, so it's a recommended inn for girls' trips where you can casually enjoy the hot springs and meals.

At one point they were dealing with inbound tourists, so it seems they have a customer service manual in English. As a hot spring resort, it's one of the country's leading tourist destinations, so there's no problem at all. Many of the buildings are registered cultural properties of Japan, so it's definitely worth a visit. There are 21 baths, and you can enjoy Ikaho Onsen's proud golden waters in a free-flowing bath. There are various baths, including a mist sauna, dry sauna, open-air cold water bath, open-air bath, and massage bath. There is also a germanium bedrock bath, but this is available for a fee. Meals are Japanese kaiseki and breakfast is Buffet, with Western food available as well, and there is plenty of local cuisine.