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 a hotel buffet with this much variety. And what's more, it's all delicious. The second you walk into the dining hall, the sheer selection is almost dizzying. Then, there’s the bathing area—which is just as overwhelming in its size and the number of baths available. They offer several different water temperatures, so you can choose whatever suits you best. It's like a "buffet of baths," too. On top of all that, the staff are clearly well-trained and very pleasant.

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。

If you're going with your friend's family, I really recommend "Hotel Village"! The dinner buffet has an incredible variety of Japanese, Western, and Chinese food—it's so much fun just deciding what to get. You can also get freshly prepared steak and sushi from the live kitchen. They also have plenty of kid-friendly favorites like french fries, karaage (Japanese fried chicken), and desserts, so it's a huge relief even if you have picky eaters. I think it's the kind of buffet where everyone, both adults and kids, can truly eat their fill of all their favorite things.

 If you're looking for a quiet place to stay in Kusatsu Onsen, I highly recommend Boun. It's a 'shinise,' a long-established ryokan (traditional inn) with a rich history, so it has a wonderfully calm and sophisticated atmosphere. It's not loud or chaotic at all; it's the perfect place to truly appreciate some quiet, 'adult' time alone. But the main highlight, without a doubt, is the onsen (hot springs). They have baths drawing from two different spring sources, "Sai no Kawara" and "Bandai-ko," which is actually quite rare, even for Kusatsu. With six different baths right in the ryokan, you can enjoy 'yu-meguri' (onsen hopping) without ever leaving the building. The outdoor bath (rotenburo) is especially tranquil. It's the perfect spot to just relax and gather your thoughts in peace.

 If you're looking for a hotel with a buffet in Kusatsu Onsen, I recommend "Hotel Ichii." It's in a prime location, standing right in front of the "Yubatake," Kusatsu Onsen's famous symbol. It was super easy to just step out for a quick walk at night to see the Yubatake all lit up. The buffet hall just had its grand opening in 2024, so it's very clean. And, of course, the food was delicious with plenty of variety. If your main priority is strolling around the onsen town, I highly recommend it.

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 onsen(hot spring) inn is located in the heart of Kusatsu's onsen(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 dishes like 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 onsen(hot spring) town, but also enjoy 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.

As its name "Kusatsu Hotel" suggests, it's one of the classic, historic hotels that truly represents the town. Its most notable feature is the historic wooden building, constructed over 100 years ago (around 1913). This style is called "Taisho Roman," a traditional early 20th-century Japanese design, which gives the entire interior a very classic and serene atmosphere. Unlike the newer, modern hotels, there's absolutely no noisy or chaotic feeling here. For a solo male traveler (like myself), quietly reading a book or soaking in the onsen within this timeless building is the ultimate luxury. I think it's perfectly suited for those who appreciate a quiet, uncrowded atmosphere.

ホテル木暮は、ご家族で楽しめる施設が揃っていておすすめです。昔ながらのゲームコーナーもあります。それ以外にも、1階の売店には群馬県のマスコット「ぐんまちゃん」のグッズが売っていて、子供が喜んでいました。何よりすごいのは、エリア最大級といわれる大きなお風呂です。色々な種類のお風呂があるので、まるで温泉のテーマパークみたいでした。子供たちも「広い！」と大はしゃぎで、家族みんなが大満足できました。

I stayed at Hotel New Momiji during my trip to Kusatsu onsen(hot spring). While it's a little independent guest cottages from the center of onsen(hot spring) town, the Yubatake, there's a frequent shuttle bus, so sightseeing wasn't a problem at all. Dinner was a much-anticipated buffet, featuring a wide variety of Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes, including a menu using local ingredients, as well as specially ordered crab and abalone dishes, so I was able to enjoy it to my heart's content. The spacious public bath allowed me to fully enjoy Kusatsu's high-quality hot springs, which seemed to soothe my daily fatigue. The open-air bath was also spacious, so I enjoyed a relaxing soak while admiring the view outside. Apparently, bath to view the snow is available in winter. I was surprised to find such a fulfilling stay at such a reasonable price.

If you're looking for a quiet stay in Kusatsu Onsen, "Kanamidori" is a fantastic choice. It's a traditional Japanese ryokan located right in front of the "Yubatake," the main landmark of the town. The biggest selling point here is the sheer "quality" of its onsen water. It is one of the very few ryokans in Kusatsu where you can experience two different types of spring water, both flowing 100% gensen kakenagashi. This means the water flows directly from the source into the baths, completely fresh and untreated. Even though it’s right in the center and convenient for sightseeing, the interior is pure 'Jun-Wafu' (traditional Japanese style) and remains remarkably quiet. The main bath area is also very tranquil. If you're the type of person who wants to be alone to quietly contemplate and truly appreciate the famous waters, this environment is ideal.

This onsen(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 both of which you can relax and enjoy onsen(hot spring) while looking out at the nature of Oigami. Depending on your budget and number of guests, there are rooms with open-air baths, so you can enjoy onsen(hot spring) with your family without needing to bring water. The seasonal cuisine, made with 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.