Takamiya Ryokan Miyamaso

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.

For those seeking a kashikiriburo (private, reservable bath), I highly suggest Miyamaso Takamiya. It is one of the most historic ryokan (traditional inns) in Zao Onsen, boasting a history that spans nearly 300 years since its founding. The wooden architecture is incredibly atmospheric (this is known as omomuki in Japanese). You get a special feeling just walking through the halls. The inn features a unique private bath called "Kibitaga-yu," which is beautifully crafted from ceramic. For a solo traveler, the time spent enjoying Zao's famous hot spring all to yourself in the private space of this historic inn will surely become a cherished memory.

If you're traveling solo to Zao Onsen, I think Miyamaso Takamiya is a really comfortable choice. This ryokan actually offers specific "Solo Traveler Plans," so they have a very welcoming atmosphere for people traveling alone. I really appreciated their consideration at mealtime. They seat you away from large groups, so you don't feel awkward or out of place eating by yourself. They also have a kashikiriburo (private, reservable bath) available for a fee. It features a unique ceramic bathtub, and you can take your time enjoying Zao's incredible hot spring water without worrying about anyone else around. It's the perfect inn for anyone who just wants to relax quietly on their own.

For the true onsen enthusiast, might we suggest this incredible inn? Its greatest allure is the chance to enjoy nine distinct baths, all located right on-site. The standout experience is the open-air bath, or rotenburo, which is fed by the inn's own private spring, bubbling up from just behind the property. This water is served gensen kakenagashi style—100% pure and free-flowing, directly from the source.For a journey into history, a short walk leads to the "Choju-no-yu" public bathhouse, which retains its 200-year-old structure. Here, you can soak while feeling the deep sense of the past. Immerse yourself in the variety of baths and savor the celebrated waters of Zao to your heart's content.

Step into a living piece of history at this shinise (long-established) ryokan, with a legacy spanning 300 years since the Edo period. Walking through its halls is like traveling back in time. The profound, historic ambiance is palpable, and simply exploring the inn will create unforgettable memories as you feel the depth of its past.The onsen experience is just as authentic. Since its founding, the inn has used its own private spring source. You can soak in the powerful, acidic sulfur water—a Zao Onsen signature—across nine different baths. For those who wish to truly savor the charms of a traditional Japanese ryokan, this inn is an unparalleled choice.

This inn is surrounded by nature, and while you can feel the charm of traditional wooden architecture, you can also enjoy modern comforts. It has nine natural hot springs, and some rooms have open-air baths with natural spring water. You can enjoy a private bath while surrounded by Zao's clear air and the murmuring of the river. The meal was a Japanese kaiseki meal made with local seasonal ingredients, but there were also upgrade plans available, such as a Zao beef sukiyaki kaiseki meal. At this long-established Ryokan (Japanese inn), which was founded more than 300 years ago, we were able to experience the hospitality that has been cultivated over its history.

The purely Japanese atmosphere is very nice, and the furnishings are decorated with crafts that have been passed down for generations, so I think my friend from America will be pleased. The atmosphere of the hot spring is also the best. For dinner, I recommend trying the Zao beef teppanyaki steak with delicious local sake.

As the inn has maintained its traditional, historic form as much as possible, it does not have a large bathtub, but there are nine smaller, more atmospheric baths, both indoors and outdoors, for your enjoyment. There is also a private bath, but this is available for a fee. Meals are prepared with cooking techniques that have been cultivated over the years, including Zao beef steaks and other meat dishes, seafood and river seafood, as well as sake and wine from a brewery that was founded over 300 years ago, which can be ordered at dinner time. It is within walking distance from the Zao Onsen bus stop, but it is uphill, so if you call, they will pick you up and drop you off in about five minutes.

Dinner is a Japanese multi-course meal, and breakfast is also a Japanese meal, so you can enjoy Japanese cuisine to your heart's content. There are a total of nine baths. What's more, there are many other inns in the same hotel chain in the surrounding area, all of which are free to use. This is a long-established Ryokan (Japanese inn) that was founded over 300 years ago, and you can feel the romance from the moment you approach. Not only does the purely Japanese-style wooden architecture look good on the outside, but the building is filled with nostalgia from the lobby to the corridors, rooms, and baths. If you're traveling alone, you'll be able to relax in a 10-tatami Japanese-style room with a wide veranda, with two meals included.

This is a long-established Ryokan (Japanese inn) that was founded in 1716 during the Edo period, and it has a wonderful open-air tub bath. In addition, the open-air stone baths "Seseragi no Yu" and "Open-air Zao Stone Bath" and the private bath "Kibi Taga Yu" offer hot springs of the inn's own hot spring source, which are strongly acidic and contain hydrogen sulfide, and are flowing directly from the source. As for meals, they serve a gorgeous banquet meal using seasonal ingredients, with Zao beef sirloin grilled on a ceramic platter as the main dish. The homemade smoked trout grilled with coriander and lily root manju are particularly delicious.

This hot spring inn has a history of over 300 years. Just the appearance of the hotel is worth visiting. There are antique furniture from the good old days and exhibition spaces everywhere, making it almost museum-level. The rooms have a warm and calming wooden feel, and the well-balanced nature is wonderful. The hot spring is one of the most famous hot springs in Japan, and the water is a sulfur spring, which is famous for its soft water and skin-beautifying properties. You can enjoy the hot spring to your heart's content at this traditional, long-established Ryokan (Japanese inn). The food is exquisite, with Japanese kaiseki kaiseki（a traditional Japanese multiple course meal ）, which is made with mountain delicacies unique to Yamagata Prefecture. The local cuisine, which makes the most of the flavor of the mountain vegetables, and the specialty sukiyaki hot pot are excellent, and there is a tasting of local sake, so it is also recommended for sake lovers.

It's a little inconvenient because it's located at the back of the old hot spring town, but it makes up for it by giving you a taste of the atmosphere of a hidden hot spring! You park your car at the front and enter the hotel by climbing the stairs, and someone will come to help you with your luggage. If you stroll around the area of the public bath, you can experience the atmosphere of a traditional Japanese hot spring town, and it's the best scenery that makes you think, "This is Japan!" There are a lot of stairs inside the inn, but the baths were great, so I think it's worth going.