Yunishigawa Hakuun no Yado Yamashiroya

Yunishigawa Hakuun no Yado Yamashiroya faces a steep wooded gorge, visible through the broad lobby windows and from its traditional tatami rooms. Snow, autumn colour and summer green transform the view, giving the inn a strong seasonal presence even before guests enter the bath.

Three private open-air baths sit above the river: a small pot bath, a stone-lined bath and a hinoki bath. They can be reserved without charge, complementing the shared indoor and open-air baths supplied by Yunishigawa’s alkaline spring.

Dinner is takagari ryori served around an irori hearth. Char, duck hotpot and Tochigi beef connect the meal to the mountain hunting tradition of the valley. Yamashiroya suits travellers who want scenery, private bathing and a meal with real regional form, rather than polished contemporary design.