Kifu No Sato

“A Lovely Ryokan Filled with Beautiful Flowers - Ikebana”

We stayed at Kifu no Sato in Yunogo Onsen for the second time after many years, and it reminded us what a lovely ryokan this is. From the flowers throughout the building to the meals, tableware, and guest room, everything reflected great care and a beautiful sense of the season. As soon as we arri… Mais

We stayed at Kifu no Sato in Yunogo Onsen for the second time after many years, and it reminded us what a lovely ryokan this is. From the flowers throughout the building to the meals, tableware, and guest room, everything reflected great care and a beautiful sense of the season. As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed by Japanese umbrellas, lanterns, and seasonal flowers at the entrance, creating a calm and relaxing atmosphere. The tatami flooring throughout the ryokan also made the stay feel even more special. One of our family members uses a wheelchair, so we brought an indoor wheelchair that can be used on tatami for this stay. The welcome drink was black soybean tea, which was very good, and the Japanese sweets served with it were also a lovely touch. In our room, there were several choices of yukata, and samue were also provided, which made us feel very well looked after. Before our stay, we had called to ask about the plum blossoms, and they kindly prepared seats for our meal where we could enjoy the view of the plum trees. We really appreciated this thoughtful gesture. Dinner was a beautiful full kaiseki course that reflected the season of spring. Both the food and the tableware were a pleasure to look at, and the dashi was especially delicious and memorable. We also liked that the ryokan’s original chopsticks could be taken home as a souvenir. It was also nice that drinks were included in the all-inclusive plan. Our family does not drink much alcohol, but we still enjoyed this very much. For breakfast, we could choose either Japanese or Western style. It was nice to enjoy a quiet and relaxing morning meal at our table. We stayed in a room called “Miyako-wasure.” It had a raised tatami space, a living area, and a Western-style bedroom, which made it feel very comfortable and peaceful. The flowers arranged in the room were also beautiful and showed great attention to detail. We had been told in advance that this was not a barrier-free room. There were two steps of about 20 cm inside the room, but each was only a single step, so it was manageable for our family. There were no major steps in the toilet or bath area, and a shower chair had been prepared for us. Overall, we found the room quite comfortable. What stayed with us most was the farewell at the end of our stay. The staff kept waving until our car was completely out of sight. That warm and polite goodbye felt very special and truly reflected the spirit of this ryokan. We also enjoyed the small ikebana experience corner, and taking our arrangement home made it a lovely souvenir. We truly appreciated the warm and thoughtful hospitality throughout our stay, and we would be very happy to return in another season.

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“Modern yet traditional comfortable lodgings”

After spending the day driving from Osaka and making various stops for sightseeing-breaks, we finally arrived at KifuNoSato Ryokan. A Houseboy or valet met us in the car park and guided our car into one of the many car park lots. He also helped with our luggage. Once through the main doors, sho… Mais

After spending the day driving from Osaka and making various stops for sightseeing-breaks, we finally arrived at KifuNoSato Ryokan. A Houseboy or valet met us in the car park and guided our car into one of the many car park lots. He also helped with our luggage. Once through the main doors, shoes come off and you walk on tatami mats throughout the hotel. Check in was with high level of Japanese hospitality. We worked out when we wanted to eat and were informed about the bathhouse/onsen hours and identifiers. This is a Modern ryokan with traditional touches. Lots of ikebana flower arrangements around the hotel, mixed with massage and easy chairs on the ground floor. There’s also a coffee corner where you can get your caffeine shot. Room Our room was on fourth floor. There is a Lift in the hotel to take you up. Rooms are Tatami style - living room by day, converted to bedroom at night (while you’re eating dinner). The Beds are comfortable. We Did not feel the floor at night, mainly because the beds were slightly raised on a foldable thick mattress. Our room was Quiet and we slept well. The Room safe uses key in the key ring. WiFi can be received in the room. Yukuta is provided as well as pyjamas to sleep in. There was a Kitchenette in our room. It had a Hot water dispenser, and Freshly packed Tea bags, tea cups, and tea pot. Drink glasses are kept cold in the fridge. There is Soda and beer in fridge and this is chargeable. A jug of cold water is also stored in the fridge. Bathroom Our bathroom was a Japanese style onsen shower and metal bathtub, out in the open. As the weather was quite cold, we did not use this facility. The Sink area also quite cold. There are some Amenities provided. The toilet is in a separate room. Onsen The onsen is divided into Male and female onsen. The onsen is quite large with multiple shower points and a large indoor pool. There is also an outdoor pool. Amenities here are in stock - eg razors, toothbrush, q-tips etc. Family or couple onsen also can be rented for 45min. Onsen rules need to be observed. Food The food at the ryokan is Plentiful. Dishes tend to be fairly simple in taste, yet so very Japanese. The proprietress came by during dinner to check on guests. Staff The staff do Speak English, and this helped a lot with communicating what we would like. Definitely a good ryokan to base yourself in if you’re visiting the area. Good food, traditional yet modern ryokan, large onsen facilities, and some English speaking staff are what we liked while we were here.

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“Repousante Ryoken com serviço amigável”

Nós gostamos muito da estadia neste Ryoken. O edifício é relativamente moderno, e o hotel tem-se esforçado para ter funcionários que falam inglês. Isto tornou-o menos intimidante para não-japoneses colunas para desfrutar de uma experiência de Ryoken. Nós gostamos especialmente a comida adorável e u… Mais

Nós gostamos muito da estadia neste Ryoken. O edifício é relativamente moderno, e o hotel tem-se esforçado para ter funcionários que falam inglês. Isto tornou-o menos intimidante para não-japoneses colunas para desfrutar de uma experiência de Ryoken. Nós gostamos especialmente a comida adorável e uma tarde da noite banho ao ar livre.

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“Good overall experience”

We chose to stay here for one night during our drive from Osaka to Hiroshima (2 hours from Osaka to Yunogo, and another 3 hours to Hiroshima), and it was a good choice. At least when you base it on price, Kifu No Sato has no peer among ryokans in the area, so we felt it was as good as it'll get in … Mais

We chose to stay here for one night during our drive from Osaka to Hiroshima (2 hours from Osaka to Yunogo, and another 3 hours to Hiroshima), and it was a good choice. At least when you base it on price, Kifu No Sato has no peer among ryokans in the area, so we felt it was as good as it'll get in Yunogo Onsen. Yunogo is a sleepy Onsen town that has either seen better days or is in the process of building up (not sure) - I'd bet on the former. There's not much to do, so I wouldn't consider it to be a destination in and of itself (unlike, say, Kinosaki Onsen or Kaga Onsen.) Kifu No Sato itself probably doesn't merit a visit for the sake of staying there, although if it was located in a most developed Onsen town, it would be a worthy option even among the better ryokans that might exist. Overall, we had a pleasant stay. The building itself is up there in age, and it's not old in a good way. It's a (somewhat faded) yellow-colored building that is not particularly attractive. There is also no garden - just a parking lot up front and then the main building (where everything is located in) just behind it. It gets better, however, as you approach the building, thanks to some tasteful Bonsai and Ikebana arrangements throughout the property, beginning with the outdoor entrance. We stayed in the Hiougi (Leopard Lily) Suite, which is the highest grade room at Kifu No Sato and measures 75m² in size. It felt more spacious than the specifications - there were two separate living rooms in addition to the bedroom, along with a bathroom (with dual vanities) and both an indoor and outdoor Onsen bath. On paper, everything looks up to snuff. In reality, it was also quite nice. The Suite was tastefully decorated, and the furnishings were of decently high quality. Given the age of the ryokan, it wasn't too shabby at all. It doesn't scream "luxury," but it's definitely a comfortable and spacious enough room to relax for an extended period of time. The dining experience was very good. The main thing we appreciated was the ability to dine in our own room - something that is increasingly hard to find, even in the very best luxury ryokans in Japan. The food itself was also pretty good. Nothing was particularly creative or awe-inspiring, but they definitely used high-quality ingredients, including locally renowned produce (such as Okayama Black Sesame.) Although Yunogo is about 90 minutes away from the Sea of Japan coast, they were able to serve "Zuwai-gani" (Japanese Snow Crab), a delicacy that is available between November and March each year. And it's not cheap! Several Crab dishes were complemented by various Appetizers, Sashimi, Tempura, Vinegared Octopus and Beef / Shrimp dishes, and everything was prepared very nicely. It wasn't particularly memorable, but we had a satisfying meal nonetheless. The same can be said about the breakfast. All dishes were fresh (and freshly prepared) and healthy, with a good variety of small dishes as is common in ryokans. All in all, we have no complaints regarding the food offerings. Is Kifu No Sato a destination ryokan? I wouldn't go as far as saying that. However, if you happen to be in the area, I'd be hard pressed to find a place that approaches the level of accommodations, food and service that Kifu No Sato manages to offer - all at a price that won't break the bank.

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