Welcome to Houshi Ryokan. This Traditional Ryokan is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest ryokan in the world. It has been in business for over 1,300 years and has been operated by the same family for 46 generations. Houshi Ryokan has 74 Japanese-style guest rooms as well as a "hanare" (private guest residence). There are 2 indoor and 2 outdoor hot spring baths for both women and men (same gender only), and they are open 24 hours. There is also 1 family bath which can be privately reserved by guests. Please ask for details when checking in. Traditional Japanese-style cuisine is served to the guests, and their specialty is seafood cuisine. Check-in time is after 14:00 and check-out time is before 11:00 am. Parking is available.

Facilities

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Ryokan Reviews:

• Old and Beautiful

  Maxwell

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 4

  Staff Rating - 4

  Location Rating - 3

  Room Rating - 4

  We had a great time during our stay. The service was warm and had beautiful attention to detail. Staff were so polite and kind even with our total lack of speaking Japanese. The dinner and breakfast each had about a dozen different micro courses of interesting and distinct (and potentially challenging!) flavors, unique dishes that were exquisitely prepared. The onsen were large and luxurious. We also appreciated the pickup and drop off from the JR station, and the welcome tea. The atmosphere was that of a grand, large hotel that was bustling in past but now is a bit large for its inhabitants. Wandering away from the main path, we came across dark hallways and huge empty halls. (It could very well be we went in off season.) Small touches hinted at this feeling of "former glory," like towels that had gone cold and wifi we couldn't figure out. None of this is negative, just interesting to see. One correction I'll point out here: this website lists dinner and breakfast as being served in your room, which we were secretly looking forward to a little bit for a new experience. Instead, dinner was served in a big room—not entirely unlike a high school gymnasium—together with the other guests. Totally not a problem for us, but worth mentioning! There are many fun things to learn as a westerner here: do you wear the provided robes around (like to eat)? Can you go in the garden? Which dishes do you eat in what order? Where do we sit and what do we do for the tea? I'll leave these mysteries for you to discover :-) Overall, if you're not put off by an older place and want a memorable and unique experience, this is a fun splurge. (And if you're a westerner, you may be the only one, which may be a welcome change from your usual schedule.)