Yamagata the Takinami ★★★

"If you are only able to have one luxury experience in life, make it a stay at the Takinami Ryokan, for as many nights as you can. It is easily accessible by train from Tokyo or Sendai, and this provides many opportunities to explore the local area. I can’t give more than five stars for the service, and the staff deserves it. Visiting from outside Japan, we were very glad that all of the staff was happy to interact with us. Even before we arrived, the staff reached out to us to confirm details and to ensure our stay would be spectacular. A shuttle was provided to pick us up at the station, and our shuttle driver was the President’s brother, who told us about the town and history of the area and the ryokan. We instantly felt welcome! We were warmly greeted upon arrival and provided several options for a welcome drink and a snack as we reviewed our check-in details and selected the times for our activities during our stay. We were then given a tour of the facility as we were shown to our rooms. The room was clean and as beautiful as the pictures from the website. We had a private onsen for the room, which was incredibly convenient and enjoyable. There is a public onsen available for guests as well. The beds were very comfortable and the facility has been beautifully renovated while maintaining its historical beauty and charm. Lounge clothes of two different styles (several designs/colors for each) were provided for use throughout our stay. The food was phenomenal, and I ate every bite. I cannot say enough about our dining experiences for dinner and breakfast (both included), so I will just say it was some of the best food I’ve had in my life, and the counter dining experience was beyond amazing. I have been looking for a “chef’s table” type experience and this exceeded my expectations. I did not expect to be provided so many opportunities for experience during our stay, but they provided many. We got to see the soba noodles (very special flour) made for us before we were served them for dinner. We were provided a site seeing tour the following morning (spoken in Japanese) on their beautiful bus, with a stop atop the mountain for some coffee and juice in the clouds. While I don’t speak Japanese (my wife is my translator) the experience was one I will cherish for the rest of my life, and the joy and passion with which the stories were shared makes me wish I did understand Japanese (time was taken to ensure important details were provided in English, and I’d never have expected everything to be repeated for me). President Minami-san took a lot of time throughout our stay to speak with us and the other guests, so we felt very cared for. If you’re looking for an amazing time in Japan, look no further. We will be back on our next trip and for a longer stay, and while we have a lot more time in Japan now, our next visit can’t come soon enough. To everyone at Takinami Ryokan, thank you so much for this magical experience!"

Morinoyu ★★★

"I suddenly had the day off work so I made a reservation on the same day. The service was polite, the room was clean, and I was able to spend a satisfying and relaxing time."

Akayu Onsen Gotenmori ★★★

"This was my second stay. Once again, the service was excellent, and the variety of baths made for a wonderful trip. The food was also delicious, with a wide selection of dishes, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I would definitely like to stay here again if I visit Yamagata."

Yuyado Masugataya ★★★

"The bath was always put in by the source, and it was a little hot, but the body was warm and comfortable I was worried about the dirt in the drain in the bathroom attached to the room, but the customer service was good and the breakfast was delicious 😊"

Matsushimakan ★★★

"The first time I experienced a traditional Japanese-style hot spring hotel, I felt novel, the hot spring hotel was so big."

Nanyo Green Hill

Tansen Hotel ★★★

"The room is very clean, but the breakfast could be better if it was a little richer"

Ryokan Daimonjiya ★★★

Chouja Yashiki ★★

"I saw this inn on a TV program before and wanted to stay there sometime. I was traveling to Yamagata, and I was having trouble finding a place to stay because I would be bringing a cat and a dog with me, but I found out that Chojayashiki also accepted cats, so I decided to stay at Chojayashiki right away. . When I stayed there, the room was clean and there wasn't a single insect, so I was able to spend a comfortable time there. I used the built-in bath, and it was clean and there were about 1 to 2 steps so I could sit and take a bath, and it felt like a hot spring. For dinner, we were served 8 to 10 dishes, all of which were delicious, and I was surprised by the way they were cut and how the ingredients were used. The seasoning was a combination of Japanese and Western flavors, making it fun and delicious every time I ate it. I would like everyone to experience it for themselves."