What kind of luxury onsen ryokan is Shogetsu?
In order to stay in Shougetsu, where we could see a beautiful moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival, I met up with two of my best friends at Nagoya Station and took the Hida Express train to Gero Onsen. We got off at Gero Station, from where we were picked up by a ryokan staff. The ryokan is located on a hill, so there is a steep slope along the way. It would be best to take a cab or free shuttle bus from the station. After a few minutes on the shuttle bus, we were on a narrow path that resembled the approach to a fine temple deep in the mountains of Kyoto. A beautiful cedar forest and a long traditional bamboo fence created an approach befitting a luxury ryokan. As we got off the shuttle bus, the entranceway was decorated with magnificent pine trees and maple trees, a Inuyarai fence made of bamboo often seen in Kyoto, a sukiya-style building constructed by top craftsmen, and the sophisticated ambience made our expectations for our stay here grow. Then, after pulling open beautiful lattice doors and entering the building, we found ourselves in a magnificent stone-paved corridor from which we could enjoy a stunning view of the townscape and mountains of Gero Onsen.
I am going straight to the point, the ryokan was full of elements that made us want to visit again and again, even from afar. The service, food, facilities, rooms, and views were all excellent. I think it is on par with a five-star luxury hotel.
Then, as we entered a lobby, large ceiling-to-floor windows looked out on a magnificent view of the mountains and the traditional Karesansui garden of stone, sand, and moss, all in perfect harmony. We were blessed with clear skies on the day we visited, white clouds in the blue sky, and the gently curving mountains looked beautiful beyond words. Since it was the time of the Mid-Autumn Moon, silver grass and dumplings were offered by the large windows. A small Japanese-style room and a small sand garden called karesansui were also created in the center of the lobby. The sand garden was decorated with a stone wash basin and a stone lantern, as well as silver grass and a cute rabbit, just in time for the mid-autumn moon. There was also a small lounge next to the lobby, separated by beautiful lattice doors, with sophisticated furniture, a fireplace, and lamps made of Japanese paper called washi. The lounge had complimentary coffee and tea available. There was also a terrace in front of the lounge, from which we had a spectacular view of the city of Gero and the mountains. Overall, the lobby was small, but the traditional Japanese architectural style, wonderful décor, and furnishings were sophisticated and well worth the visit.
I was really glad to have come all the way from Tokyo. For a while, we sat on a veranda called engawa in front of the traditional Karesansui garden and enjoyed the spectacular view with green tea and sweets prepared by the staff. The space with its blend of Japanese and Western style was so beautiful that we forgot about the time. Then before we were shown to our rooms, the small Japanese-style room in the center of the lobby was furnished with yukatas of various patterns, which we could choose from.
Then, we were then shown to a Japanese-style room with a large terrace and private outdoor hot spring bath where we would be staying tonight. There were a total of 21 rooms, 5 of which had private hot spring baths. Pulling a beautiful lattice door, we entered the room and found a large Japanese-style living room with chairs and a table made of rattan. Next to it was a small Japanese-style room and a tea ceremony room. On the large terrace, there were tasteful chairs and a table, and in the center was a small stone garden decorated with a stone lantern. Next to the stone garden was the private outdoor bath made of emerald-colored ceramics, and the sound of constantly pouring hot spring water was very pleasant. It was a beautiful day, and white clouds in the blue sky were reflected on the surface of the water of the private hot spring, which was swaying faintly in the gentle breeze.
The view from the lobby was spectacular, but the view of Gero Onsen town and the mountains from the terrace was also amazing. We took out cans of beer from a mini-bar in our room and decided to enjoy the spectacular view from the terrace while sipping it. It was truly a luxurious time for us, as we are usually busy with work, housework, and childcare.
We then changed into our yukatas and decided to go to communal hot spring baths on the third floor. We took an elevator down to the third floor, and to our surprise, a stone garden called karesansui made of bamboo and stones had been created here as well, and the stained glass in a tatami room in front of us, which was inspired by The Tale of Taketori, was impressive. The communal baths also offered a spectacular view of the wonderful Gero Onsen town and the mountains. The spring water was great, tender and moisturizing. Then there are also two private family hot spring baths with a quaint ambience, which we did not use, for 45 minutes for JPY3,300. There was no information at the time, so I wondered if not many guests use them. If your room does not have a private hot spring bath or if you do not want to use the communal baths, you may want to use the private family baths.
When we returned to our room and stepped out onto the terrace, it was already dark outside, and the lights of the street lamps and buildings in the Gero Onsen district below us were beginning to glow faintly. Although not as spectacular as the night views of Tokyo’s skyscrapers, countryside nightscapes allow visitors to look up at the sky and see the moon and stars. On this day, a few clouds came in, but we were lucky enough to see the moon, a perfect sight for the Mid-Autumn Moon. We enjoyed the stars and the moon shining in the night sky while quenching our thirst with Chu-hai on the terrace.
Then, we were getting hungry by now, and after 18:00, we took the elevator down to a dining room on the first floor, which was built like a tea house in the sukiya style and a stone garden. The dining area was a splendid space with 15 sukiya-style private rooms floating on the water, each with a different design. We walked through a narrow cobblestone path to a private room. We had a Hida beef course for dinner. The Hida beef roast beef, Hida beef sushi, Hida beef grilled dish, and Hida beef shabu-shabu were especially good. We cannot leave Hida Takayama without eating Hida beef.
After dinner, we decided to go to the terrace in the lounge on the second floor. We made coffee from a coffee machine in the lounge and sat on the terrace, gazing blankly at the Gero Onsen town, the mountains rising up like shadows, and the twinkling stars in the sky, and I felt more than happy to spend time talking about old times with my best friends.
The next morning I woke up around 6:30. I decided to enjoy the private onsen on the terrace. It was another sunny morning and the weather was refreshing. There is nothing like the time spent looking out at the clear blue sky and majestic mountains, breathing in the delicious air, and enjoying the superior private hot spring bath. It was still early in October when we visited, so we did not have a chance to see beautiful autumn leaves, but the view from here was superb.
Then, around 8:00, we went to the dining room on the first floor and had breakfast in the same private room where we had dinner last night. Last night it was too dark to see what was going on outside the window, but when I opened the shoji, I saw beautiful trees shining in the reflection of the morning sun. Breakfast was Japanese food, all of it refined and tasty, and very satisfying. After breakfast, we spent some time in the lounge on the second floor, checked out before 11:00, and headed for Gero Onsen Gassho-Mura.
The only drawback is that it is difficult to get reservations all year round as it is a popular ryokan. In particular, there are only five rooms with private hot springs, so we made our reservations six months in advance. Also, this ryokan is not suitable for people with small children, as children under elementary school age are not allowed to stay here.
Then as mentioned above, the ryokan is located on high ground, so it will take 15 to 20 minutes to walk from the station. There is a steep hill on the way, so it may be a hassle to go out after check-in.
We would like to visit again in a different season. Check Availability and Pricing for the property on Agoda
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Is the location easy to access?
Take the JR Limited Express Hida train from Nagoya Station and get off at Gero Station. The trip takes about 100 minutes. Then, free shuttle service is available from Gero Station. The ryokan is a 5-minute drive away. Reservations are required in advance.
Where is the best accommodation for anniversaries in Gero Onsen?
If you are looking for a good place for a special occasion, the property would be one of the best. The staff will be able to arrange a cake to celebrate an anniversary at an additional charge if you request in advance.
Rooms I would recommend?
If you are going to stay here, I would recommend a room with a private hot spring bath.
How about toiletries & in-room amenities?
All of the amenities are taken care of including enough toiletries, yukatas, samue outfits, and a green tea set, etc. There are POLA skincare products in the bathroom. Complimentary coffee, tea, and water is available at the lobby lounge. It is open from 8:00-22:00. Also, complimentary wheat tea, rosehip tea, and black bean tea are available near the communal baths. The lobby is furnished with colorful yukatas and four types of pillows to choose from. Then a DVD player, a BOSE speaker, and an air cleaner were placed in our room. Free Wifi reception was good on the property. Room service is not available. There is no convenience store nearby. You may want to buy your necessities before coming here.
How about In-house Facilities?
There are large wonderful indoor and outdoor communal hot spring baths. They are open from 14:00-10:30 the following morning. Also, there are two private family hot spring baths. They cost JPY3,300 for 45min. You need to book in advance if you want to use them. On top of that, you can use communal hot spring baths in the sister inn, Gero Kanko Hotel. *If you have tattoos, you may not be permitted to use the communal bathing areas.
Then this is not a universal design. If you bring people with weak legs, you may want to inform the staff in advance as they can arrange a room near the lifts. Wheelchairs cannot be used in the guest rooms, dining rooms, and communal baths due to the tatami flooring. Wheelchairs can only be used for transportation within the ryokan.
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How about meals?
The kaiseki food for dinner was great, especially Hida beef. The portion was average. After dinner, some rice balls for a night snack were served in our room. Dinner starts from 17:30, 18:00, 18:30, or 19:00. If you have dinner here, you need to check in by 18:00. Breakfast starts from 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, or 9:00. All meals are served in a private room or your room.
If you have any food allergies, please write them in a comment box when you book a room with meals. They probably wouldn’t be able to prepare alternative food if you request on that day.
Then, as far as I know, there are no restaurants nearby. You might want to book a room with meals included. Alternatively, there are several local restaurants in the Gero Onsen town, but you may find it troublesome to take a cab.
Check Availability and Pricing for the property on Agoda
Info about Shogetsu
| Style | Luxury Onsen Ryokan |
|---|---|
| Check in / out | 14:00 / 11:00 |
| Estimated Price | 62,000 JPY for 2 adults per room |
| Contact | Call at |
| Internet Connection | Free Wifi in the ryokan |
| Facility Information | Wheelchairs are not available Pets are not allowed The free parking lot is available |
| Location | Shogetsu’s MAP |
| Access | Free shuttle service from Gero Station |
| Address and TEL | Tel +81 |
| Official Homepage | Shogetsu’s HP |
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i would like to ask you about shogetsu
Is there hot spring that i can use for private (with my boyfriend) ? i have seen in the official page. On 3rd floor there is public onsen but i’m confuse about how to use it. Is it for rent and i can use it privately for 2 of us or it must be use for only male or female onsen separately?
Hi Freddie
Yes, Shogetsu has a private family hot spring in-house. You can privately use it with him. It costs JPY3,240 for 45min. It’s open from 16:00-21:00. You may want to book the private one for better time selections in advance if you want to use. Also you can use 7 private hot springs in the sister inn, Gero Onsen Kanko Hotel at JPY3,080 for 45min. You need to book each one of them in advance too. Then the public onsen means that all guests staying at Shogetsu can use anytime for free. Generally speaking, most of public onsens in properties including Shogetsu are separated by gender except for small children. Then public onsens are unavailable for private use. If you want to use onsens privately, you need to book private family ones or book a room with a private one. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me anytime. Have a nice trip!