Overview

Ryokan Marui gives you a quiet escape deep in the Ryujin mountains. Surrounded by untouched nature and the gentle flow of the Hidaka River, this ryokan offers a deeply traditional Japanese experience. From the cypress wood baths to the local ingredients featured in each meal, every detail reflects the natural beauty of the area. Whether you’re soaking in the hot spring or resting in a tatami room, you’ll feel grounded and refreshed.

Accommodation

Ryokan Marui offers 13 Japanese-style rooms, each designed for comfort and quiet reflection. You can choose between 8, 12, or 16 tatami mat rooms, depending on your group size.

• 8-tatami room: Perfect for 2–4 people, with a calming river or mountain view.
• 12-tatami room: Includes two connected spaces (8-tatami and 4.5-tatami) with a full bathroom, located on the third floor.
• 16-tatami room: A spacious option for families or groups of up to 8 adults.

Every room includes air conditioning, a refrigerator, a hairdryer, a safety box, and a TV. You’ll also find traditional yukata, towels, toothbrushes, and handmade beanbags (otédama) crafted by the landlady. These nostalgic toys offer a small connection to the past, inviting you to try something familiar yet playful.

Dining

At Ryokan Marui, meals highlight local ingredients from the mountains and rivers. Each dish is handmade using seasonal produce like wild plants, fresh vegetables, and river fish such as ayu and amago. The menu changes with the seasons, and you can choose from different kaiseki courses.

Popular seasonal offerings include:

• Kumano Beef Shabu-Shabu: A summer favorite made with tender, local wagyu beef.
• Yamazato no Sachi Course: An autumn meal built around ingredients from the surrounding mountain village.
• Botan Nabe (Wild Boar Hot Pot): Available from late November to March, this hearty winter meal warms you from the inside.
• Grilled Sweetfish (Ayu) with Salt and Deep-Fried Taro in Broth also appear throughout the year.

You’ll enjoy dinner in the banquet hall or a private space, depending on your group size and booking. Breakfast is served in the dining room, where wide windows welcome in the morning light.

Onsen and Wellness

Ryujin Onsen is known as one of Japan’s top three bijin-no-yu, or “beautiful skin hot springs.” The sodium bicarbonate spring soothes the skin and helps ease travel fatigue. The large cypress-wood bath opens onto a window view of the Hidaka River and nearby mountains.

Bath hours:

• Arrival day: 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm
• Following morning: 5:30 am to 9:30 am (6:00 am start in winter)

The onsen water contains sodium, calcium, and radium. It’s said to help with skin conditions, burns, neuralgia, diabetes, and digestive issues.

The bath area includes shampoo, conditioner, soap, razors, combs, and a hairdryer. Additional items are available in gender-specific areas:

• Men’s bath: Cleansing foam, shaving foam, aftershave lotion, hair tonic.
• Women’s bath: Makeup remover, facial lotion, night moisturizer.

You can also reserve a private bath on weekdays. If you’d like to book this during a holiday period, contact the ryokan in advance.

Non-staying visitors can use the “onsen and meal” plan, but availability depends on room bookings. Please reserve at least three days ahead.

Guests with Tattoos

If you have tattoos, please contact the ryokan in advance to ask about using the private bath option. Public bathing areas follow traditional customs.

Facilities

• Lobby: A bright, spacious entryway where you can sit and relax after check-in.
• Banquet Hall: Seats up to 50 people and overlooks the Hidaka River.
• Dining Room: Hosts breakfast in the early morning light.
• Ryu-ga-shou Tunnel: A unique underground passage beneath the highway that connects your room to the bath and banquet spaces.
• Shop and Vending Machines: Pick up snacks, drinks, or small souvenirs on-site.

Activities

Ryokan Marui encourages you to slow down and enjoy the quiet rhythm of Ryujin. From your room, you can listen to the river’s murmur or simply sit with the mountain view. Play a nostalgic game of otédama or take a walk through the small mountain village. Every moment here invites you to breathe deeply and let go.

Additional Features

• Free parking for 15 cars (including space for one large bus)
• Free yukata and toiletries in all rooms
• All rooms non-smoking
• Check-in: 3:00 pm / Check-out: 10:00 am
• Visa, MasterCard, and other major credit cards accepted (not valid with travel coupons)
• No pets allowed
• Outside food and drinks are not permitted