If you are a traveler who prefers smaller towns to large cities or who wants to see more of the countryside on your vacation, then you should consider adding Shibu Onsen to your Japan itinerary. This ancient hot spring town boasts nine public bath houses, multiple historic ryokan (Japanese style inns) lining the narrow cobblestone streets, and the nearby attraction of Jigokudani Monkey Park in the forested area of the Jigokudani Valley.
During my time in Shibu Onsen with my family, we chose to stay at Hishiya Torazo. This ryokan is over 400 years old and has been in the same family for twelve generations. With 11 guestrooms in the three-story wooden house, indoor and outdoor hot spring baths, and very hospitable and kind owners, staying at Hishiya Torazo is a pleasant and enjoyable way to experience Japanese hospitality. Although the family that runs the ryokan does not speak much English at all, it is possible to stay here and get by without any knowledge of Japanese (I do not speak Japanese and still found this to be a wonderful place to stay, although sometimes it took a few tries to be able to understand each other). Be polite and courteous and patient, and you will find this a rewarding and authentic place to stay during your time in Shibu Onsen. In particular, there were three aspects that made our stay delightful: the room setup, the food on offer, and the experience wearing the provided yukata (cotton robes) and geta (Japanese wooden clogs).
Rooms at Hishiya Torazo
As an American walking into the rooms at a ryokan for the first time, the first thought running through my head was “Where are the beds?” It took me only a few minutes to remember that futons replace beds here and that they are stored away during the day. This minimalist practice adds a sense of extra space to the rooms of Hishiya Torazo, and means that the low tables and pillowed chairs become the centerpiece of the room during the day. At night, the family staff lays out the futons so the room is ready for you to sleep when you return from the town and baths or from eating dinner.
The rooms themselves are bounded by shōji (paper walls and dividers) that are decorated with gorgeous paintings of cherry blossoms. The futons were even more comfortable than many beds found in standard hotels, and it was delightful to wake up to the angular and beautiful cherry tree paintings on the walls.
Other artwork around includes beautifully shaded line drawings with images of idyllic times spent in nature, creating a calm and relaxing atmosphere in the rooms. Hishiya Torazo certainly looks after your comfort as well, with each room containing a box filled with all the accoutrements for making and drinking tea if you so choose. Additionally, the rooms contain portable heaters during the winter months so you can adjust the temperature to your liking (it gets cold when the temperature drops outside). This ryokan is also unique in the Shibu Onsen area for having their own private onsen that you can book and use during your stay, so check with them when you book a room if this is of interest.
Dining at Hishiya Torazo
Although dining is not included in the booking cost at Hishiya Torazo, you can opt to pay for dinner and breakfast. I highly recommend this experience if you are interested in trying home-cooked Japanese food during your stay. Each person is given their own tray with an assortment of perfectly darling dishes filled with traditional Japanese foods, but if you don’t speak Japanese be prepared to be brave and try foods without knowing quite what they are. They light a candle to cook the meat or vegetables right in front of you, which was one of my favorite parts of the dining experience because who doesn’t love candles and food cooked at your table? The meat was tender, and the vegetables were cooked to perfection.
Several of the dishes were pickled, which was an interesting experience as an American not used to this. One aspect of the meal that particularly surprised me was the little pink gelatin dessert that was slightly sweet, but had a pickled flower on top that burst into flavor when you put it in your mouth. Not one of my favorite desserts by any means, but the experience of trying it is one that still comes to mind and makes me laugh hysterically when I think of watching my family members’ faces as we were all surprised by this unexpected twist.
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Traditional Yukata and Geta Experience
One of my favorite parts of our stay at Hishiya Torazo was when the great-grandmother helped us try on yukata from her vibrant collection of robes. She allowed us to look through the dresser filled with yukatas and choose one in a pattern we liked and then helped us put it on so we could wear it for the evening.
I chose to try on one in a pale pink with cherry blossoms, while my mom tried on a blue one with orange butterflies. The great-grandmother demonstrated how to put them on and helped us with the careful positioning of the robe and then tied the obi into a bow. When the yukata was successfully arranged, she ushered us to the door and into a pair of geta, insisting that we should explore the town while wearing the traditional dress. It felt awkward at first walking outside wearing the traditional apparel, but as I stepped out into the buttery light from the houses sparkling in the dark and tottered down the narrow, cobblestone lanes in unfamiliar wooden sandals, I knew this was an experience I would never forget. If you are looking for a unique place to stay during your time in Japan to create lasting memories, consider stepping outside of your comfort zone as well and booking Hishiya Torazo!
