Inside a Japanese Onsen Ryokan Hidden in the Forest | Gero onsen Yunoshimakan

Inside a Japanese Onsen Ryokan Hidden in the Forest | Gero onsen Yunoshimakan

Gifu sits near the center of Japan and has deep samurai roots Tonight, we’re staying at a huge hot spring inn deep in the mountains We’re taking the Limited Express Hida, a sightseeing train It’s about an hour and a half to Gero Station with no transfers Ah, the right side had way better views But the left side had its moments too Mostly just mountains and rivers the whole way We’ve arrived at Gero Station Gero Onsen is said to have over 1,000 years of history It’s one of Japan’s top three hot springs, along with Arima and Kusatsu There’s a hand bath right in front of the station There are a few shops too But the main hot spring town is about 10 minutes on foot from the station Hey, big kitty This is Gero Ohashi Bridge, a symbol of Gero Onsen, spanning the Hida River Several ryokans line the riverbank Can you guess which one we’re staying at? There’s a free foot bath along the river We’ve arrived at the main street This is Yunomachi Street, the old hot spring district There are many traditional inns and restaurants here “Gero” is the Japanese sound for a frog’s croak, so you’ll see frog mascots everywhere It’s starting to snow The walk from the station to our inn is about 1.1 km On the way, we stopped by a butter shop Look for the yellow building Such a cute little shop They make their own butter and use it in their products A buttermilk foot bath.. with a calf soaking in it🐮 Inside the shop, there are lots of butter-based souvenirs Berry-flavored butter sandwich That rich flavor pulls you right into the world of butter Butter soy sauce rice ball It’s like a familiar Japanese grilled rice ball but soaked in buttery goodness So good It seems the baby cow is overheated The peaceful vibe of the mountain town and the retro streetscape are wonderful Foot onsen bath? Tempting. But food wins Found a good spot—Hidaya, a local eatery It’s right near the butter stand we visited earlier Hida beef croquette Nice and crunchy! According to Google Maps, it takes 10 minutes on foot from here to the inn But we regretted walking there.. Because it was insanely tough! This ryokan is on the highest hill in Gero Onsen, with lots of stairs and slopes I recommend using the free shuttle from the station But we were so impressed by how cool it looked, we forgot all about being tired Totally feels like a secret hideaway in the mountains They say this place inspired Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away Founded in 1931, some parts are now registered cultural properties Here’s the front desk. You take off your shoes before entering The lobby has a traditional hearth Hina dolls are displayed as seasonal decorations This cozy lounge overlooks a garden full of nature through large windows You can enjoy complimentary drinks here There’s also a spacious gift shop nearby They sell local sake, foods, and hot spring water skincare products These parts are officially protected: the lattice hallway, the entrance, and the wooden main wing We’re heading to our room now >> Staff: This photo shows when Emperor Showa and the Emperor Emeritus visited The entire inn is built on a mountain slope with several buildings They’re all connected by hallways and staircases The buildings are joined together in a maze-like layout It’s not just one elevator or staircase So it’s easy to get lost if you’re not paying attention >> Staff: From this observatory, you can see the entire town of Gero Room with Open-Air Bath “Kumoi-no-ma”: 94,600 yen (662.30 USD / € 583.97) for two people They’re sliding doors like you’d see in a traditional Japanese home It’s a classic-style Japanese room Take off your slippers before stepping up First is a 4.5-tatami mat room And beyond the paper sliding doors is a 10-tatami mat room There’s an L-shaped veranda, making it feel very open and airy Japanese Tea and welcome sweets A peony-shaped nerikiri sweet It’s packed with red bean paste and so tasty So comforting There’s a TV and an air purifier In the alcove, there’s a hanging scroll and… A squirrel! The squirrel is eyeing.. A cicada! A set of Japanese tea and coffee Yay, found some sweets! We’ll save these for tomorrow From the window, you can see the whole town of Gero 😆✨ Yunoshimakan owns its own Gero hot spring source, so there’s plenty of hot water All the water in the inn, including showers, comes from natural hot springs Here’s the dressing room There’s a toilet here too. It’s not new, but clean and perfectly fine “100% spring source.” The indoor bath is made of hinoki cypress The scent of hinoki fills the air The source water is hot, but you can adjust the temperature using the faucet Be careful of the step as you head outside An open-air bath! This is the perfect bath for enjoying nature The water is clear and smooth, an alkaline simple spring The 4.5-tatami room has a mirror and closet, great for unpacking and getting ready Oh, found another door Low ceiling. Giants, beware Oh, it’s kind of like a Japanese tea room It’s about three tatami mats, and it’s divided by paper doors This could be handy if you’re staying here with a group Open this door and it connects to the veranda It’s a bit chilly here since it’s close to the window There’s a fridge And free bottled water inside We still have some time before dinner So let’s leave the room and go exploring It really feels like we’re deep in the mountains This building is the “Entertainment Hall,” with a totally different vibe from the main wing It was designed to resemble a luxury cruise ship Even the floor map shows how complex this ryokan is So many stairs and hallways just to get here. Total maze. Kinda fun, though This looks like a lounge area The Art Deco style decorations are full of charm There’s a drink bar with coffee and juice I love Natchan orange juice They have all kinds of stylish wooden board games Let the game begin! We found a foot bath nearby too Since it’s on high ground, the views of the surrounding nature are amazing They even have towels nearby to dry your feet. That’s nice The water’s nice and hot. Feels great This staircase has a different kind of vibe The tiles are neat, feels like a vintage European spa or something Now it’s time to soak and warm up completely in the hot spring This ryokan has four private baths But since the weather is nice, we’ll go to the public bath and open-air bath The public bath is gender-separated by day. Today, left one is for women The dressing room is spacious, with plenty of skincare amenities Let’s start with the indoor bath It’s a large hot spring bath, as expected from a place with such abundant water Lots of steam, but.. You can actually see the Hida mountain range, believe it or not There’s no washing area at the open-air bath, so be sure to wash up indoors first There are about 30 steps to climb Wow, it’s beautiful out here It’s a little deeper than a typical bath The water is an alkaline simple spring, known as “beauty bath.” This silky smooth water feels amazing when you soak in it Spacious, open, and absolutely perfect The days are definitely getting longer Dinner is served in a private room The room was a guestroom, now it’s a private dining space You can enjoy your meal in a calm and private setting >> Staff: I’ll now explain today’s menu >> Staff: The aperitif today is plum wine >> Staff: The appetizers feature seasonal items. Please refer to the menu as you enjoy them Time to prepare the special grilled leaf sushi Let’s eat! Dried persimmon butter It tastes kind of sweet Marinated Hida beef So tender and tasty The clear soup even has shark fin in it The sashimi includes sea bream, tuna, prawn, and fresh yuba Gifu is landlocked, but you can find sashimi anywhere in Japan It’s tender and fresh-tasting Grilled salt-cured Amago trout A river fish long loved in the Hida and Gero areas It has a light and clean taste that pairs well with sudachi citrus Must’ve been raised in clear river water You can eat the entire fish, including the head, innards, and bones Shabu-shabu with A5-grade Hida beef sirloin Start by simmering the vegetables The grilled sushi is ready! The Hida beef cutlet is wrapped in pink rice Warm sushi is actually pretty great The broth’s bubbling nicely, time to add the beef That’s sirloin for you. Beautiful marbling The tofu looks like it doesn’t want me to eat it The gentle broth lets you enjoy the natural flavors It’s so tender you can cut it with chopsticks. Juicy and rich Each dish was served one by one, just right Here comes the final course Steamed winter yellowtail with grated lotus root A juicy piece of yellowtail hides under the lotus root dumpling The chopped yuzu adds a refreshing citrus kick Miso soup with amitake mushrooms They’re smooth mushrooms and have a nice texture Two kinds of pickles We got to savor so many local flavors from Gero. Everything was delicious And it wasn’t too much food either, which I liked Perfect for anyone looking to try authentic Japanese food What got me really excited was the final dessert A three-story “sweets apartment.” >> Staff: That concludes your meal for tonight. Thank you! Matcha warabi mochi, residing on the third floor of the sweets apartment Oops So jiggly and smooth That was an amazing meal We’ve arrived at the Entertainment Hall This building has billiards, table tennis, and even an izakaya bar What caught our eye is this spot ‘Club Moonlight.’ It’s a romantic space in Art Deco style It has an open atrium, and the lower level is a dance hall Feels like a woman in a red dress would be singing jazz here It’s a bar, but here’s a little trick— If you complete the inn’s stamp quest, you get a free drink We’ve got to do it There are eight locations in total Discover the stamp spots for yourself when you visit And… it’s done! All complete! We’re back at Club Moonlight Here’s how it looks from downstairs There’s a bar counter at the far end The free drink from the stamp quest is a special menu item We picked plum wine and cola It was quiet earlier, but after 9 p.m., it got lively The minimal lighting creates such a dreamy atmosphere Back to our room now While we were out, the futons were laid out. Thank you We’re in the open-air bath again before bed Having a bath in the room means you can warm up anytime From January to March, there are fireworks every Saturday Sounds awesome Good night Good morning I’m hungry Let’s head to the breakfast room, where a Japanese serow welcomes us The meal is already set on the table Grilled salmon with miso on magnolia leaf Simmered pork belly in a hot pot In addition to what’s at your seat. there’s a self-serve food and drink station Rice, miso soup, curry, bread, and more The salmon is raw, so you grill both sides yourself A hot meal in the morning is kind to your stomach This very Japanese breakfast is wonderful The food looks great with a yukata The pork belly is so tender it falls apart The grilled miso on magnolia leaf is a traditional Gifu dish It’s the kind of taste that makes you want to drink sake even in the morning The men’s and women’s baths have switched today, so let’s go Today, this one is for women This is what the dressing room looks like. It’s spacious The indoor bath is similar to yesterday’s Today’s open-air bath is accessible without climbing stairs This wild-style bath lets you fully experience nature So open and relaxing You can already feel how good it is even before getting in Gero Gero The water is clear, so you can see the bath’s stone floor perfectly This soft and silky water feels like lotion on your skin It gently wraps around your whole body There are many ryokans in Gero This one is the only one on a hilltop, which makes the view extra special What an amazing morning bath The room’s drip coffee is supplied to the Imperial Household Agency Sipping it on the veranda, overlooking Gero town. What a treat Time for the chestnut jelly we promised to try yesterday A yokan jelly with a whole chestnut inside Look at that beautiful cross-section Surprisingly, it goes really well with coffee Glad check-out is a bit late, until 11 a.m We’ll take the shuttle bus back, just like when we came Thanks so much for watching If this video helped you relax, like and comment! See you next time🐰🐰

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💻Yunoshimakan Gero Onsen
Website: https://www.yunoshimakan.co.jp/
*This video was filmed with the hotel’s permission.

🗒 How to book
Agoda: https://px.a8.net/svt/ejp?a8mat=3TLBA5+BIDQL6+4X1W+BW0YB&a8ejpredirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.agoda.com%2Fgero-onsen-yunoshimakan%2Fhotel%2Fgero-jp.html%3FcountryId%3D3
Trip.com: https://www.trip.com/t/ReVL5F50TP2
Expedia: https://expedia.com/affiliate/Pnqkatn
Hotels.com: https://www.hotels.com/affiliate/QLFFjvE

🚃🚶‍♀️How to Get There
Free shuttle bus from JR Gero Station.
MAP: https://maps.app.goo.gl/oupwNof7Bgn6u44h6

💰 Price
Kumoi-no-ma: 94,600 yen (662.30 USD / € 583.97) for two people.
*Prices may vary depending on the season and room type.

🚃 JAPAN RAIL PASS is an economical and convenient way to travel throughout Japan by rail!!
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⌛️ Timestamps
0:00 Opening
0:12 How to Get There
1:09 Exploring Gero Onsen
5:56 About Yunoshimakan
6:45 Lobby & Souvenir Shop
7:49 Room Introduction
9:13 Room Tour
14:05 Exploring the Western-style Building
17:04 Public Bath①
19:23 Dinner
26:11 Dance Hall
28:42 Nighttime Private Open-Air Bath in the Room
29:26 Morning in Gero Onsen Town
29:51 Breakfast
32:00 Public Bath②
34:05 Special Coffee
35:13 Check-out

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・Titles, descriptions, and subtitles are provided by automatic translation and may contain inaccuracies.
・The prices in the video are based on the exchange rate at the time of editing.
・Prices may vary with the season.
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