Randy from USA

24,Nov 2015 Reviews

I stayed at Kifu no Sato in Nov of 2015.  In less than a month after I made my reservation, I was contacted by Junko-san via email and was sent their newsletter.  Then about a week away from our stay, I received an e-mail from Junko-san inquiring if I or my wife had any allergies so that they could take that into consideration when preparing our ordered meals.  Junko-san also asked me how I would be arriving to the Ryokan so arrangements could be made.   Once I informed Junko-san that we would be arriving by train at the Sayo Station, she made arrangments to pick us up when we arrived.

When we did arrive, Junko-san was there waiting for us.  She drove us to Yunogo from the station, however since we arrived at noon and check-in isn’t until 3 PM, she suggested that we have lunch at a local establishment in town.  The lunch, by the way, was fantastic (it was a sushi shop run by a husband and wife).  After lunch, it was still early so Junko-san offered to take us to the local elementary school where the Nitaidai University drill team was practicing for an upcoming competition in Hiroshima.  When we arrived, the Nitaidai team was working with the local 5th grade class giving them a crash course in drill team competition.  Later they preformed their routine for the 5th grade class and the people who came to watch.

After that, it was near 3 PM and time to check in.  My wife and I had this part of our 8 day Japan trip as being the highlight of our trip.  We were not disappointed.  The service and hospitality was first class all the way.  If you cannot speak Japanese, staying at Kifu no Sato will be no problem.  Besides Junko-san, there were two other staff members that we interacted with who could also speak English.  After checking in, before dinner, we went down to the onsen area and I was able to soak in both the indoor and outdoor bath.  it was relaxing.

After the bath, it was time for dinner.  We selected the Zei no Gozen Kaiseki Course which was best dinner package they had and it did not disappoint.  This is what we had:

Homemade fruit liqueur

Appetizers:
Appetizer platter
5 types of seasonal sashimi (sliced raw fish)
Fired alignment vegetables

Main dish for winter:
Snow crab grilled over charcoal
Stone grilled Local premium Chiya beef
A pot dish of cooked Puffer fish, called ‘Tecchiri-konabe’
Vinegared dish
Hodgepodge cooked with Puffer fish and homemade pickles

Dessert:
Homemade ice cream served with
a selection of seasonal fruit

The dinner was first class and the ambiance was appropriate for the top notch meal that we were indulging in.

The breakfast which followed was also top notch.

The package was pricy and many may be afraid to spend as much for a nights stay, however, if you consider the caliiber of the breakfast and dinner which are included in the price, you will soon realize that you are actually paying for a little more than you would be paying at a business hotel if you would partake in a meal such as we were served.  Additionally, this was an Onsen resort.

I will never forget my experience, staying at the Kifu no Sato, where the onsen was great, the Kaiseki Dinner was fantastic, but the ambiance and friendliness of the staff was 5-star all the way.

I will definately try to find my way back to Kifu no Sato in the future.  The package was too good to be experienced only once.  Thank You Junko-san.