Seiransou青峠荘

Seiransou is approaching its hundredth anniversary and carries some of the longer lineage in Yugawara - it was founded by Takachi Kochiao, one of the figures associated with the opening of Yugawara’s hot-spring district. The inn sits inside a prefectural natural scenic area in the upper valley, which means the grounds are larger and more forested than the station-side inns, and the surrounding landscape is legally protected.

The signature bath is called Senkyo no Yu and sits directly beneath a 33-metre waterfall that runs year-round. Every bath at Seiransou operates on 100% source-fed flow with no recirculation - a rare commitment in the mid-tier price bracket, where circulation and chlorination are the usual cost-saving defaults. The bath inventory includes indoor and outdoor options at both gender-divided and alternating schedules.

Dining is the most structurally different feature among Yugawara ryokan. Rather than a set kaiseki, Seiransou runs a buffet-style dinner that emphasises variety-in-small-portions, with some dishes made to order at an open kitchen. For families, groups with varied appetites, and guests who want to set their own pace, this is a meaningfully different proposition from the formal kaiseki pacing at Sansuirou or Hakuunsou. For solo diners or couples specifically seeking kaiseki, this will be the wrong fit.

Room count is 41 (26 non-smoking). Access is a 20-minute bus or about 8 minutes by taxi or car from Yugawara Station, which is further into the upper valley than most station-area inns. Starting price runs around ¥11,000 per person with meals included - which is unusually low for an inn with source-fed water and a 33-metre waterfall attached.

Address: Oku-Yugawara natural scenic area, Yugawara, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa

Access: About 20 minutes by bus or 8 minutes by taxi from Yugawara Station.

Tier: mid-tier

Rooms: 41 rooms (26 non-smoking)

Price range: ¥11,000-¥19,000 per person (with dinner + breakfast buffet)

Dining: Buffet-style dinner with open-kitchen made-to-order; emphasis on variety in small portions

Founded: ~1926 (approaching 100th anniversary)

Highlights:

• Inside a Kanagawa prefectural natural scenic area
• 33-metre waterfall at the signature outdoor bath
• 100% source-through flow on every bath
• Buffet dinner - structural alternative to kaiseki
• Mid-tier pricing with luxury-tier water credentials

Source: Yugawara Onsen spring, 100% source-fed with no recirculation.

Baths: Signature Senkyo no Yu outdoor bath beneath a 33-metre waterfall, plus indoor and alternating-gender baths; all 100% source-fed.

These are points where the platforms and official pages we consulted gave us conflicting information.

• Exact address + phone: Street-level address and phone number were not uniformly surfaced across sources (Jalan and Rakuten list the general Oku-Yugawara area). Confirm via the reservation flow before a trip with specific logistical needs.
• Tattoo policy: Not explicit in consulted sources. Confirm directly if relevant.

• Jalan listing (Japanese)
• Seiransou - Rakuten Travel
• Ryokan.or.jp listing