Shiroyama-kan Guesthouse

This is the mid-tier stay and the closest of the three properties to the station - you walk out of JR Yugawara, through the Japanese-style roofed Korean gate, up twelve stone steps, and you are on historic Shiroyama-kan grounds. Three separate buildings sit on the property connected by a garden path, and there is a semi-open-air source-fed onsen bath on site, which is the real differentiator: at ¥8,000 per person you are paying for an actual ryokan-character stay with your own onsen, not a hotel bed. Takasu is a Superhost and the three buildings carry ratings of 4.93, 4.95, and 5.0 respectively - the reviews back the quality claim. The buildings are priced and marketed as separate rooms but can be combined for families or groups of up to 12 - that is the right move when you want the whole property to yourselves.