ryokan honke bankyu

keep an eye on this bridge, because little did i know i'd have to cross it for dinner on the other side of the river!

honke bankyu was a seemingly small ryokan built into the river bank. however, looks were deceiving because it actually sprawled the river and there was the dining area on the opposite bank. what was extra special about this ryokan was the private onsen that was right smack on the river bank. if i didn't look properly, it was as if i was bathing in the river! honke bankyu was also more traditional than sanraku and i really liked the rustic feel about the place. there was much attention to detail, right down to the electronic tag fridge! so much for being a traditional ryokan. then again, this disconnect between modernity and tradition is something that intrigues me about japan and keeps me coming back for more.

public onsen is great, private onsen is better. will be sharing photos of our private onsen next :)