ACCOMMODATIONS Tenbouen

I never review places, but I enjoyed this place so much I thought I’d give a review so more people can find out about this place.
Yes, I was one of the only native English speakers in the entire ryokan (there was only one other couple I saw) but that was ok. The staff did their best to communicate and in times they couldn’t they used Google Translate. Everyone working here was kind and very hospitable.
They will have you take the shuttle from the ryokan to town and back, you just tell them when you expect to be picked up.
The food was wonderful, I had the dinner and breakfast package and there was a lot of food I never had before. They explained everything and told us how to cook certain items on our table.
There were a lot of couples like us in the hotel, and they were all ages.
The only reason why the location isn’t 5 stars is because it’s so far out of town but it’s not a big deal but that can be a decision maker for some.
The private bath was very nice, and they do give you flower petals to put in the bath. If you want a private bath make sure to ask when you are there and they’ll give you a time slot.
If you’re visiting kinosaki as a couple or women’s group, I would recommend this Ryokan.

BEST EXPERIENCE OF OUR LIVES!!! Incredibly happy we decided to splurge and visit tenboen for one night, we immediately knew we would have to come back someday -- it's tucked away not far from town and even on the dark rainy day we arrived it was so cozy, and the views from our room of the misty mountains was spiritually healing.

The staff was so wonderful to us even though we have extremely limited Japanese skills, they were so attentive and kind and took care of everything for us it was crazy!
The room was spacious and cozy, the beds were big and comfortable, and the amenities were great: yukata, slippers, sandals, incense, towels, and more! The private baths at the hotel is cozy and comfortable and there is also a bedrock and sauna attached, and they open it at 6 am so it's wonderful to enjoy in the morning :-)

We had dinner and breakfast and they were both very impressive meals we will never forget! Almost everything was local from the meat to the rice to the vegetables, even the local pear wine! Best steamed eggs and miso soup I've EVER had, awesome mountain veggies, the meat so tender both for dinner and the sukiyaki breakfast! (Especially we loved the breakfast it was so filling and delicious, we didn't need another meal til the evening!) The dessert was incredible too, a fruit and lychee jelly combo that wasn't too big so we could enjoy the whole thing even after our crazy big meal! Oh and the mushrooms! Could talk about the food for longer so well leave it there.

Finally, the kind staff shuttled us to and from the train station as well as into town so we could go and enjoy all the different onsens with the pass they provide and even gave us recommendations on their favorite baths (and they were right!!).

This place is wonderful, to the point that I will fight anyone who says otherwise LOL -- we cannot wait to come back!

Great reasonable place to stay, nice rooms and an onsen… you can also reserve a private bath..

Dinner was really tasty…

My only complaint is breakfast ‘sukiyaki’ is a terrible choice for breakfast … not only is too heavy but it smells awful in the morning..

At check in, the service was already top notch. We were the only foreign guests, the staff couldn't speak English very well but they were SO professional, translated everything with their phone to ensure good communication. This is exactly what I wanted, an authentic ryokan that most Japanese people would go to. They offered us a free session of the private onsen which was very much appreciated! The room was very big, clean and has everything you could possibly need. We had kaiseki dinner served in our room, it's really the best experience you can have in a ryokan! Sukiyaki breakfast was also very very good. The location is about 15 mins walk from the main onsen town so it's much quieter. Every night after dinner, there is a shuttle bus provided to send guests into town for walk/onsen and pick them up to bring them back to the hotel. Honestly I cannot commend the staff enough, all of them were so thoughtful and professional!

Note that the hotel is only opened at 3PM everyday for check-ins, so don't go before, there will be no one to receive you and you cannot leave your luggage either.

As foreign want to have a great day on somewhere in Japan, I actually concern about the hospitality and communication. But not only they treat us well, they give us the best memory we will always remember in my life. The food, the service, even they give us an upgrade, Love it so much. I'll be visiting again if I go to Kinosaki area. The best Ryoukan i ever visit.

Note : I ordered by Rakuten but somehow it rejected me to give a review so I chose to written it here.

The staff were absolutely amazing. The rooms were great and so were the onsen. The only thing id mention is to make sure you understand that they close during the day and reopen at 3pm. We didn’t realize this but it was ok since we just went back to the bath houses.

This is one of the best experiences on my two week trip to Japan. The staff are all very helpful and kind. They provide an authentic experience of traditional Japan, from food, beds and clothes. Also Onsens are a must try in Kinosaki.

Wonderful little gem hidden slightly outside of the main area of the town with all the shops and restaurants, but this wasn’t an issue at all because there is a free shuttle bus that can drop you off from the station when you arrive, and the ryokan offers a drop-off/pick-up service after dinner so that you can explore the town after your meal.
The rooms were clean and beautifully decorated, and the staff were so helpful and welcoming. The kaiseki dinner and sukiyaki breakfast were fantastic too — everything was fresh and delicious.
Overall, an excellent experience for a surprisingly low price!

This traditional ryokan was absolutely perfect for our stay in Kinosaki Onsen. The rooms were beautiful, the women’s bath was warm, comfortable and spotlessly clean, the private rose petal bath was incredible and the food was some of the best we’ve had so far in Japan. We had both the kaiseki dinner and the sukiyaki breakfast and they were outstanding. They even were able to accommodate my friend who is pregnant and has health issues so she has many dietary restrictions. The staff member who speaks English was so attentive to us and helped us with everything. The ryokan has a great shuttle service that will take you right to downtown and pick you up as well. I can’t recommend this beautiful place enough!!

I stayed here for one night, as a foreigner the staff are super nice and accommodating! Nakao-san speaks English and made my stay very comfortable, I want to come back during crab season next time. The kaiseki dinner was very delicious but I think my favorite is the sukiyaki breakfast! It's not crab season but the sushi I got was very fresh and tasty. I actually like that the Ryokan is a little further away from the city center, it's very quiet and I could see the stars from my little veranda in the evening. If you're coming from the station, there's a local check-in bus you can ride, just tell them you're going to Tenboen. If you want to go to downtown from Tenboen, ask the front desk and they can ask their shuttle to take you and set a time when to pick you up. I visited 2 of the public onsen while I was there. Tenboen's women's bath is a little small but very clean so either try to bathe before dinner or late in the evening since the bath is open past 11pm.

I stayed for a night as a non-japanese speaking foreigner.

Staff were very friendly and helpful to ensure we had the full experience! There was an English-speaking staff member who explained everything (how to eat the meal, travelling around the hotsprings, what to do,...etc) and we did not ever feel confused.

Overall the stay was very pleasant, authentic, and informative. Highly recommended!