Secret Japan

[Teek5449]

I will be traveling to Tokyo in November and was looking for some suggestions about a good rotenburo to visit while I am there.

Here is my ideal onsen experience:
outdoors with a nice view
attached to a traditional Japanese style hotel (ryokan)
mixed or private (no difference)
less crowded
foreigner welcome :-) (I know there is some problems with some onsen and foreigners)
public transportation accessible (even by taxi)


Basically I would like to take an overnight trip to a ryokan with a nice outdoor onsen attached from Tokyo. I don't mind spending a little more for my first experience with a ryokan and onsen. I will be traveling alone so being a welcome foreigner would be nice. Also, having the location somewhat easy to get to for someone who speaks limited Japanese and reads none is necessary.

Thank you for any suggestions.

Mike

[sanji]

There are many nice ryokan with good onsen around Tokyo!

Some are expensive (even very much for a couple of them), others are really a bargain.

Have first a look at this list of ryokan : http://www.secret-japan.com/forum/ryokan-f44.html

Fujiyoshi (Izu)
Kinnotake Ryokan (Hakone)
Iwanoyu at Seni Onsen (Nagano)
Honke Bankyu Bankyu Ryokan (Yunishigawa in Tochigi)

Those are already excellent choices, with rather upscale options!

Other places I like are :

Chojukan (Hoshi Onsen) - a very old, traditional ryokan with a historic bath; quite expensive
Gorokaku (Oigami) - a nice modern ryokan with an excellent outdoor bath area; not cheap
Hatcho yu (Okukinu Onsen) - nice ryokan with excellent baths in the nature (forest); pretty cheap
Taki no yu (Yamada Onsen) - very cheap, fantastic bath, basic accommodation and good food

A general point with all ryokan : just don't expect people speaking English. Even if there are some persons working in the ryokan and speaking some word of English, it is not obvious they will be there when you will be ;) But usually, the language is not a problem.

For the welcoming, do not worry: all places I have visited so far in Japan have been extremely welcoming toward foreigners...