Kitagawa Village Onsen Yuzu no Yado

Yuzu no Yado is a small ryokan of 14 rooms at Kitagawa Village Onsen, in the mountains above Route 55 in eastern Kochi. There's an indoor bath and an open-air bath, plus a reservation-only private bath with Shigaraki-ware ceramic tubs. One of the three room types, the Japanese-Western style room, comes with its own private open-air bath guests can use any time. The water runs at full strength and feels smooth, almost silky, on the skin, with mountain views from the baths. The inn sits in a forest carrying a Japan Heritage designation, and the sound of the river and birdsong greets arriving guests; rooms look out over water and hills. Dinner is a kaiseki course built around local Kochi seafood and mountain vegetables, and women staying overnight receive a yuzu-scented amenity.