It is an awesome place. when we arrived, it was almost 6pm and the sky was completely dark. When we saw the room, we were completely impressed by the snowy landscape outside. The service was impeccable and the attention to details was amazing. The food experience was also out of this world with many local customary dishes made from local produce. The place was very well maintained despite being 160 years-old.

For the price we paid, I thought the quantity of food was on the small side. For small eaters, it may be ok. For bigger eaters, it may be a challenge.

Stayed for 2 nights in November. Traditional ryokan, with an excellent Onsen. The whole place radiates quality and style. service level and both dinner and Breakfast are top notch. Rooms are spacious and location/ view from the room - Especially in autumn time - is to die for. We choose for 2 nights to be able to fully absorb the atmosphere. Although still steep in price, quality, atmosphere and service level is much higher than a top ranked - nearly twice as expensive - ryokan we stayed at in 2018

Nothing. Reading the reviews people have to realize this is a traditional ryokan in an over 100 years old building with all its quirks. In our opinion that’s a part of its charms

The meals were sublime and the onsen was great. The river view cannot be beat, it's truly a great way to feel immersed in nature and at peace. I loved that they provided tea for you to make in your room. Yukata is provided which was fun to wear. The shuttle pickup service to/from the station was very convenient as we did not have a car.

There is a bit of a smoky smell to the property but that is because of the traditional hearth "irori". The hallways are colder in winter as there is no "central heating" but it didn't bother me at all. The rooms have heaters and are very warm. I am not sure if the high price of the booking is worth it, but I don't regret my stay there.

Beautiful. I wish we could go back soon. The place is dreamlike, next to a lovely river that calms you down with its sounds. Staff was super attentive. They picked us up from the train station and dropped us on the next day. The place was amazing, traditional, unique, everything we were hoping for. The room was incredible, huge! beautifully decorated, tea, coffee, cold water available. I LOVED the yukatas and the traditional beds. Both onsen were amazing. We had a lovely time. The food both dinner and breakfast was INCREDIBLE. everything was spectacular, flavours, presentation, etc.

Slightly mouldy smell on the hallways and entrance of the room, but definitely didn't ruin the experience. The outside part could be a bit more taken care off so you can also enjoy a short walk or relaxing next to the river.

Wanosato is a rustic, beautiful and peaceful Ryokan, where you fall asleep listening to the soft gushing sounds of the river flowing right next to you, Waking up to the view of the beautiful river right in front of you is so surreal. The villa is not old or dated. The whole place is meant to look rustic and au naturel, a place for one to detox and recharge, away from city life. We booked our accommodation with half board, which I highly recommend as Chef Kakuta Yamato prepares exquisite and delicious breakfast and dinners that not only taste excellent but also look aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. Our waitress-host Aoki Rin, who is always cheerful, joyful and attentive, makes us feel so welcomed and all our meals taste even better. The fireplace at the reception is so warm and calming, and warm sake was served by an elderly staff, who also showed us some magic tricks. We sat by the fire, sipping our warm sake and chatting with strangers-turn-friends. Last but not least, the Ryokan has a beautiful onsen, which we can book privately for about an hour each day, relaxing after a whole day of walking and sight-seeing. Overall, the stay at Wanosato is one of the best experiences my husband and I have experienced. Kudos to the staff and management at Wanosato!

Everything is perfect

Absolutely amazing. Our stay at this Ryokan was the highlight of our trip. Perfect for a couple looking to have an authentic Japanese cultural experience. The location was stunning- especially with the fall colors. My husband and I sat and watched the leaves fall for hours. The rooms are spacious. The bed mats are more comfortable and cozy than you'd think. The sound of the river next to the room was so peaceful. The food was absolute perfection - exotic for an American but delicious and so fun. Enjoy the local sake with dinner - we wish we bought some bottles to bring home. The service was so personal. We hope to return one day in the future. This experience was so special it still makes my eyes water. My heart is so full. (For reference, the room we stayed in was Kuraiyama)

Nothing. Everything was wonderful.

We had the annexe, it's a lovely very rustic house, that almost feels like it takes you back in time. There is a lovely open fireplace with a kettle over it, but we did not use it as it was summer. The half board catering was amazing, the presentation and flavour was above my expectation. They provide a shuttle into Takayama town. The staff were very friendly and helpful. There is sake tasting in the afternoon, and private onsen in the evenings. The views of the stream from the annexe makes it very relaxing, but there did not seem to be any possibility to go into the stream itself.

One small gripe, the air conditioning was only in the sleeping area, and although a fan was provided in the sitting room, it can get a bit warm in the afternoon in places not within reach of the air conditioning.

Immersive experience of traditional Japanese Onsen hotel! We love the traditional buildings, welcome tea/pastry, spacious room, incredible snowy forest & creek view, Kaiseki meals included, and most importantly the onsen. Appreciate it that there's private bath time schedule for each room for the public Onsen. Temperature of Onsen is great that one can stay long enough in the water. Skin condition seemed to improve after several rounds of relaxation in Onsen.

Wanosato was a magical experience, from the private onsen to the kaiseki dinner to after hours sake and magic tricks by the hearth, which the owner kindly treated us to (a hilarious and wonderful experience, transcending our limited ability to communicate in Japanese/English). We stayed here for one night while we were traveling from Kyoto to Kamokochi in the Japanese Alps. It was a prefect, restorative place to visit en route. The staff was lovely and the authentic ryokan decor made you feel transported back in time. The private natural onsen hot springs were incredible. We were able to try both of them—one the afternoon we arrived, and the other the morning before we left. As for the town of Takayama, we were only there for a few hours during lunch time (get a Hida burger and beer at the Americana-themed Center4Hambugers, if you're looking to mix it up) and a bit of walking around before the free shuttle picked us up to bring us to the ryokan. It also dropped us off at the train in the late morning the following day.

Nothing. It was great. I would absolutely stay again when passing through the area the next time I am in Japan.

It was a highlight of our family’s two week tour of Japan. It was so full of surprises of peacefulness, with dinners and breakfasts served privately, with courtesy and creativity. One of our servers seemed friendly enough to participate in conversations, and she explained modestly she had been a Japan national track and field competitor in competitions in Columbia, Brazil, USA. It was an inspiring two days.