Miyama Ouan Kyoritsu Resort Review – Hirayu Onsen Stay

A Stellar Experience from Start to Finish,/h2>

Shortly after arriving at Miyama Ouan Kyoritsu, we knew we had stumbled upon something special. This large onsen resort is located just a short walk from the bus station in Hirayu Onsen and you really feel the quality from the moment you step through the entrance.

After welcome tea and check-in formalities, we were escorted to our room on the far side of the property through massive corridors, both indoor and outdoor (with the outdoor corridors covered and heated), that made us feel like we were taking a trip back in time. The attention to detail was unrivaled and really set the stage.

Our premium annex room had two bedrooms, one with a traditional Japanese seating area and tatami mats, and another with two twin beds, a western-style seating area, a kitchenette (including a fridge that had a significant amount of alcohol provided for free), forest views, and a shower space connecting to our private outdoor open-air tub with foot soaking facilities.

In a country known for notoriously small accommodations, our room was nothing short of spacious!

From there, it was the subtle details of the resort that made it shine. In the afternoon, for example, they offered a sake and roasted mochi service (you could even try blowfish fin sake, if you were so bold). In the evening, noodle service was provided free of charge. Near the public onsen, you could have probiotic dairy shots in the morning, and fresh local milk and ice pops in the evening after your soak.

Truly, the only thing that we considered a downside to the hotel overall, if there was one at all, was that the premium lounge with all-you-can-drink access is a bit lackluster. We were offered this one at check-in for just a few dollars more per person, per day, and signed up for it right away.

Admittedly, the lounge itself only featured a selection of soda, coffee, tea, beer, two kinds of wine, and a whiskey soda that I did not really enjoy. While these were truly all-you-can-drink during the open hours, the fact that the resort offers many other free amenities, such as a sake hour in the afternoon, made the need to have this bonus package a bit unnecessary.

That said, considering it was only a few dollars per day extra, we didn’t mind too much- we’d pay that much just for a bit better coffee, if we’re honest. But the sales pitch for the all-you-can-drink option was not something we found we needed by the end of our trip.

The premium lounge aside, all of these amenities really brought the resort together for a stellar stay. But, as we were there for the onsen baths themselves, we donned our provided yukatas and got to work. Let’s talk about those next!

Many Onsens to Try at Miyama Ouan Kyoritsu

Naturally, one of the best parts about staying at Miyama Ouan Kyoritsu is that the hotel has many onsen baths located on site. Including the open-air bath in our room, we had four unique onsens to try on the property.

In the center of the facility, there is a large, public onsen, separated by gender, with both indoor and outdoor baths. We were particularly fond of the indoor baths here, and they had an area with built-in headrests to lie down and relax, while the outdoor area had quite a beautiful view out into the forest.

The resort was also home to two private onsen on either end of the property, one indoor and one outdoor, that were used on a first-come, first-served basis and allowed mixed-gender bathing. We liked the outdoor one a lot for the views; however, it was much smaller (and hotter!) than the public onsen.

That said, because there are only two of each style bath on either end of the resort, they tend to fill up quickly whenever they become available. We were lucky that our room was right next to the outdoor one, and we could check the availability light next to the onsen and sneak in when it was free. There are availability lights in the main building of the resort as well, but we suspect that they could fill up by the time you walk over, as the property is quite large.

As such, it should be no surprise that we found others queuing when we left the private baths.

The non-room onsens were available for use in the morning and mid-afternoon until late at night, which seemed to be a common theme amongst hotel-based baths in the area. So be sure to plan for a soak in the morning and more in the afternoon here!

As part of our stay, we were also told that our room key would give us access to the public onsen at Hirayukan, around the corner, at no additional charge. Their outdoor onsen was perhaps a bit more aesthetically pleasing than Miyama Ouan’s, and we highly recommend a visit, even if for a quick dip, to check it out.

Beyond these, there are many other onsen available in the area, both in Hirayu and via a short bus ride nearby, and we highly recommend exploring to try a few during your stay. We particularly enjoyed the onsen at Hirayu no Mori (with many baths to try), the public baths at Hirayu-no-Yu (although accessing the Men’s onsen was almost impossible due to an impressive buildup of snow in January), and the co-ed bath at Shinhotaka Onsen Yarimikan a short bus ride away (which had a great view and was co-ed, although we had the entire onsen to ourselves during our visit). Be sure to take towels with you!

Although we were only just scratching the surface of the number of baths available in the region, this was a great cross-section and sure kept us busy during our two days in Hirayu Onsen town!

Breakfast and Dinner Was a Feast

One final note about Miyama Ouan Kyoritsu Resort is that you would do well to ensure you book a package that includes breakfast and dinner. This one goes above and beyond with multi-course style dining experiences, and both meals come with an abundance of food!

At dinner, we had nearly five-course menus with an appetizer tray, assorted sashimi, grilled dishes or shabu shabu, side dishes (you pick one from a rotating selection), and a “meal” (also you pick) to round out the dinner. Although the portions were smaller and more approachable in size, including the “meal” course, it was the grilled dishes course that blew us away- so much so that we ordered it two nights in a row.

Why? Well, it included a lineup of Hida beef that you grill yourself over hot coals! Our lineup included several different cuts of meat with some of the finest marbling you’ll ever see, and it was quite the surprise to find it included as part of our booking. Couple that with all of the other snacks provided, as previously mentioned, and we can safely say that we did not go hungry here!

Ironically, we were provided with a menu if we wanted to add on more to our meal, and, while we wanted to, we were simply stuffed. So we thankfully kept our order to a round of sake to go with the meal and relied on the premium bar and drinks provided in our room for the rest!

Overall, Miyama Ouan Kyoritsu Resort really is an incredible, nearly all-inclusive onsen resort in Hirayu. Although quite the premium by Japan standards, this one really knocked it out of the park, and we had a stellar time visiting here. You really could spend all day just enjoying the property here; however, we do also recommend exploring the other onsen in town and nearby as well to get the most out of the experience- you won’t regret it!

Miyama Ouan Kyoritsu Resort is located in Hirayu Onsen, about an hour from Takayama by bus. Click here to book your room. Please note, Hirayu Onsen town did not have an ATM during our visit, and many spots only accepted cash (although the hotel accepted payment for incidentals and room tax with a credit card).