THE RYOKAN COLLECTION

Nakanobo's rooms are all graced with comfortable furniture and fine woodwork, and have lots of traditional Japanese touches - tatami mats giving off their distinctive delicate aroma, tokonoma alcoves with hanging scrolls, and artfully placed flowers and fine ceramic vases. There are of course, all the modern conveniences one would expect at a fine hotel, including large-screen TVs and Washlet electric bidets.

'Zuiun' is Nakanobo's finest room, a big, beautiful suite with twin beds and two spacious Japanese-style tatami mat living/sleeping rooms. It also has a cha-shitsu, a small and intimate space for enjoying tea ceremony, which can be used as an extra sleeping space. The suite also has a sitting room with seating for four people. The rotemburo open-air bath is a huge, round ceramic bowl-shaped tub, inviting and hot spring-fed, with a lovely view over the rooftops of the town and the mountains beyond.