Tamonkan

It was a deeply satisfying stay at Tamonkan. The beautifully timbered ryokan is hundreds of years old and has been in the host Toki’s family for 11 generations. Generously sized rooms in traditional style, all spotlessly clean, the timber floors so polished you can almost see your reflection. Toki is a genial and charming host with readily offered information useful to our stay. His wife Uki is the chef. Much has been written about the quality of the meals already, but that doesn’t quite prepare you for the creativity and care poured into every one of her dishes. Even after many visits to ryokan cuisine over the years, Uki’s dishes stand as some of the best of them all. She modestly explains each dish for you, and the offerings were different each night. No overstatement to say she is a master of her craft. Overall a wonderfully warm, welcoming and delicious stay at Tamonkan.

Exceeded my expectations. The owners are so warm, kind and helpful. The room is quite large and clean, and a traditional Japanese style with tatami mats and sliding panel walls. My room had a window which you could crack open at night to hear the frogs and rain. I was worried about the lack of air conditioning but when the temperature was about 16-20 outside it was actually perfect. The location is ideal for exploring the Dewa Sanzan mountains and relaxing. The husband-wife team who run the ryokan are incredible- they take very good care of the property, crafted the meals with my dietary needs in mind and they even helped me arrange a taxi for hiking because the buses weren’t running. It truly felt like I was staying with family and the experience is an highlight for me. If I ever go back to the area I will stay with them again!

This was my second stay at Tamonkan. We rarely return to the same hotel, even if we had a good experience, but we’d happily come back to Tamonkan every year! This time, we rented a car, which made it even more convenient to explore the beautiful mountains and nearby cities. Tamonkan also offers free parking right across from the ryokan. The owners are incredibly kind and are always happy to provide information and recommendations for local attractions and shops where you can buy regional products. And, of course, the breakfast and dinner are super healthy, fresh, and delicious. We stayed for 4 days and 3 nights, and although the ryokan was fully booked on some nights, it was always quiet and relaxing. I never had to share the spacious, comfortable bath and shower room with any other guests. I really enjoyed my stay and felt truly relaxed. See you again next year!

Tamonkan was a lovely stop during my adventures in Tohoku and it left a great impression on me. The owners, a married couple that supports the ryokan together, are extremely kind. The food was the best I had during my 9-day stay in Tohoku, and the ryokan was tasteful, quirky, and clean. The baths are adequate and the owners went out of their way to engage with us and make us feel comfortable. It's a short walk from the path up to Mt. Haguro, and it felt very authentic and relaxed. I would recommend it to anyone.

Very friendly staff, very caring and they really guide foreigners very well about the locality, commute etc. Also, one person in my group got sick and they really helped us with temporary medicines to relieve symptoms. The accommodation is traditional and the interiors are very pleasant. There is plenty to eat for both breakfast and dinner. The dishes are delicious Japanese food typical of the locality