Ogoto Onsen Dantokan Kikunoya

A small ryokan with a kids' space of toys and picture books

Ogoto Onsen Dantokan Kikunoya is a 16-room ryokan on the western shore of Lake Biwa, in the Ogoto district of Otsu. Alongside the terrace lounge, the ryokan has a kids' space and library stocked with toys and picture books for children. It is open from 8 a.m. until checkout and again from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., so children have somewhere to pass the wait right after arrival, or the gap before dinner, without getting bored.

A plan for families with babies that bundles equipment and in-room dining

The plan created for families traveling with a baby brings six kinds of support together. Dinner is served in your room, and checkout is extended to 11 a.m. from the usual 10 a.m. On weekdays it also comes with a perk of 60 free minutes in the private-hire open-air bath with a view (normally 5,500 yen; not included while the private-hire open-air bath is closed for construction). A child's futon is laid out before you arrive, and breakable items are cleared from the room in advance. An air purifier with a humidifying function is provided as well.

The baby items available to borrow are a diaper-only trash bin, children's tableware, a baby bath, a baby apron, 5 disposable diapers, cotton swabs and baby soap. The ryokan will also accept and warm baby food you bring along, so you can travel with less luggage. Some items must be requested in the comments field when you book.

An alkaline simple onsen communal bath, and a private-hire open-air bath overlooking Lake Biwa

The onsen water is an alkaline simple onsen (a hypotonic, weakly alkaline onsen), gentle on the skin. There are communal baths and open-air baths for men and women, with bathing hours from 3:30 p.m. to midnight and from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.

On the 6th floor is Koyuden, a private-hire open-air bath with a view across Lake Biwa. It is offered in five time slots from 4 p.m. to 10:50 p.m., for a fee of 5,500 yen (tax included) for 60 minutes, with advance reservation required. The post-bath rest area is generously sized too, giving families time to themselves. Please note that from August 31 to December 4, 2026, the private-hire open-air bath cannot be used because of renovation work. Owing to the work, the whole property will be closed from August 31 to September 4, from October 5 to October 9, and from December 3 to December 4. Also, whether children who are not yet out of diapers may get into the communal bath tubs is not stated, so if you are planning to use it, we recommend confirming with the ryokan in advance.

Dining: kaiseki cuisine using Omi ingredients, and a children's set meal

Dinner is a kaiseki course made with Omi beef and the bounty of Lake Biwa. For children, a children's set meal is prepared with attention to both presentation and nutritional balance. The kids' meal at dinner is 4,235 yen (tax included) and the children's breakfast is 2,200 yen (tax included); both require advance reservation. Parties of 5 or more are seated in a private dining room or a banquet hall.

For food allergies, guests are asked to state the specific allergens when booking or by 7 days before their stay. The ryokan also notes that, because dishes are prepared in the same kitchen, it cannot accommodate allergies completely.

Rooms are mainly Japanese-style and Japanese-Western style

All 16 guest rooms are non-smoking. Every Japanese-modern room has a lake view over Lake Biwa. On the top floor are two Amanokaze special rooms with a semi-open-air onsen bath, where you can soak in the onsen right in your room. Rooms set aside for guests staying with pets are also available, so families traveling with a dog are accommodated.

Co-sleeping is available only for children under school age, at 2,200 yen (tax included) per child.

Access and parking

About 5 minutes by shuttle bus from Ogoto-Onsen Station on the JR Kosei Line. Between 3 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., the shuttle will come even for a single guest. Kyoto Station is about 20 minutes away on the Kosei Line, an easy location to reach from the Kansai region. Parking is free for 23 cars, first-come, first-served.