Ogoto Onsen Yumotokan

A long-established ryokan known for bath-hopping between baths of different character

Ogoto Onsen Yumotokan is a 54-room onsen ryokan on the western shore of Lake Biwa, in a corner of Ogoto Onsen, which is said to have first opened about 1,200 years ago. The baths include the rooftop open-air bath Gesshin no Yu, with a sweeping view over Lake Biwa; the open-air bath Yugen Shoyo, surrounded by trees; and the scenic communal baths Kobo no Yu and Sanbo no Yu, which look out toward Lake Biwa and Mount Hiei respectively. That gives you four baths of different character to work through in a single night. The open-air baths and the communal baths all alternate between men and women each day, and bathing hours run from 5 a.m. to midnight, with the two open-air baths closed for cleaning from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Both open-air baths, Gesshin no Yu and Yugen Shoyo, have only open-air bathing areas and no indoor bath, so in colder months, pairing one of them with a scenic communal bath is the practical choice with small children.

Private-hire open-air baths for the family and gentle spring water

There are two private-hire open-air baths, Konoka and Ishinone. The usual rate is 7,000 yen including tax for one 50-minute session, though some accommodation plans include a private-hire open-air bath as a benefit. The day-trip plan information states that reservations are taken in the order received, so requests cannot always be met. Being able to soak just as a family, without worrying about other guests, makes these baths easy to use with small children, including a first practice run in a hot-spring bath. The spring water is a highly alkaline simple onsen at pH 9.0, soft on the skin and low in stimulation, which suits children with delicate skin and families traveling with babies. Whether children who are not yet out of diapers may use the communal baths is not stated, so please confirm with the ryokan in advance.

A family suite for five and connected Japanese-style tatami rooms

All rooms are non-smoking, and the range of family-friendly choices is wide. There are 2 Kotone Family Suites, which reopened after renovation in July 2022; each is 77.2 sq m, sleeps up to 5 guests and has an Ogoto Onsen open-air bath in the room itself. Futon bedding is laid out for stays of 3 to 5 guests. The Japanese-Style Two-Room Family Room, with two connected rooms of 12.5 and 7.5 tatami mats, gives groups and multigenerational trips room to spread out. Other options include the Kutsurogi Japanese-style tatami room, with 10 tatami mats plus a broad window-side space; a semi-suite with twin beds in a 10-tatami Japanese-style room and an onsen open-air bath; and the detached Karoi, where every room has an onsen open-air bath. You can choose to fit your budget and the size of your family. The three Kotone suites on the 7th floor, the Executive Twin, the Executive Double and the Private Suite, serve both dinner and breakfast in a dedicated dining space inside the room. All three, though, are designed for 2 guests; the five-person Kotone Family Suite has dinner in a private dining room or the dining area, and breakfast as a buffet in the dining area.

Omi beef kaiseki, private dining rooms and allergy accommodation

Meals center on kaiseki cuisine made with seasonal ingredients from Omi, and the signature is a kaiseki course featuring Omi beef, a branded Japanese beef with about 400 years of history. Alongside the main dining area there are private dining rooms, split across several venues: Shogetsu, exclusively for guests of the detached Karoi; Kisshotei on the 2nd floor of the main building; and Shosho-tei on the 2nd floor of Kotone. Breakfast is served either as a restaurant buffet or at the ryotei (a traditional Japanese restaurant). If you report a food allergy when booking, the kitchen will prepare dishes with allergens removed as far as possible. Removal is not guaranteed, and requests are accepted in principle up to 3 days before arrival, although requests made 2 days or fewer before arrival can sometimes be accommodated. If symptoms are severe, the ryokan may decline to serve the meal for safety reasons; in that case it will accept food and dishes you bring yourself, and staff can help heat them in a microwave or a hot-water bath. Guests at risk of anaphylaxis are asked to bring an EpiPen.

Children's rate categories and ways to spend your time

Children under school age can be booked under one of four categories: with meals and futon bedding, meals only, futon bedding only, or neither meals nor futon bedding. For ages 0 to 2 who need neither meals nor bedding, the facility-use fee is free; families traveling with children ages 0 to 2 should inquire when booking. Inside the ryokan there is the Cafe Terrace Hanaunsui, a game corner (fee), table tennis, karaoke (fee) and a souvenir shop, so the family has places to go after a bath as well. A humidifier is listed among the room equipment, which helps during dry seasons when traveling with children. Access is about 5 minutes by car from JR Ogoto Onsen Station, with a shuttle bus available by reservation, and Kyoto Station is about 20 minutes away by train, making this an easy base for a family trip combined with sightseeing in Kyoto.