Juhachiro Hotel

Juhachiro is a historic ryokan that has shared more than 160 years of history with the clear waters of the Nagara River since the Edo period. Its name is derived from Matsuo Basho’s famous prose “Juhachiro no Ki,” and the ryokan is also known for its private passageway connecting the property directly to the Nagara River cormorant fishing boat pier. Guests can choose from a variety of room types, including rooms with cypress-wood or Shigaraki-ware observation open-air baths, as well as traditional Japanese-style rooms offering beautiful seasonal views of the Nagara River. The bathing facilities are equally diverse, featuring two large public baths with distinct atmospheres—one where guests can relax in luxury while feeling the river breeze, and another inspired by traditional machiya townhouses—along with the Kura no Yu, a bath modeled after a historic storehouse once owned by a Nagara River timber merchant. Guests can enjoy a rich onsen-hopping experience throughout the property. Dining at Juhachiro highlights freshly harvested mountain and river ingredients, with carefully prepared dishes that bring out the natural flavors of local produce through a farm-to-table approach. The on-site earthen storehouse restaurant offers a uniquely atmospheric setting, recreated from a kura built around 130 years ago. During the cormorant fishing season from mid-May to mid-October, special plans allow guests to board a traditional ukai boat and watch the fishing up close while drifting down the river together. Wearing stylish colored yukata while enjoying cormorant fishing or strolling through the historic streets around Juhachiro adds another memorable layer to the travel experience.