Hakuba Onsen Ryokan Shirouma-so

This was our third stay at the wonderful Shirouma-so Ryokan in Hakuba. We would have been back sooner but Covid-19 restrictions in Australia and Japan kept us apart. We finally made it back this February and this lovely ryokan did not disappoint. The Ryokan is mostly in the Japanese style with tatami mats throughout meaning that you leave your shoes at the door and use the guest slippers provided. Its spotlessly clean, calm and timeless. The staff, including the owners, are delightful. They tolerate my beginner's japanese with a smile and encouragement, while their english skills are excellent. They always greet you with a smile. The room we stayed in, Karin, was large with mountain views, separate bath and toilet plus a dressing/sitting room and entry area. Privacy is ensured with shoji screens on windows and doors and if you ignore the TV in the corner, you could be in an episode of Shogun. We slept like baby lambs on the floor, on a Japanese padded base and cosy under the duvet. The breakfast they provide is the best I've ever eaten anywhere. Its primarily a hearty Japanese breakfast with protein (usually locally sourced fish), rice, house specialty furikake, pickles vegetables or salad, miso and fruit with some western style additions of a perfectly poached egg with thinly sliced local ham and toast, plus homemade yoghurt. Espresso coffee is available, too. Honestly it is so nourishing that I don't think we ever ate lunch even with 6+ hours of skiing a day. When we returned in the late afternoon, weary and sometimes quite sore in the legs (those longer runs can test our bodies) we would be so happy because the ryokan has lovely onsens downstairs. Its a geothermal area and the water is naturally sourced. There are separate mens and womens onsens, with pre-onsen washing amenities, showers and dressing areas. The relaxation, the serenity and the heat of the hot spring water all combine to magically ease your muscles and calm your mind. The ryokan also does dinners on request that you need to book. Get in quick because these are spectacularly good Kaiseki (懐石) which is a traditional Japanese multi-course meal that relies on local seasonal ingredients. In our case it was a shabu shabu meal with locally sourced meat and fish, tempura, pickles and snow cabbage as part of the delights. The number of diners is limited so the quality is always maintained. I doubt that we could afford a similar feast in Tokyo or Kyoto. Apart from being centrally located (5-10 minutes walk from the bus terminal), the ryokan has all the extras that skiers like: a drying room; ski locker; repair station and contacts with all the local ski outfitters who deliver and pick up from the ryokan. You can walk (level) to the base of Happo One chairlifts in your ski boots in about 10 minutes or catch a free shuttle bus down the road. Lots of local places to eat and drink as well as a big Lawsons that gets resupplied at least twice a day with fresh onigiri (I'm addicted to the salmon roe one), fried chicken, ramen cups and all the usual treasures of a kombini. It really has it all. We love the vibe of Hakuba. Everyone's in a good mood, the locals are so patient and welcoming and the area is just stunningly scenic. I honestly would choose Shirouma-so Ryokan every time. Hoping to go again next year