How much does it cost to add dinner at Kawakami-ya Kasuitei Ryokan?

Kawakami-ya Kasuitei basically only includes breakfast, so dinner must be requested separately. If you add dinner, there is an additional charge of ~$90 for two people.

When do I pay for drinks ordered during the dinner course at Kawakami-ya Kasuitei?

Drinks ordered during the dinner course are not included in the meal price. Therefore, you can pay for the ordered drinks separately when checking out of the ryokan.

What are the breakfast hours at Kawakami-ya Kasuitei?

You can choose between two breakfast times: 8:00 AM or 8:30 AM. You will select your preferred meal time in advance at check-in, and you should proceed to your assigned dining area 10 minutes before your scheduled time.

Kawakamiya Kasuitei Gero Onsen Review: Kaiseki Dining

Hey fellow travelers! In my last post, I shared my overall experience staying at the beautiful Kawakamiya Kasuitei, a traditional ryokan tucked away in the historic Gero Onsen village. Today, I’m diving into the absolute highlight of any authentic ryokan stay: the spectacular dinner and breakfast experience.

Kawakamiya Kasuitei Kaiseki Dinner Guide

When booking Kawakamiya Kasuitei in Gero Onsen, note that dinner is typically not included in the base rate, though breakfast is. We decided to add the dinner package during booking, which cost an additional ~$90 for two people. Trust me, for a multi-course traditional meal, this is incredibly reasonable!

Dinner is served at 6:00 PM. During check-in, the staff will ask you to confirm your preferred times for both dinner and breakfast, so you can easily plan your evening soak around your meal.

You will be designated a private or semi-private dining room. If you arrive about 10 minutes before your scheduled time, you will find your table beautifully set and waiting for you.

Here is the multi-course Kaiseki menu. The course ranges from delicate appetizers to a sweet dessert. While the printed menu is entirely in Japanese, the incredibly friendly staff does an amazing job explaining each dish as they serve it.

You can also order drinks and sake to accompany your meal. Please note that beverages are not included in the dinner package and will be added to your bill at check-out.

The meal begins with an array of seasonal appetizers. Each bite is visually stunning and serves as a perfect palate opener.

Next up is the sashimi course. The quality of the raw fish was outstanding—incredibly fresh and melt-in-your-mouth tender! We were also served a simmered fish dish. It has a deeply authentic, traditional flavor profile which might taste a bit strongly of the sea for some, but I personally found it delicious.

The star of the show was the beef hotpot (Shabu-Shabu). You cook the fresh vegetables and premium marbled beef yourself in a rich miso-based broth. The beef quality was top-tier. Just a quick tip: the broth itself is highly concentrated and quite salty, so it's meant for poaching the ingredients rather than drinking as a soup!

A fresh bowl of perfectly cooked Japanese rice is served alongside the hotpot to ensure you leave completely satisfied.

This next dish featured kelp and oysters. It had a very strong, ocean-forward umami profile. My girlfriend found it a bit too intense and skipped this one, so keep that in mind if you are sensitive to strong seafood flavors.

To wrap up, we had a light, coconut-based pudding for dessert. It was a refreshing end to the meal, though it might not be for you if you aren't a fan of coconut flavors.

Overall, booking the dinner package was an excellent decision. The portions were generous, the presentation was beautiful, and the flavors offered a wonderful window into authentic Japanese culinary culture.

Kawakamiya Kasuitei Breakfast Guide

For breakfast, you can choose between two seating times: 8:00 AM or 8:30 AM. We opted for the 8:30 AM slot to get a little extra sleep.

Just like dinner, we arrived 10 minutes early and found our table meticulously set and ready.

The spread featured a colorful variety of traditional sides—light, healthy, and absolutely perfect for a morning meal.

The highlight of breakfast was the local specialty: Hoba Miso (sweet, savory miso paste cooked on a magnolia leaf over a small clay burner). Once it starts bubbling, mix it directly with your warm rice. Make sure to eat it quickly before the miso burns on the leaf!

Mixing the caramelized Hoba Miso with the hot, fluffy rice was an absolute flavor explosion. It was easily my favorite bite of the morning.

They also serve a delicate soft-boiled egg, which you slide into a small bowl of savory dashi sauce before eating.

We finished up with a small plate of fresh, sweet fruit to complete a wonderfully satisfying breakfast.

This trip near Nagoya was my very first time experiencing a traditional Japanese ryokan, and Kawakamiya Kasuitei set the bar incredibly high. From the phenomenal dining options to the pristine rooms and the silky waters of Gero Onsen—one of Japan’s top three famous hot springs—everything was flawless. If you are looking for an authentic cultural escape, this is it!