We recently stayed at Rakuten STAY VILLA Kinugawa Riverside (Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture) as a couple with our child and our dog.
Children welcome, dogs welcome, a villa with its own hot spring, a sauna, a barbecue — everything a family trip asks for in one place, which is why we had been curious about it for a while. It is also relatively new, having opened in June 2024.
To give the conclusion first: superb with a dog, needs some planning with a child, underwhelming for a sauna enthusiast, and pleasingly free for someone who loves travelling — the verdicts within our family diverged sharply, and it left us wanting to be very honest about it.
Here is an unvarnished account from each of those points of view. We hope it helps anyone considering a stay with family or pets.
What is Rakuten STAY VILLA Kinugawa Riverside?
Rakuten STAY VILLA Kinugawa Riverside is a set of 16 private villas, each over 100 m², standing along the Kinugawa gorge in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture. It sits in the “VILLA” category of the Rakuten STAY series run by the Rakuten group, and every villa has its own natural hot spring, available 24 hours.
There are seven room types: some with a slide and a suspended net for children, some with a private dog run for pets, some with a projector for big-screen viewing — so you can pick to suit the family. A sauna (a low-temperature dry sauna) is fitted in 14 of the 16 villas; the remaining two have hot-stone therapy beds instead.
The basics
- Property name: Rakuten STAY VILLA Kinugawa Riverside
- Location: Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture (along the Kinugawa gorge)
- Nearest station: about 11 minutes on foot from Kinugawa-Onsen Station
- Villas: 16 in total (all over 100 m²)
- Hot spring: natural hot spring in every villa, available 24 hours
- Sauna: low-temperature dry sauna in 14 villas (max 65°C, seats two)
- Barbecue: barbecue plans available on the terrace
- Pets: four dog-friendly villas (private dog run, foot bath)
- Opened: June 2024
Getting there from the nearest station
* About 11 minutes on foot. Around 15 minutes from Tobu World Square Station.
Open in Google MapsGetting there and arriving
About 15 minutes on foot from Tobu World Square Station. If you come by car there is parking on site, so that is no problem. We went by train. Check-in is done in your own villa using a tablet.
The property only opened in June 2024, so everything is new and spotless. That flush of “this might be a good one” the moment you step through the door was genuine — though the verdicts diverged considerably from there on.
The villa: feel and facilities
The villa we stayed in was over 100 m². It had a living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, a tatami room, and a private terrace with the natural hot spring and the sauna. There was also a 75-inch television. It felt less like a hotel than like arriving at a holiday house of our own.
The kitchen has a full set of cookware and tableware, so you can cook for yourselves if you bring ingredients. Breakfast on the terrace looking out over the Kinugawa gorge was a special stretch of time.
Hot spring and sauna (from the sauna enthusiast: ★★☆☆☆ 2 out of 5)
The verdict from the husband, whose hobby is saunas, was unfortunately 2 out of 5.
The hot spring: superb
Having your own natural hot spring in the villa was genuinely excellent. You can get in at any hour, so you can bathe quietly late at night after the child is asleep, or early in the morning when nobody is about. The water quality is good too, and having Kinugawa’s hot spring entirely to yourself feels a world away from everyday life.
The bath is also generously sized — big enough for the whole family with room to spare.
The sauna: underwhelming (max 65°C)
The sauna is the problem. It is a low-temperature dry sauna with a maximum of 65°C, which is well short for anyone who likes saunas. The usual standard is 80–90°C, and a serious Finnish sauna can approach 100°C.
At 65°C, a sauna you entered hoping for that reset leaves you not so much sweating as mildly warmed. The husband was somewhat deflated: “this isn’t a sauna, it’s a warm room.”
Better to treat it as a bonus rather than a reason to come.
Barbecue (from the sauna enthusiast: ★★☆☆☆ 2 out of 5)
There are barbecue plans you can enjoy on the terrace, including sets of Tochigi-raised beef supervised by a high-end local steak restaurant.
The main reason the husband’s barbecue score dropped was that the “grill” is a hot plate.
If you think the point of a barbecue is the drama of charcoal and the smell of smoke, grilling on a hot plate is hard to get excited about. There is an unavoidable sense of “we could do this at home.” On the other hand, a hot plate is easy to use and keeps the terrace clean, and for families with small children it may be reassuring on safety grounds.
Not the place for anyone set on a charcoal barbecue, but it does answer the need to eat some grilled meat and relax on the terrace without fuss.
It was good that there was a machine to keep insects away (we do not know what it is called). There were also insect repellent sprays and other measures in place.
The travel-loving wife’s overall verdict (★★★☆☆ 3 out of 5)
The greatest appeal: freedom from the clock
What she rated most highly was the freedom over your own time.
At a typical hotel or ryokan you are constantly watching the clock: dinner time, breakfast time, bath time. With a child or a dog in tow, plans fall apart routinely — the child fell asleep, the dog’s walk ran late.
In a villa like this one, meals, bathing and bedtime all move at your own pace.
Get in the hot spring in the middle of the night, sleep until eight in the morning — nobody to answer to. That sense of a completely private space where you can do as you please scored highly with her.
Having a supermarket and a chemist nearby was also very welcome from a household point of view.
The downside: the washing-up and tidying
The flip side of a villa stay is that you have to wash up after meals and tidy the place, which was quietly wearing.
Do a barbecue or cook for yourselves and there is crockery and cookware to wash, leaving a lingering sense of “doing housework on holiday”.
Add sorting the rubbish and a light tidy before check-out, and it is more effort than a ryokan or hotel where everything is done for you.
For someone who sees travel as a break from the everyday, that effort snagged a little.
Then again, what you get in return is privacy and freedom — it is a trade-off. The style suits people who can do a bit of housework while travelling, or who simply do not mind.
Travelling with a child (★★☆☆☆ 2 out of 5)
From a parent’s point of view the verdict was harsh: 2 out of 5.
The property itself is clean and spacious, with plenty of room for a child to move around. But staying there with an infant or a small child brought several concerns clearly into focus.
* We chose a dog-friendly villa this time, so it was not one of the baby- or child-focused room types.
1. The bedroom is fairly bright, and there is a risk of falling out of bed
We have a baby under one, who wakes if a room is even slightly bright, and our impression was that this bedroom stays somewhat bright even with the lights off.
The beds are ordinary beds, not pushed against a wall and without rails, so take care with a child who turns over a lot or sleeps restlessly. There were several moments in the night when we watched our child with our hearts in our mouths.
2. The emergency light in the tatami room is too bright to sleep under
Worried about the child rolling off the bed, we thought about putting them to sleep in the tatami room — but the emergency light installed there is too bright.
There are also stairs directly in front of the tatami room, and thinking about worst cases we decided sleeping there was not workable either.
* The villa is a maisonette, with the bedroom on the first floor.
This is structural, and there is nothing a guest can do about it — which is the frustrating part.
3. A baby monitor is essential
Because the villa is large (over 100 m²), the room where the child sleeps is a long way from the living room where the adults are. Crying and other sounds are hard to hear, and there were many moments when we could not comfortably step away.
To check on your child while you are in the hot spring on the terrace or relaxing in the living room, a baby monitor is all but essential. We had brought ours, which helped enormously; if you do not have one, we strongly recommend hiring or buying one before you go.
What to prepare if you are bringing a child
- A baby monitor: essential (bring your own)
- Bed rails or a playpen, if you have them, for extra peace of mind
- Cushions around the bed so a fall does not hurt
Travelling with a dog (★★★★★ 4.5 out of 5)
What scored highest on this trip was the experience of staying with our dog: 4.5 out of 5.
The private dog run is superb
The pet-friendly villas come with their own private dog run. Being able to let your dog play freely in a run of your own, without meeting any other dogs, is a genuinely welcome thing. Ours ran around happily.
Most pet-friendly properties have a shared dog run, which brings the risk of not getting on with another dog. With a private run that worry is zero. You can let your dog be themselves without thinking about temperament.
There is a dedicated paw-washing area
There is also a paw-washing station for pets. Being able to wash paws after a walk or after playing in the dog run helps a great deal on the cleanliness front.
Well-stocked pet amenities
A pet crate, bowls, pet sheets and other amenities are provided, so you can travel with your dog carrying almost nothing.
The one reservation: your dog cannot sleep on the bed
The single minus is the rule that dogs are not allowed on the beds. Our dog, who sleeps with us at home, had to sleep elsewhere, and we were a little worried about whining in the night (in the event, there was no problem).
A pet bed and cushions are provided so your dog will be comfortable, but if you want to sleep in the same bed as your pet it may feel restrictive.
Scores from each point of view
| Point of view | Score | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| With a child | ★★☆☆☆ (2) | Bedroom stays bright, emergency light, baby monitor essential |
| With a dog | ★★★★★ (4.5) | Private dog run, well-stocked amenities |
| Sauna enthusiast (husband) | ★★☆☆☆ (2) | Hot spring superb, but the sauna is 65°C and the barbecue is a hot plate |
| Travel lover (wife) | ★★★☆☆ (3) | Freedom over your time is excellent; washing-up and tidying are a chore |
Our rating (out of 5)
At Kozure Tabi we score every property we have actually stayed at on the same five criteria, each out of 5. To keep the standard consistent from one property to the next, we always use the same five: travelling with kids, travelling with dogs, bath and sauna, food, and value. The overall score is the average of the applicable criteria. Criteria that do not apply are marked "Not applicable" and excluded from the overall score.
Facilities check for children and dogs
Here are the items we end up asking about every single time we choose a property with a child or a dog. The figures and yes/no answers are based on what is stated on the official website.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Cot / baby bed | Not stated on the official website (ask the property). As described in this article, the beds have no rails, so we recommend bringing bed rails or a travel playpen |
| Co-sleeping and child rates | Not stated on the official website (ask the property) |
| Baby food | No mention of it being served. Meals are served in the villa in partnership with well-known local restaurants |
| Baby items for loan | In-villa equipment includes a children’s bowl (11×10 cm), children’s cutlery (spoon and fork) and a children’s cup |
| Children in the baths | Every villa has its own natural hot-spring bathroom, so you can bathe without worrying about other guests |
| Kids’ space | Some villa types have a slide and net play equipment; others have a theatre room |
| Dogs | Dog-friendly villas available. Up to two dogs, small, medium or large. Private dog run, foot bath and paw-washing area; pet crate, food bowl and pet sheets provided |
* Confirmed on 26 July 2026 on the official website of Rakuten STAY VILLA Kinugawa Riverside (Japanese). Facilities and rates are subject to change, so please always check the official website for the latest information before booking.
Who it suits and who it does not
Suits
- Anyone who wants to travel with their dog
- Anyone who wants to move at their own pace, free of timetables
- Anyone who wants to relax in a private hot spring
- Families whose children are primary-school age or older and no longer need constant watching
- Anyone who wants the out-of-the-ordinary experience of a villa stay
Does not suit
- Anyone who wants a proper sauna (80°C or more)
- Anyone particular about a charcoal barbecue
- Anyone travelling with an infant who wants to prioritise safety at night
- Anyone who wants the meals and the clearing up done for them
Summary: superb with a dog, needs preparation with a child
On quality, cleanliness, setting and privacy, Rakuten STAY VILLA Kinugawa Riverside is beyond reproach. A private hot-spring villa in luxurious surroundings amid the nature of the Kinugawa gorge is an experience you will not easily find elsewhere.
That said, as a trip with a small child, it is a property where you will feel uneasy unless you prepare fairly thoroughly.
On the other hand, we can genuinely recommend it to anyone who wants to travel with their dog. The private dog run, the foot bath and the range of pet amenities are all welcome. Just watching our dog run around at full pelt felt like reason enough to have come.
Keep your expectations for the sauna and for a serious barbecue modest, come for the hot spring, the private space and the freedom over your own time, and we think you will be very satisfied. We would like to go back once our child is a little older.
