2 Best Hotels in Yudanaka Onsen and Shibu Onsen, The Japan Alps and the North Chubu Coast

Before it was upstaged by the bathing monkeys, Kanaguya Ryokan, the town's oldest and grandest traditional inn, was Shibu Onsen's main draw. Kanaguya Ryokan's majestic wooden building dates from the late 18th century and retains a traditional atmosphere both inside and out. Most rooms don't have attached baths (most do have a private toilet), but five of the eight hot-spring baths in the ryokan can be used privately. The ryokan serves locally sourced feasts for dinner and breakfast and also offers a selection of local sake. Attentive kimono-clad service staff make sure your stay is comfortable, and the inn offers morning tours of the source hot spring and the elaborate network of pipes running into the hotel.

This small ryokan in the steamy village of Yudanaka has a hinoki (cypress) bathtub that's continually fed by the hot springs. The rooms are rustic and cozy and (for a small extra fee) come with either a Western or Japanese breakfast. You can try Japanese archery (kyudo) if the owner has free time. The optional dinners feature delicious mountain vegetables and local seafood. It's a seven-minute walk from Yudanaka Station, across the Yomase River and on the left.