"Pros: We are seasoned ryokan customers, and have been to quite a few around Japan, and Shukubo Shingetsu is seriously one of the best. It's relatively new and unknown at this point, but definitely is a hidden gem. There are 3 units available for booking, and we booked one of the two that have two-people capacity. PROS: 1) The whole house has a lovely wood smell (I think it’s Japanese cedar, sugi). 2) All 3 of the units (we've asked to see them all) are beautiful, modern and very very comfortable. They're designed by a famous architecture firm in Tokyo. 3) It's one of a handful of ryokans in Arita, which makes it rare. 4) If you're a huge fan of pottery (which we are), you will LOVE the detials around the house. The umbrella stand, the overhead lamp shades, the vases around the house are all beautiful antique Japanese Aritaware. 5) The food is absolutely INCREDIBLE. The chef (Yasunori-san) is amazing, and that's compared to a lot of other much older and much more established ryokans. Try it, you absolutely have to try his food. He also uses leftover rice from the rice course to make extra riceballs for guests as a midnight snack, which is great. 6) Bed was firm and comfortable! 7) Private onsen in the room was great. 8) Snacks and drinks in the room are 100% free. 9) Netflix in the room! 10) The owners also own a beautiful antique pottery shop, which is also a must-visit. 11) Free parking! 12) The owner of the Ryokan is a lovely lady named Tomoko-san and speaks excellent English, so foreigners would feel very very welcome. Cons: These aren't really cons, but they're good to know: 1) There is no reception area so you need to be a low maintenance type of customer and not one that needs constant assistance (think of it as a vacation home you rented). 2) They don’t seem to clean your rooms during your stay, but you can (and should) request for water refills and such." ~Stephanie

"Pros: They used the very nice coffee maker, coffee, and tea cups, and the facilties were very clean. If you like shopping for ceramics, this is a perfect location. On the same street, there is a lot of shop for sale porcelain. Cons: If they provide standard chair instead of wooden stools, there will be more comfort for those people who have back problem. Also, the other problem is no wifi reception on the second level ( my room has two levels). Until it's to the dinner time and I find out they don't provide dinner except you reserve it ahead of time, and the nearest supermarket has to walk 20mins, there is no Restaurant will open for dinner time close by. I recommend people should rent a car to stay at this hotel." ~Teresa