I stayed for 3 nights at Kashiwaya Ryokan in April 2019. The food was exceptions, the employees were knowledgeable and provided everything need to make my experience at the onsen enjoyable. During my stay, I spent hours walking around the village, put my feet in several of the outside foot baths and even enjoyed the snow that fell. It was a magical experience. I spent many hours a day soaking in the mineral water after spending the prior three weeks walking 10-15 miles a day around the cities of Japan.
Between the hours of 11AM and 3PM, the onsen is closed for cleaning. One of the staff members who was off duty, offered me a ride around town and to the dam located upstream. I helped her with English, we listened to music in her car and she told me a little about living in Japan while eating at a local cafe. This is something above and beyond her duties at Kashiwaya Ryokan and I enjoyed every minute of the time we spent together.