Originally Posted by
mintcilantro
thanks for your insights. I'll admit that me and my wife have no desire to stay in old places. We like visiting them but prefer to stay at something renovated in last 10 years.
Now would you be able to suggest a few ryokans that meet your criteria (as ours are similar). It will help a lot. Anywhere between kyoto and tokyo is good as we will be taking the train
Gora Hanaougi (Hakone... not to be confused with Hanaougi Souunzan) - expensive, though.
Sagasawakan (central Izu)
Shinyu (Kami-Suwa) - a bit out of the way from Tokyo-Kyoto corridor; stay in their room with en-suite onsen, because their communal onsen is small.
Aburaya Tosen (Yudanaka) - this one's even further out of the way for you.
Looking for a place renovated within the last 10yrs is a sound approach to me, as well. The major onsen mags (in Japanese) list the built/renovated date for each ryokan/hotel. So that's how I weed places out.