Inn features
- Walk from a station
- Hot spring
Only features verified through published information or reporting are shown.
This article is a guide prepared without an on-site visit based on official, tourist association, and current reservation information as of 2026-08-11. Please check the availability of cats and their appearance times before making a reservation.
Update on October 9, 2026: The address was checked against current accommodation information. Differences between published addresses and room counts are explained below. No on-site accommodation visit was made.
About the photo: it does not show this inn or its resident cats
This illustration does not document the rooms or cats currently in residence.
Illustrative image (not a photograph of the inn or the cat itself) / Photo: sig, Pexels
“Ryokan Masuya” in Gero City, Gifu Prefecture is a small family-run hot spring inn. The Gero Onsen Ryokan Cooperative Association introduces the inn as a “relaxed inn where cats sometimes come out,” and the current accommodation information clearly states that there is a rescue cat in the lobby.
Mito-chan and Kou-chan that you can meet in the lobby
Recent information and accommodation records show that Mito-chan, Kou-chan, and other cats may be in the lobby. The inn may make arrangements for you to meet the cat, but the cats live on the family’s residential side and are not always available to greet guests. It is classified as B because official information confirming resident cat visits to guest rooms has not been found.
If you meet a cat, wait in a low posture, avoid chasing or picking it up, and follow the inn’s instructions. It would be a good idea to plan your stay at a hot spring inn where cats are a regular part of daily life, rather than at an inn where you are guaranteed to see cats.
Enjoy 3 baths for private use
Inside the inn are indoor baths including a viewing bath overlooking the Hida River, and a private open-air cypress bath. Baths are used on a private basis, and the open-air bath is on a reservation basis. Hours and prices are subject to change, so please check your reservation plan and day-of explanation.
The guest rooms are mainly Japanese-style with toilets. The association’s information and Rakuten’s introductory text list 5 rooms, but Rakuten’s basic information lists 6. Since the figures differ, please confirm the total with the inn. Rather than the entertainment inside the inn found at a large-scale inn, this inn is more suited to a quiet stay, conversations with the landlady, and a trip where you can enjoy hot springs repeatedly. Meal conditions vary by plan, and you may be able to add breakfast to your stay.
Location where you can walk through the hot spring town
The location is 966-8 Mori, Gero City. It is within walking distance from JR Gero Station, making it easy to combine with a walk around the hot spring town or Gero Onsen Gassho Village. Check-in is at 15:00 and final check-in is at 19:00. Gero City Accommodation Tax will be required separately from October 2025, so be sure to include it in your budget.
The address above is confirmed by Rakuten’s current basic information. The association’s page instead lists Mori 988-6. To avoid getting lost on arrival, confirm the booking-confirmation address and directions with the inn.
Basic information
| Item | Contents |
|---|---|
| Facility name | Gero Onsen Ryokan Masuya |
| Location | 966-8 Mori, Gero City, Gifu Prefecture 509-2202 (local address: 〒509-2202 岐阜県下呂市森966-8) |
| resident cat | Mito-chan, Kou-chan, and others |
| Distance with cats | You may meet and interact with cats in the lobby |
| guest-room visits | unconfirmed |
| guest room | Room total requires confirmation; mainly Japanese-style rooms |
| Hot spring | 3 private baths (reservation required for open-air bath) |
| Official Information | Gero Onsen Ryokan Cooperative Association |
Location and Google Maps
下呂温泉 旅館ますや
〒509-2202 岐阜県下呂市森966-8
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Summary
Ryokan Masuya is an inn in Gero Onsen that has few guest rooms, a private hot spring bath, and resident cats that appear in the lobby. It is suitable for people who want to enjoy a chance encounter with a cat in the warmth of a hot spring and a small inn, rather than seeking a guaranteed cat encounter.
Related articles
Don’t just decide on this inn, it will be easier to choose by comparing the distance to the cat and transportation conditions with other inns in the same region. Before making a reservation, please check with the inn about the conditions that can change, such as whether cats are still living there and where you can meet them.
