Arriving late in Sapporo, we were really happy to find a place that wasn't a faceless tower block. The staff were delightful, very welcoming and helpful, and it was lovely to get in to a traditional room with charming service. The facilities were good, the room was spotless, and there was a nice breakfast, but my overriding memory is of the kind and attentive staff. Not a grand place but had a lovely feel, I would return any time.

Pros
* Futon beds were so comfortable we could not get out of bed in the mornings.
* Indoor bath was such a treat after walking around/freezing in the snow
* Loved the welcome tea and snacks served by a lovely lady in our room.
* Clean
* Walking distance to snow festival (not for small children)
* Walking distance to train station (not for small children)
* Some English spoken
* Payment by visa card available
* Nice breakfast
* One night the staff fixed us up a snack after we had misread the dinner hours and missed dinner.

Cons
* We had some difficulty initially finding the hotel. The English street directions could be a bit better.

This was our first ryokan experience in Japan and it turned out to be really pleasant. Upon arriving at the ryokan, the staff served us tea, some sweets and tiramisu (which was heavenly delicious! We bought 3 boxes of them after our stay and finished them in just 2 days!) It was located close to the Odori Park and was pretty accessible to everywhere else in Sapporo. The hotel staff also recommended some excellent places to visit and dine (one was a restaurant that served freshly caught Hokkaido Snow Crabs) and were patient in giving us directions. The rooms were clean and the futons were comfortable. Breakfast was decent, but average though. Overall, it is a ryokan that provides great service and accomodation at great value. A true Japanese ryokan experience!

My (Japanese) partner and I stayed at Nakamuraya for two nights. Considering the price (we payed about $130/night, including breakfast), we were very disappointed. My partner's immediate reaction was, "this is the kind of place we stayed in high school during sports tournaments". His second reaction was, "for westerners who have never stayed at a ryokan, this would be a poor introduction." Better to stay at a less expensive business hotel and save for a nicer "traditional Japanese" experience elsewhere.