gujo hachiman accommodation

After reading about it here, I have decided to visit Gujo Hachiman for two nights between Tsumago and Takayama. I will be traveling by train there. This will be in mid April.

Even though there are two websites with extensive information in English with many accommodations listed, very few have English websites or websites even in Japanese - of course, it is Japan obviously.

A Japanese friend is helping me with the making of a reservation in Japanese, but I am wondering if any one here - who doesn't speak too much Japanese - has a ryokan they stayed in that they can recommend for me......

Also very few of the accommodations appear to have email and I am wondering if they will fax back to the US....

I don't want to take a chance and get there without a reservation - that is not my style.

Thanks - it does look like a very interesting place to visit - a lot of little museums, castle, etc....

I have stayed in Gujo-hachiman twice; once in Hotel Gujo-hachiman, and once in Ryokan Mifuku.
Hotel Gujo-Hachiman is a ryokan hotel, a high-rise, much nicer indoors than it looks outdoors, with many very nice (though kind of utilitarian) baths. There is an outdoor bath by the river, several indoor baths with different temperatures, a bath that cascades down on your shoulders, you get the picture, but all of them have kind of well-used tile. I admit, I was in the bath at five in the morning, terribly hungover, so my perceptions could be skewed. The hotel was very accommodating and offered shuttles to central Gujo (the hotel is right by the expressway). Location is less convenient than others, but may be more used to foreign guests.
Mifuku was funny, a GREAT location (our room looked out at the river), TERRIFIC food, very shabby carpeting, furnishings, shabby small bath.
Where I wanted to stay was bizen-ya, which looks lovely, but there was no vacancy. Probably the most pricey of places to stay.
I'd go for someplace central realizing the no place in Gujo is ooh, ooh, elegant. The town is worth it, imo.

I am trying to book a room at Mifuku in Kyoto (mentioned in the post by SpendThrift). I can't find a phone number, a website, or an email address. Does anyone know how to get a hold of this hotel? Thanks!