Hotels in Shibu, Yamanouchi

This was the highlight of our trip so far. A real hidden gem. The private onsen was beautiful and the traditional dinner is not to be missed.

Amazing stay! The people were so kind and the food was great. The room was authentic and very clean and traditional Japanese. Great experience!

Everything was truly exceptional. The room was clean and spacious, with everything you might need. The staff was very polite and helpful. There is an option to reserve a private onsen for an additional charge, but we used public baths and found that in less busy times (during the day and in the morning) we had the onsen to ourselves. There are baths both inside and outside, the experience in all of them was great. If you have the means, we suggest booking a kaiseki dinner and traditional breakfast. They truly added to our experience. There were transfer options for pick-up from the station to the hotel and back +they can take you to the Snow Monkey Park in the morning. Getting there from Nagano station was extremely easy.

Kokuya Ryokan was the perfect base for visiting the snow monkeys, but honestly, I could have easily stayed here for two weeks. From the moment we arrived, we felt completely taken care of—the service was impeccable, and nothing was too much to ask. The food was delicious, and for those who prefer it, a Western pillow is available upon request. But the true highlight? The baths! With an incredible number of onsen options, we made it our mission to try them all in three days—and we did! Plus, experiencing the traditional bath tour in Shibu Onsen was a fantastic addition to our stay.

1/ easy to contact by messages. Very reactive. 2/ WE were transported by car from the station (200m walk) very convenient when you have many luggages. 3/ you feel special from the start to the finish. The personnel were very classy, helpful, polite. 4/ We had the suite with the private onsen. It was a surprise to discover also a private sauna and massage chair. The luxuary in that room is incredible. Worth every yen (and we are not the kind of people that spend much on hotels, it was a luxuary that we granted ourselves for a special occasion and it made it very special) 5/ the breakfast Is top class japanese cuisine 6/ i recommand getting thé dinner (full kaiseki course). Master class delights. We had a proper private dining room for ourselves (i think included with the suit). 7/ the private onsen... Excellent with a good view. 8/ yudanaka IS a very nice village

The location was fantastic. During our visit, the town was delightfully quiet with few tourists. It offered a serene atmosphere, and we enjoyed strolling to the nearby shrines.

It was cozy and delicious food

Yoshi and his wife were Extremely helpful and amazing people, anything you need you get help with and they suggested more than enough things to go while we were there for our short stay.

As a tourist, this is as close as you can get to living as part of a Japanese family, and in a historic 400 year old house to boot. You enter to the warmest welcome in English from the owner and manager Torazo, who settles you in and then provides help and advice through the stay from his post behind reception. He encourages you to make the yukata and kimono they provide for free as your go-to clothes around the inn and indeed the town - a great touch, even if we didn't go as far as donning the wooden slippers outside! We'd chosen half board, and this was our favourite bit out of all the positives of this inn - served in your own screened dining room around a low table. Every meal had about a dozen small but involved dishes, a lot of the ingredients which we had difficulty identifying but which were almost without exception memorably delicious. It was fun trying all sorts of dishes you'd never know to order, and we ended each meal nicely full. The inn itself is a delight, timeless with ancient polished wood beams, tight woven matting, sliding screens. We'd chosen a room with futons, which had a small entrance area having a basin at one end and toilet behind a door at the other, and then the main room behind another sliding door. The beds were large and comfortable, and piled with thick blankets, glorious to nest under. Two heaters in the room kept it toasty even when it hit -13⁰ outside with snow. Each afternoon we retired for a luxurious snooze, how could we not. Downstairs at the back of the inn are the two indoor onsen (small hot spring spas). This area decorated with beautiful light wooden panelling, and leads to the fairytale garden. A stone bridge curves over a brook, the path taking you past the classic Japanese evergreens to an entrance hung with blinds. Here is the outdoor onsen, the only one in Yamanochi - and it is yours to enjoy privately. We sat in the pool with the steam rising and the snow falling on us, and marvelled.

Was charming local house , brilliantly located for train and restaurants . Host was friendly and helpful. . Comfortable and clean beds .