Yamanouchi hotels

Pros: The whole vibe of the thing - felt authentic

Cons: Nothing!

Pros: Japanese style breakfast and dinner was very diverse and delicious. Location is the best, and the staff were very kind and polite.

Pros: Everything. Great experience to stay in traditional hotel and could hire private Onsen even with large tattoos. So much food for dinner and breakfast, we were very satisfied.

Cons: N/A

Pros: All the staff were super helpful and really nice at all times. Dinner and breakfast were spectacular! And the onsen (specially outdoors) was fantastic. All the facilities are really beautiful and well taken care of.

Pros: Location, food and beauty of hotel

Pros: Staff went out of their way to make our stay extra special for my sons 4th birthday. We had a special birthday meal and a photo of us together taken and presented to us in a frame all as a surprise. It was so thoughtful and beautiful

Pros: Excellent location. Snowed during our stay which made the onsens even more enjoyable. Great food. Very warm hospitality.

Pros: Incredible location. Such kind staff working there. Food was the best we’d tasted during our two week trip. Thank you very much for the lovely stay.

Cons: We loved all of it. Nothing negative to say.

Pros: Our staying was perfect. When we arrive we found kotatsu table in front of the window, it was very appreciated because the weather was very cold. They gave us the yukata and tanzen to be used inside and the hanten to go outside the structure. They have also the keys of the main 9 onsen baths of the city that can be taken by guest for free. Dinner and breakfast were delicious althoough are not served in the roob but in the restaurant of the structure where the atmosphere was very enjoyable. They had the public bath on the roof of the hotel with an external section, open all night long, we really did appreciate it.

Cons: Nothing.

Pros: Great welcome Very helpful staff Transfers from station and to monkey park included

Cons: Rooms were well worn.

Pros: Location. Room size. Rooftop onsen. Well heated.

Cons: Dinner and breakfast were just ok.

Pros: Staff is nice & helpful, good coffee and food. Onsen water is good.

Cons: Nothing

Pros: The staff were amazingly helpful, and didn't mind me using the shuttle after reservation time had passed. The rooftop bath was gorgeous, and all of the food was AMAZING. I can't stress enough how much I enjoyed both of the dinners included, as well as the overall service - worth every dollar.

Pros: From the moment we arrived at Yudanaka Station we were in very good care. They picked us up at the station and everything was very good organized and lovely. You can choose from different times for dinner/breakfast as well as free shuttle services to the near Snow Monkey Park (also good walking distance) or back to Yudanaka St. The food is just outstanding. Every bite is an experience of it's own. You should definetly choose halfboard. The accomodation has it's own Onsen on the rooftop but you also can use all the puplic Onsens in town for free. Not all but some employees speak good english, so no communication problems.

Cons: Everything perfect!

Pros: The staff are super friendly and accomodating, and will also pick you up from the station! They went out of their way to help me obtain a new carry-on suitcase, when the suitcase handler accidentally broke the handle of my carry-on when he was trying to lift it (which was totally my fault, honestly, for stuffing it to the brim), and immediately promised to get me another one as I tried to reassure him that it was fine. Honestly, outstanding, exceptional service in a small town full of history. I would 100% book with them again. The view from the outside onsen is pretty cool as well! They also provide a service where they will take you to the snow monkey park, you just have to get back yourself.

Pros: The hotel was completely charming, like something from a period movie. The best part was the delightful host, who was incredibly helpful.

Cons: The only thing that some people might not like is that you need to be able to carry your luggage up the stairs. If that isn’t a problem for you then this hotel is highly recommended

Pros: Great hosts who went beyond and above to make our staying excellent.

Cons: more towels needed

Pros: Excellent service throughout, free transfer to and from train station also free to and from monkey park. Breakfast was well organised and delicious. Hosts are so generous and friendly would not hesitate to stay again, Thank you for a wonderful 3 days.

Cons: Nothimg

Pros: The owner was helpful and offered to take us to and from the monkey park. He had learned to speak English and speak it fairly well. We also had a soak in his private outdoor bath with a beautiful view. The room was very spacious for two and was a comfortable stay.

Cons: The facility is dated and several areas can use an uplift.

Pros: Shimaya was an amazing choice as everyone there went above and beyond to make our stay pleasant. The facilities are very clean and the onsen is peaceful and well maintained. What stands out the most though, is the care that we received and the attention to detail from the staff. From providing boots so we wouldn't get our own shoes dirty at the monkey park to the ride we got there and to the station, to the dinner recommendations, it really was beyond what we expected. We even received pictures from our stay :) The breakfast was delicious, and it is worth purchasing!

Pros: Excellent customer service. Provided transport to and from station and to monkey park.

Cons: To have hair conditioner in public bath

Pros: Shimaya is an excellent place to stay! The owners are lovely and very helpful. They guided us to best train and bus routes, drove us to the snow monkeys, and provided boots for our cold feet. I highly recommend staying here. The player piano in the breakfast area is also an awesome touch.

Cons: Nothing. I loved this place.

Pros: The property owners could not have been more courteous and helpful.

Pros: Location was amazing, managers went out of their way to drop us off at the park to see the snow monkeys, cleaned our shoes for us and dropped us at the train station on the day we left. Really lovely people and if you want to experience a traditional Japanese stay, this is the place to stay at. Rooms were huge to Japanese standards.

Cons: It is starting to show she. Bathrooms need a good re modelling and we had a family above us that we could hear the child thumping as the ran around the room.

Pros: The owners are absolutely lovely and willing to help with anything, including loaning boots for the muddy walk to the snow monkeys. The rooms are spacious and very comfortable, and soaking in the onsen in the snow was a life experience.

Pros: Very friendly host, tasty japanese breakfast and amazing dinner. Shuttle to the monkey park and the station was very convenient. Big rooms, garden view, various onsen in the house, which we had always for ourselves. Very nice experience overall.

Cons: It was a bit cold in some parts of the house (December). The house is a bit old and everything is very basic/simple. We found the price a bit high for this. Still, it was worth the experience and we had a great time.

Pros: The breakfast was amazing. Definitely would include that in our future stays. Didn't get a chance to have the dinner, but I'm sure that would have been even more amazing. The hotel is very unique and close to the train station. Hosts were very nice and drove us to the Snow Monkey and to the train station.

Cons: Due to the winter temperature it was a little cold. Wish there was a heater in the bathroom.

Pros: A serene stay in a historic but well maintained Japanese ryokan, a home stay style. The room is compartmental and very spacious. The Japanese garden view from the room is magnificent, and warm even in mid-winter. The hospitality of the only two staff we met is very impressive, beyond expectation but simplicity. The breakfast was simple, ordinary but adequate and graciously presented. The indoor and outdoor bath room are cosy and nice.

Cons: There are no dinner service in the ryokan but there are walkable restaurant nearby.

Pros: The owners were extremely welcoming and lovely. The room was spacious and clean with a beautiful view overlooking the garden and koi pond. The owners gave us a lift to the snow monkey park entrance and even offered us to borrow snow boots at no charge for the day saving us 800 yen pp to hire them at the gate. The small cosy village of Yudanaka was beautiful. We had breakfast included with our stay and it was an incredible meal of 8 or so Japanese dishes home cooked by the owners at served in a private dining room. The open air Onsen (outdoor) was amazing and I was fortunate enough to have snow falling while in the bath! Can't rate this place high enough!!

Pros: The attention from staff, the facilities and the food were all exceptional. The onsen baths were fabulous - myself, my husband and my children enjoyed our bathing and at no time felt awkward. It was amazing.

Cons: nothing

Pros: The ryokan was fantastic. Very comfortable and clean. Staff and service were excellent. Breakfast and dinner was exceptional. The personalised service was the icing on the cake. It was a really good break from the city life where we get to enjoy the peace and quiet of a little country town.

Cons: Nothing

Pros: Everything was great

Pros: The amazing quality of hotel that you would expect from Shibu Onsen area. Good onsen. Convenient back door onto the main onsen street. There is a mini-bus service to the station.

Cons: The hotel is sadly not considered a "Shibu Onsen" hotel, which slightly limits the convenience of visiting the other onsen in the area.

Pros: The hosts were super helpful and drove us to the monkey park. They dropped our luggage at a cafe for free storage near the station. The futons were really comfortable. The Onsen was well set up and provided all the necessary products.The sight seeing streets were directly behind the accommodation and it was an easy walk to the mountain to walk in the snow.

Pros: The location, service and amenities were great- as well as the hospitality.

Cons: The limited English of the staff, but this was only a very minor quibble. I didn't enjoy the food, but it was interesting trying it. Very different from my usual fare.

Pros: Lovely and accomodating staff English speaking Clean rooms

Pros: Excellent position to access Shibu Onsen and the Snow Monkey Park. Great hospitality and attention to our needs, and the onsen baths were clean and very comfortable! They also provide a free shuttle service to the Snow Monkey park! We had a pleasant stay filled with laughter!

Pros: It was absolutely charming and traditional with such attention to details - traditional robes in your room, green tea on tap, beautiful onsens, private Japanese breakfast each morning which was so artistically prepared. All in all this was an experience that we have never had anywhere else and great location for seeing snow monkeys!!!

Cons: Due to the style of the Ryokan it was a shared bathroom and the only place you can take a shower is in the onsen. However after the onsen I felt so clean it didn't matter. The lack of double glazing meant that we had to use the provided electric heater but that didn't detract from our stay.

Pros: This was the third time we've stayed here - it continues to be a wonderful and comfortable place to stay.

Pros: The location was close to the station. It was the nicest looking ryokan that I've stayed in yet.

Cons: It was slightly loud as there was a few families staying at the same time. We ate breakfast and dinner down in a room all by ourselves and were made to feel as if we were inconveniencing them by eating anything that they provided. We were not told about the onsens and how they all work either.

Pros: We stayed at this property 5 years ago and our recent stay was just as good as is was 5 years ago. Hospitality was awesome they went out of their way for us, cooked up some warm treats after we hopped out the Onsen, gave us some locally made apple juice. We have very fond memories of our stay in Yudanaka mostly thanks to the hosts making us feel special. Thank you! Maybe we will see you in another 5 years. Wishing you all the best. I would highly recommended staying here. Robert Angela and kids from Australia

Cons: Nothing

Pros: Place was incredible, very friendly owner offered to drive us to snow monkey park, we used the private onsen, truly amazing!

Pros: - Location is good! very close to Yudanaka station - The owner were so nice. Thanks for apples! - Free service to Snow Monkey - Breakfast is good

Cons: - Some area in the property is very cold especially bathroom if you visit in winter.

Pros: Enjoyable with an overnight stay, good service mind with onsen rooftop- location is just 5 mins walking and breakfast is a must to try.

Cons: Pricing per night was a bit high

Pros: The outside onsen was nice.

Cons: Way over priced. The food quality could have been better. We had a no smoking room on the third floor. Next door was a group of people all smoking with their door open. I asked staff about the no smoking & they said the room was no smoking, not the floor. It stank!

Pros: From the moment we walked in we were made to feel special. Fabulous facilities, Onsen amazing and staff excellent. The Japanese breakfast was also amazing!

Pros: The Japanese breakfast served and prepared was wonderful! Having the opportunity to stay in a Ryokan in a small town. The opportunity to wear traditional Yukata and geta footwear with toe socks! Dinner at the nearby Goen restaurant was excellent! and the small Sake Bar down the road, recommended by the hotel staff!

Cons: We requested a private onsen for our family. The temperature was dangerous and scorchingly hot! So hot that we could not get one foot in. We called the front desk, communicating the problem was difficult. Eventually, someone switched the water flow to cool. We never saw them or the temperature control. We waited a bit and the water temp cooled down, then we had to get out and call again to have the cold water turned back to warm. Because now it was too cold. I was looking forward to the onsen with my family. It was a disaster. We should not have paid for the onsen, but at checkout, we just did not want to try and communicate our disappointment. The language barrier with front desk staff was challenging.

Pros: Nice boutique hotel located along the hotel street. Short walk to Yudanaka station (via short cut). Friendly service staff and personalised. Enjoyed the Japanese breakfast which is elaborate and delicious.

Cons: Nil

Pros: Stylish up class Japanese lodging with very attentive personnel. Spacious rooms with good tatami mats, thick mattresses and super fluffy duvets. The outside Onsen baths are supreme too - a very nice and relaxing space!

Cons: Maybe a little impersonal with enclosed dining and breakfast for the group, but that’s more of a personal preference I guess.

Pros: Very nice hotel, great and big onsen on the 7th floor with an amazing view. We had a room with the private onsen : we loved it . Staff could speak English. Very surprisingly sleeping on futons was very confortable A must : the dinner..... best ever in Japan !

Pros: Ambience was good, staff were v friendly

Cons: Hot water for the shower was not hot enough. Futons were thin and not the most comfortable

Pros: The hotel vibe, the Onsen, the breakfast, the view, and the Japanese style room. + Cleanliness and nice staff.

Pros: Extrememly personable and accomodating Staff. The food was excellent and plentiful. We loved the experience and the personal touches. The Japanese style room was spacious and very comfortable.

Pros: Owners were exceptionally gracious and friendly. Meals were delicious and served by friendly staff who made sure we were happy with everything. Onsen on property was nice and well cared for with all toiletries. Owners provided rides to monkey park and train station.

Cons: Unfortunately there was no hot water in our third floor sink. But small inconvenience as there is hot water on second floor shared sinks.

Pros: Everything! The owners were helpful, friendly and professional. The room was clean and comfortable and full of traditional charm. The town and it’s Onsens were such a delightful surprise and ended up being one of the highlights of our whole trip.

Cons: Nothing.

Pros: Beautiful traditional rooms and absolutely outstanding food. Great location for the 9 public onsens and they provided transport to the snow monkey park.

Pros: Would highly recommend this beautiful, traditional ryokan! Situated in Shibu Onsen you are provided with a key for all 9 onsens (that are also tattoo friendly) and have early/late night access to the onsens once day visitors are gone. The couple that runs the Ryokan were very welcoming and lovely, they also drive you to the snow monkey park and pick you up/drop you off to the station upon request. Small restaurants in the area also provided some of the best meals we had in our trip. Thank you for the wonderful stay.

Cons: If I was doing again I would exclude the meal. I didn't feel it was value for money.

Pros: Characterful old property. Hosts were very helpful

Cons: Room wasn’t very warm due to it being an older building

Pros: The hosts were very lovely and helpful! It's a really cute inn with great food in a great location.

Pros: Super kind owners! The place is beautiful, clean and confortable. I definitely recommend it.

Pros: Lovely couple spoke little English. Got picked up from the station and showed to our room. Very traditional and has a lovely view. Pillows were made of rice/wheat but were okay to sleep on. Futons were hard so didn’t sleep as well as on a hotel bed but this was expected and still enjoyed the experience. We enjoyed a bath in the onsen but yes the room could do with a good scrub! We opted for the breakfast in the morning which was a great experience, enough variety to try and eat different things. The couple were very accommodating and the next day drove us to the snow monkey park and we were able to request a pick up time, in which we were picked up with the bags and dropped at the station which was great.

Pros: The bathroom is actually a private mini-onsen. In Japan all onsens have separated places for men and women (naturally). But here if you are a couple, you can go in together and enjoy this mini-onsen privately.

Pros: So friendly and helpful and they were kind enough to collect us from the station and drive us to the park. Breakfast was great!

Cons: Pillows weren't very comfortable.

Pros: Breakfast was amazing and family touch to every aspect of the accommodation. Great!!

Pros: The staff were incredibly helpful and quick to reply to all our emails straight away. Their communication was excellent despite not being fluent in English. They drove us to and from the station at no cost, and we couldn't have asked them to do more. An excellent, fairly authentic, Japanese experience.

Pros: Staff here was so sweet! Even though they speak very little English (and I speak no Japanese), they were kind and helpful at every step of the way, and even drove tme up to Snow Monkey park in the morning

Pros: Excellent host, great small onsen which we often had to ourselves, perfect location for a couple of days away from the cities.

Cons: A little dated but still as per the description and photos.

Pros: We had a fantastic time: very friendly hosts, super archery demonstration and amazing food!

Pros: Owner speaks English very well. He even drives you right up to the monkey park. He is extremely nice. Would stay here again.

Pros: Hotel owner was very friendly, he spoke perfect English and he gave me great tips for places to visit. · The homemade breakfast was delicious. · I really enjoyed the hot bath.

Pros: The breakfast and the host were the best part. It is a nice location. But the breakfast was amazing.

Cons: The location is dated and old. We found dead bugs in two of our four rooms. Honestly, it would be top notch with some upkeep. Also the onsen's need some attention.

Pros: Everything! The onsen and the owner are amazing.

Cons: Everything is nice, but maybe the slippers could be a larger size

Pros: Traditional breakfast, 24/7 hot spring bath, really close to the train station, not too far from the monkeys :)

Pros: It was spacious and quiet. It was also close to the snow monkeys park. The ryokan owner was very kind to drive me there.

Pros: Walkable to the train station

Cons: I stayed in the annex. This really had nothing to do with any concept of a ryokan (no mats, no sleeping on floor, no sliding paper doors, nothing). The carpets were very dirty. Two small twin beds in the room had cheap mattresses. There was no decor, just old cheap walls from a cheap building built in the 70s. Grout between tiles in bathroom was black. Faucet and shower also dated to 70s. Just a bad place.

Pros: We got a private onsen and it was very nice

Pros: Friendly service, English-speaking staff

Cons: Ambiance is not at all appealing, as it resembles a run-down hospital. Cleanliness can be improved (hair was found in bathroom and furniture was covered with a thin layer of dust). Not at all worth the price.

Pros: The room was spacious. The manager was very polite and exceptionally helpful. She took us on her car to the Snow Monkey park and suggested really good dining places in the area as well as the best outdoor baths they had in that town.

Cons: The room was clean, but the carpet was full of permanent stains which made it look dirty. The furniture was very old which added to the feeling of uncleanliness, but I must say these were quite minor issues especially considering all of the good sides of that place.

Pros: Shino, the owner is an incredible host. Really cares that you have a nice stay.

Pros: Amazing Onsen. Staff waited for me as I was a late arrival. 5 minutes walk to train and bus station. Super quiet.

Cons: Beds were quite hard.

Pros: Staff were very friendly and helpful; delicious breakfast and very comfortable and spacious room. Loved our time in Yudanaka!

Cons: N/A

Pros: We stayed here for two nights when we visited Snow Monkeys. It was a lovely large hostel type place with very friendly owners. We are there sometimes and had a lovely traditional breakfast one morning. We had a lovely trip to a local artsy town Obuse and the snow monkeys too. The hostel had its own onsens which were great to wind down at night. Our boys loved the ping pong table too. The room was large with own bathroom.

Pros: There’s a bar in the hotel where you can get something to eat if you don’t feel like walking downhill to a restaurant. The staff is so welcoming and helpful! There’s a kitchen area where you can cook. The lobby is very cozy and relaxing. Btw, if you want to take a bus to the snow monkey park or the ski resorts, take them at the Daifunsen stop. You don’t have to walk all the way to the train station.

Cons: At first I got a room that was right by the lobby and it looked like a makeshift room from a storage room or something. The AC even made some really loud noises. It was really a sad room. Luckily, the guy at the front desk saved my vacation and helped me get a much much better room and I just needed to pay the difference. The new room was absolute perfection.

Pros: Great place - japanese style. Big rooms. Very nice and service minded people working there.

Pros: Very friendly staff, very comfortable common room filled with games and comfy sofas, very large, clean rooms, good overall facilities. My kids felt very at-home.

Cons: Expensive for this type of accommodation, and the 'cafe' options were all pre-packaged foods cooked in the microwave.

Pros: Heday and his staff made our stay so wonderful. Heday and staff went out of their way to make our stay memorable. Full of recommendations and advice on how to get to activities . Great English and exceptional service Heday. You are an asset to the world. World needs more people like you. Sad we didn’t get a family photo with you. We will never forget you! They picked us up from Yudanaka Train station and dropped us there when leaving. Traditional Japanese breakfast was a great experience. We loved the family area with 6-8 free drinks. We loved the family area to wind down from a big day skiing/walking. Having a drink of plum wine (delicious), playing ping pong, darts and jenga with the kids. Great wind down family time. Traditional rooms were warm, clean and comfortable. Onsen was very hot so was great for the sore muscles and family time with my girls. My girls loved their little Japanese made animals you gave them. We bought and were given extra for gifts. Thank you and Much love Sally x

Pros: Clean with a small onsen. 30 min walk to snow monkey park

Cons: It’s just out of the shibu onsen area so you don’t get access to the many public onsen in Shibu which was disappointing - the only accessible public onsen weren’t great.

Pros: We loved the onsen; it could’ve turn into privet or only women or man and the experience of being inside hot water and feeling the snow on my face.Was amazing. Delicious food for breakfast and it is part of the ryokans that gives you the key to go to the 9 public onsens part of the tradition at that place ... wonderful

Cons: Front desk, they need some body who speaks English because we struggle a little with 86 years old lady owner. Took us like 20 minutes to be atended at the beginning

Pros: The garden onsen that was amazing

Pros: Absolutely perfect. The facilities were wonderful and very comfortable. The decor was charming, and the rooms were large and comfortable. There are also several sitting areas that are quite nice. The on-site onsen was the nicest in town - especially the outdoor one which is available for private charter. The staff was wonderful and truly made our experience. The owner does incredible origami. I think you can take lessons if you wish, but we didn't see this until the end so I am unsure. The location is perfect - close to lots of onsens (No. 9 was our favorite), shops and restaurants.

Pros: I've stayed for 3 nights at Hishiya Torazo in Feb. 2020. It's a very traditional Ryokan - about 400 years old. It's been owned by the same family all the time. The rooms are typical Japanese with tatami mats and futon beds. Breakfast is served at 8 am sharp. Its traditional Japanese served in a separate room. The shared bathroom is the Onsen of which the Ryokan has three incl one outdoor one open all day and night. The owners are super nice even they don’t speak much English. If you want traditional Japanese this is the place to go!

Cons: With the age of the building also come a few challenges: the rooms are very cold in winter and there is only limited amount of hot water coming from the tap in the room.

Pros: This is an incredible ryokan! The owners are very friendly and lovely. The dinner and breakfast are exceptional and the onsen are beautiful. The location is also very good, being not far from Shibu Onsen bus stop (which you need to get to see the snow monkeys) and near the public onsen.

Pros: Location, Outdoor onsen,

Cons: Indoor onsen (right room) very scruffy and unclean. Normally they will rotate Men and Woman on the two indoor onsen (Left and Right) Left room is OK but i was unlucky that got on right room that not ok. Outdoor onsen was booked as private all the time so i almost not use it. Staff (Old woman) can not speak English but we can feel service mind.

Pros: Nice hotel, good room, awesome bath.

Cons: took 30-mins walk from station. Staffs were nice but not familiar with English.

Pros: I loved everything, breakfast was amazing. Staff are super super friendly. They drove us to and from the station, snow monkey park. We also booked a private bath session which is located on the roof top, it was one of the best experience we had.

Pros: This ryokan is a very modern version of an ancient Japanese inn. It’s facilities, including hot water ‘onsen’ baths, a shop, a free shuttle service both to and from the nearby Yadanaka railway station, but also to and from the ‘snow monkey’ park entrance (which is the beginning of a 1.5 km level pathway to the monkey’s hot pools). The rooms, both western style and traditional Japanese style are available, are beautifully appointed and serviced daily. The meals are to die for and these are served in a traditional Japanese dining room - providing options for Japanese or western-style meals (breakfast and dinner are included in the tariff). The staff all speak good English, are very friendly, helpful and courteous at all times.

Cons: Absolutely no adverse comments to make.

Pros: The dinners were a particular highlight. Exceptional service, catering for children & dietary requirements.

Cons: Bathroom could do with some minor maintenance.

Pros: The hotel was beautiful! A shuttles picked us up from the train station even though I had not requested it or told them what time we were arriving. An English speaking staff member greeted us at the door and continued to be extremely helpful throughout our whole trip! Japanese style room was very clean and comfortable. We reserved the private onsen on the roof, it was a great price for an unforgettable experience. Meals were great and could not beat the location. Very central to yudanaka station and nearby restaurants.

Pros: Lovely Japanese hospitality, Private Onsen was great with fantastic views over countryside. Food was traditional Japanese and very good, western breakfast was excellent.