The Landmark

The room was fairly spacious, but the facilities could use work, with no cabinets or countertops. Hot water in the shower was unreliable, going from ice cold to very weak, and there was hardly any hot water at the sink.

The apartment was almost like new, with a huge living room and a sofa that could seat five or six. There were two bedrooms, one on each side, with four large single beds altogether. One room had traditional tatami flooring, though it was a shame to see two big beds put in there :))). The patterned sliding doors, wardrobes, and built-in closets were beautiful, as were the traditional kumiko windows with shoji paper. A huge back window filled the living room with light and gave us a view of the sunrise. The kitchen was spotless and well stocked with dishes, champagne glasses, Western liquor glasses, coffee cups, and more. The washing machine had a built-in drying function, which was reassuring. We rented the smaller of the two apartments, the one beside the mini garage, and stayed three nights. The owner had turned on the heater and dehumidifier before we arrived, so it was warm, and they were incredibly kind. We had asked about BBQ ahead of time, and the host told us the equipment was there and we could bring anything else we needed. The garage space was thoughtful too, with three kinds of swings for kids to use in bad weather, I think :))). There were nearly 20 single folding camping chairs, two double chairs, and two BBQ grills. We bought charcoal and cooked outside, with some left over for the next guests. There was also leftover charcoal in a container that I think anyone could use. There's a Totoro greeting guests outside the apartment, which anyone who loves Japanese anime and especially the Gibbi world will recognize :))). When we checked in, there was a lot of snow outside, and I'd noticed my friend slip on the ice on the steps. I cleared the ice formed in front of the door from snow falling off the roof, then roughly sculpted Totoro. It took me two days to find things for the eyes, nose, and chest design. I hadn't brought an umbrella, so I used whatever I could find to cover him. Hopefully he'll bring more visitors before he disappears at the end of winter 2025 and reappears another time. I forgot Totoro's whiskers, so if anyone visits after March 9th, please help finish the artwork. Send me photos so I can admire them and maybe download them if possible :)))) We stayed for three nights and had just left two hours before writing this. The owner even provided camping chairs, swings, and BBQ gear for guests.

Please let the property know a few days ahead if a family member is unwell. Even when I couldn't cancel myself, the website was very helpful in contacting the hotel, but the hotel wouldn't let me cancel. I couldn't get through on the phone either, so I don't recommend it.

The interior was nice, and the price wasn't too high.