Taisho modern Villa ZEN

This was the worst travel experience of my life. The villa is difficult for an average person to reach with luggage, and the place was in very poor condition. It looked as if it hadn’t been repaired in the last two or three years. We found two cockroaches in the room where we slept. See photos. On a windy night, the window glass was poorly maintained and knocked all night, making it horrible to sleep. The views didn’t match the listing photos. There’s no view of Fuji, and there never has been. The host said it was okay to use those photos, but I think that could mislead people. The garden wasn’t listed as a facility, but it was dreadful to look at, like an abandoned farmhouse. The neighborhood was more or less quiet, though two brush cutters started working near the house at around 7 AM. My verdict is that the villa may have been good before, but it’s now in awful condition. Think twice, since the 7-8 rating you might see on Booking may reflect conditions from two or three years ago.

It’s a shame, because this beautiful old villa must once have been a nice place, but now it feels completely neglected. We told the owner and got an apology for the “inconvenience.” After reading similar comments from earlier guests, I don’t think an apology is enough. The owner should maintain the home they rent out. I can’t recommend it, especially when there are better options for similar prices. It’s also very hard to reach with luggage. I feel bad posting this, but want future guests to know the photos no longer show the place as it is. The damage and cleanliness issues were everywhere. Most of the noren (window papers) were damaged, and some living-room windows had no glass, letting in the cold at night. Even with the heating on, we couldn’t keep warm. The bathtub is oddly attached to the kitchen and separated from the other bathrooms. Its window had no glass either, so cold air came in and made showering uncomfortable; it also stopped the living room from holding the heat. The kitchen cabinets were all broken, the refrigerator was dirty inside, and more than twenty garbage bags were piled beneath the outside porch, probably left by previous guests. The short dining table and sofa cover each had a small hole, and there was a slit in the living-room wall. The garden in the photos has disappeared under weeds. Two large propane or gasoline bottles in the hall filled the entrance with an unpleasant smell.

It’s a lovely, spacious old house, with bedrooms and a kitchen, but so much of what’s inside is broken and it really needs renovation. The Wi-Fi doesn’t reach upstairs. We also found two large insects in the bedrooms, which frightened me so much I barely slept the second night. It’s a shame to see such a beautiful house left in this condition.

A charming little self-contained house, with a well-equipped kitchen and food supplies provided. The town is nice too, with a pub and a restaurant. Heating in the main rooms helped keep the cold at bay.