PENSION & TRATTORIA Syo

Jun and his wife were so kind. We sent Jun our arrival plans, and he picked us up from the train station. At checkout, he drove us to the bus station early in the morning for the first bus to Nagano. Pension Syo is centrally located, within walking distance of Echoland’s restaurants and bars. The mountain-specific free shuttle and the All Resort Hakuba Valley shuttle are easy to catch, though the system is confusing at first. After a day or two, we got the hang of it. Jun suggested Lion Gear Rental in Echoland for ski gear, and we got 10% off for staying here. We had a triple room for two people. There was one shared male bathroom and one shared female bathroom on the floor, and neither was ever occupied when we needed it. The two private shower rooms with baths were a treat after skiing. The heated floors weren’t working properly, but the space heater they gave us worked fine. We also ate at their Italian restaurant. It was pretty good, better than you might expect in a small Japanese ski town, though it wasn’t the best Italian food we’ve ever had. The waitress, who I think was named Miyuki, was always cheerful and great to chat with. Highly recommend Pension Syo!

Update 2025: We return every year when we’re in Japan. It’s a lovely family-run place with amazing food. We first had dinner at the Syo Pension restaurant and liked it so much that we came back three times. The Gorgonzola risotto and the three-cheese pizza with honey were delicious. Make sure you try them!

We came here once 16 years ago, when I was working in Japan, and not much has changed. The room is clean and comfortable, and the price is reasonable. Dinner was great, especially the superb bouillabaisse. We still remembered it from our visit 16 years ago and were more than happy to order it again.

We weren’t staying here, but lots of the restaurants on the main street were booked, so we came for dinner. We remembered this little gem from years ago, and it’s still amazing. The staff are really friendly, and the restaurant is quite large by Japanese standards. There’s a nice lounge with a fireplace and a few games, handy if you’re waiting for a table or the kids finish eating first. I had the Gorgonzola risotto and it was so rich and full of flavour, I think I’ll be craving it every night now. My husband loved his ribs. They also serve shabu-shabu, a hot-pot meal you cook at the table. It looked delicious, and we plan to try it tomorrow. Prices are fair, and it could probably fit larger groups if you book. Highly recommend.