Tokisumika

Leaving our bags at the front desk the next day made it easy to head for the Komagatake Ropeway. Senjojiki Station, at 2,600m, felt like another world, with such clear air. In July it was about 15°C cooler than sea level, so bring a jacket if you visit. We had a really nice stay, especially thanks to the delicious soba French kaiseki and the friendly service. The staff member who served us was lovely and cute, and I enjoyed our little chats. The local winery pairings were a surprise: I hadn’t had much chance to try Japanese wine before, but they were so delicious. Every dish tasted great and kept all five senses engaged without getting boring. Just what you’d hope for from an auberge. The hot spring in our room was relaxing too. We ended up soaking three times.

They keep things quiet here, with no shared spaces or events, and the non-meal services are pretty simple. If you mainly want to eat, bathe, and sleep, it’s a good fit. Room service looked tempting, and there was a capsule coffee maker in the room, but I was too full after both meals to try either. The soba-based French kaiseki focuses on local vegetables, meat, cheese, seasonings, and noodles. Everything was delicious, especially the flavorful sauces. For the pairing, you can choose wine or sake. I tried six wines and was mostly happy with them, though the caviar at the start was a little hard to match. I’d like to try the sake next time. Breakfast is filling, with two or three soba galette options, and it was delicious. They even serve a small portion of steak in the morning. Alcohol is on the drinks list too, which I would have tried if I hadn’t been driving.

The room is comfortable and reassuring every time, with consistently good cleanliness and amenities. The only small issue is the air conditioning noise, which can make sleeping difficult. I’m already looking forward to coming back. I stay here about once a year for the food and hot springs. Check-in and checkout are quick and convenient. There’s a good selection of complimentary drinks in the room, and you can get refills. Wi-Fi and a TV are available. You’ll spend most of your time in your room outside of breakfast and dinner, so it’s easy to relax indoors. Both meals are generous, and the taste is superb. The menu shifts a little with the season and year, but the soba kaiseki always uses local ingredients. It’s especially enjoyable if you like alcohol. The Shinano Yuki trout dishes, Mr. Uematsu's salmon mi-cuit, and the gently cooked meats could each have been a main course. The foie gras coming back was worth the trip, and it’s the best I’ve ever had. The soba gets better year by year, and serving both duck soba and cold soba works beautifully. There’s always some new, challenging dish from the chef that I look forward to. Breakfast is the dependable galette, made with delicious ingredients, and the buckwheat galette itself is really good. Room service is offered, but apart from fruit tart the desserts are mostly snacks to have with alcohol. If you want something sweet, it may be best to eat somewhere before checking in, although dinner has plenty of sweets. I always look forward to the meals.

The food stood out most for me. It was the best meal I’ve ever had at a ryokan, and I’d happily stay here again. The rooms are roomy and clean, the hot springs were relaxing, and they had plenty of amenities. The hairdryer was Kinujo. Such a nice inn.