Kumeya

The rooms have an authentic feel, with a lovely central garden, and staying here gives you a chance to live a little like a samurai. Kumeya once hosted some of Japan's wealthiest clans, including the Maeda family, who had the highest rice yield at the time and stayed here often. The historic road outside leads toward Kaikoen park and Teishaba cafe and garden, all within walking distance of Komoro station. I'd highly recommend a Wi-Fi translator so you can read the signs on the old buildings around the area. Kumeya is an old hotel and cafe, established centuries ago in the late Edo period and renovated over the years. I expected the prices to be very high because of its history and cultural importance, but the cafe is reasonably priced and the rooms aren't too expensive, especially for a group. I posted the cafe menu. There's not a huge selection, but we enjoyed the quiet stay. The apple juice was very sweet, yet had no sugar added, and was delicious. Nagano is known for apples. In 2025, a room averaged 12,000 yen per night on a regular day.

The owner was so helpful. We arrived on a rainy night, and he ran through the rain to show me the parking lot diagonally across the street. He also recommended places to visit and eat. At breakfast, he noticed I had a sweater on and turned up the heater. He explained the building and rooms, along with various things, including why the sign outside is written in different scripts.

I stayed during the July 2025 holidays and arrived a little early, but the welcome was warm. The historic building has been beautifully renovated and stayed comfortable even in the summer heat. The staff gave me a thorough explanation of the place, which I found really interesting. There are two home-style baths. They suggested a nearby hot spring, but I decided to reserve one of the baths for myself and enjoy it fully. Breakfast came in a bento box and was both delicious and lovely to look at, a great start to the day. It's quiet and relaxing here, and I'd like to come back someday.

The staff were all very kind, and we made a fond family memory here. The three of us stayed in adjacent second-floor rooms, enjoying a historic building at a reasonable price and a generous Japanese breakfast. The shared toilet and bath downstairs are new and clean, but reaching the bedroom means taking a steep staircase and stepping over a 15 cm rise. A first-floor room may suit small children or anyone with mobility issues better. We heard a lot of traffic as we entered the inn from the roadside, though it was barely noticeable in our room. There was some noise from other guests inside the building.