Guesthouse Meguruya

This is a charming old guesthouse on the Nakasendo, with spacious, very clean rooms. I had trouble sleeping because quiet hours weren't observed and sound carries easily. After I talked to the owner, they moved me to a quieter room, which helped. I visited in winter, and the rooms were around 5 degrees, as you'd expect in an old building. The heating works very well, but the rooms lose warmth quickly, so mornings are cold. The bathroom is too chilly for putting on makeup, and some products, like BB cream, don't work properly there. Bring a mirror to use in your room if you need one. The station is quite far away, so I wouldn't recommend coming with heavy bags or suitcases. It seems you can get a lift from the station to the guesthouse, but not back, which I hadn't realized. I rushed, missed my train, and injured myself in the process. I'd only recommend staying if you're travelling light or have a car. It was a pleasant trip, but the noise from other guests was a nuisance, and the walk to the station was longer than I expected. I'm unsure I could stay here again.

The Ryokan is gorgeous and very reasonably priced, with beautiful mountains around it. The owner was so friendly and even helped me call JR station about luggage I'd lost on the Shinkansen. Five stars, I recommend coming here!

We had a lovely time wandering through the village and visiting its temples and shrines. This was a clean, spacious, comfortable home in a quiet old postal village, and it made a good base for our family's two-day snowboarding trip to the nearby Okuibuki ski slopes. The five of us arrived by train, walking from the JR station along a historic main street lined with well-kept, nostalgic Japanese houses. The rooms and bedding were comfortable and clean, and the house had heaters, air conditioners, a well-equipped kitchen, a pleasant bath house, and coin laundry. It feels like a family home. Parking several cars at the back should be easy. There's a supermarket nearby open from 9am-8pm, plus a pharmacy. A 7-11 with an ATM is at a highway rest area about a 15-minute walk away. Mr Taka was kind and friendly. Recommended!

The host was very, very nice, and the guest house is close to the station. It feels like staying in a Japanese traditional home, which made it a nice place to stay in Japan.