Guesthouse Momonga Village - Hostel

The room was a good size, with both AC and a heater, and the price for a private room felt reasonable. There’s a nice shared space and a kitchen with the things you need. You can get a free ride to or from the train station, too. Best of all, the place is right in the countryside, with an amazing view from the room and loads of sights nearby. They even give you a map.

Momonga is an old village house in Shikoku, with tatami floors and sliding doors, tucked into the green hills of Iya Valley. The staff go out of their way to make guests feel welcome, and they’re friendly and helpful. There’s usually a nice mix of people staying there, too. The downside is the dorm: it feels a bit cramped, and the beds are hard. If you can, try for a private room.

The staff were wonderful and knew the area well. They gave us maps and plenty of information, and helped us plan a full schedule of sights and activities. When we talked about visiting Iya Onsen, they gave us a voucher for a 1000Y visit instead of the usual 1700Y. It’s a famous outdoor onsen in Iya Valley, though I wouldn’t recommend it. They also rent out cars at a very competitive price, which is useful here. The guesthouse will pick you up or drop you off at the JR station or nearby bus stops, but having your own car makes getting around much easier. A bonus: you can pay by credit card for larger charges. The blankets were the main problem for us. They don’t use washable covers, so the blankets themselves aren’t washed. We stayed two nights in May and went without them, which made the nights cold. Thankfully our room had its own AC/heater. Clean bedding and a hot shower are my two requirements, so this only met one of them. The rest of the stay was pleasant enough. Bathrooms and showers are shared, but we never had to wait. There’s free tea in the main room and the Wi-Fi is strong throughout. Other things cost a little extra: laundry is 100Y, the dryer is 200Y, towel rental is 100Y, and coffee is 100Y. Since the guesthouse is out in the middle of nowhere, without a car you’ll need to eat what they offer. The owner’s wife cooks dinner, with curry for 540Y or chicken teriyaki for 1280Y, served around 7p. Neither was especially memorable, but the chicken teriyaki is a better pick if you’re hungry. There’s also canned beer in the fridge for about 300Y.

The train schedule is the one drawback here. Trains don’t come often, so if you’re relying on a JR Pass, you’ll need to plan around them carefully. The guesthouse itself is cozy and welcoming, a little off the beaten path near Iya Valley in Shikoku. Our Japanese-style room was spacious, with two mattresses on tatami and plenty of warm blankets. You can order cooked meals if you ask early enough, and ours were delicious. There’s also a little shop with drinks and snacks, plus a washing machine for ¥100 and a dryer for ¥200. The staff were so helpful, including picking us up from and taking us back to the nearest train station when we needed. Haru helped coordinate the pickup and drop-off times for our booked tour, and drove us to the meeting point. When we called for help, the staff responded quickly and were useful. I’d happily recommend this as a comfortable, affordable base near Iya Valley.