KAZENOOKA

I stayed nearly three weeks and loved the place. The old house has a lot of character, with big, simple rooms, private kitchens and baths, and everything I needed. It was clean, the beds were firm in the typical Japanese style, the hosts were lovely, and there were free-range chickens. Just four rooms, all with fantastic views. It's up a hill and about a 20 minute walk to the nearest store, so having a car is definitely a good idea. The walls are thin, and you can hear neighbors' TVs and conversations, so please respect quiet hours in the mornings and evenings. The booking lists all four rooms as one, so you can't tell which you'll get. For the full sunset and big ocean view, I'd ask for the room at the end, though it also gets full sun in summer. If you'd rather have more mountains and a cooler room, ask for the one by the stairs. The middle rooms are actually the biggest and best for groups of three or more.