Woody House Kazamidori

We were four friends staying in the cottage for two nights, and the owners made getting around easy by driving us to the resort and later to the train station. The wooden house and staff were fantastic, and breakfast was five-star both mornings. We’d happily come back and would recommend it to anyone looking for somewhere to stay in Myoko Kogen.

We loved the home-cooked meals, especially after several days of travel. Dinner was mostly eggplant dishes, including simmered eggplant, chicken stir-fried with eggplant, and pickled eggplant, and everything tasted good. If you dislike eggplant, you could mention it ahead of time, though I don’t know whether they can adjust the menu. Breakfast was simple, with bread, scrambled eggs, sausages, and salad. We had to toast the bread ourselves, but I prefer this kind of homemade food to set-course meals at inns and hotels, and it was a welcome change. The landlady was wonderful, and I was sorry to hear the mascot dog had passed away. Our own dogs came with us, and the cottage worked well for them in many ways. There was a dog-washing spot indoors, probably converted from a human shower, though its drain and the bathroom drain were poor and water pooled. The biggest issue was the strong animal smell when we first opened the door. Other reviews hadn’t mentioned much of a smell, so it may have been left by the previous guests’ dogs. We ran the air dog from the moment we arrived, and the smell had improved a lot by the time we came back from breakfast the next morning. I think most guests would find it unpleasant, even if people with small dogs might not notice it. Leaving the air dog on before guests arrive would have made our stay more comfortable. The bath is in the public bathhouse next to the cottage, and the tub had already been filled with clean water when we arrived, which was lovely. The bathroom was dim with just one light, so showering felt a little scary. The room where the sauna apparently used to be was shut and unusable, which frightened me after watching too many horror videos, haha. We were surprised not to see any bugs at all. Mountain cottages usually seem to come with a whole parade of them. Imori Pond is about a 3-5 minute drive away and is a nice place to see the stars. We visited just after 5 a.m. for a summer walk with the dogs. It was cool and foggy, there were no mosquitoes, and we had a great time. Myoko Kogen Sky Cable is only about a minute away by car, and at the top you can get delicious sweets at Sky Terrace. I really liked the stay and would like to visit again.

I booked a room for two nights through Jalan about 20 years ago, but what we got looked more like a storage room for futons. I still wonder if they had double-booked us.

Mama was so kind, and I loved her home cooking. She alternates between bread and Japanese breakfasts, and everything was really tasty. The house is clean, the rooms have beds, and there's a hot bath if you’d rather skip the onsen. Being surrounded by snow and trees was a lovely way to change the mood. It’s around a five-minute drive to most Myoko ski areas, onsens, and food and bar spots, and about ten minutes from the Nagano Highway exit. The pension is beautiful and cozy, and I’d gladly recommend it to anyone after a comfortable place to stay. Thanks, Mama. I love her! ❤