Minsyuku Nakanoya

Falling asleep to frogs calling deep in the mountains was magical and made this a memorable stay. The house is quite rustic, more like a homestay. Come with an open mind and some curiosity, and the rough edges are part of its charm and character.

Wow, the food! I only expected a small B&B room, so the four-course dinner completely caught me by surprise.

Snow, 12/29-30-31.

Dinner and breakfast used plenty of ingredients from the local Toga village, and I ended up having bowl after bowl of rice. I came in the snowy winter to stay overnight and buy doburoku, sake the owner makes with naturally grown rice. The atmosphere was very homey. The owner, Nakanishi-san, is 84 but still looks muscular and handsome. He has also partnered with nearby Levo, and can accommodate guests who couldn't book a room at Levo and only want the restaurant, without meals included. This winter I also met the baby goats Lucky and Blackie, though I may have the names a little mixed up, along with their brother Mau Mau and mother Yuki. When women call their names they meow back, but they ignore men's voices, lol.