Minshuku Kusano

It’s a quiet area, and I’d recommend having a car. The local onsen closes early and doesn’t allow soap, so I had to get dressed still smelling of rotten eggs. If you’re used to hostels, it’s a good cheap place to sleep. Hotel comforts are a different matter. Avoid a room by the entrance if you don’t want to hear every guest chatting as they leave early. Everyone says goodbye in the genkan, and the noise woke me up. In the middle of the night, the heater played a tune. I’m not sure if it was a gasoline burner, but I turned it off to be safe, and the morning was freezing. I expected the cold and had brought warm pajamas, but being suddenly woken by the tune and then by early guests chatting ruined the night.

The room was okay, though the area around the microwave looked rather questionable. I don’t mind staying in an old place, or putting away my own futon, but if guests make up the beds themselves, doesn’t that mean someone else has used the bedding too? There were laundered-looking sheets, pillowcases, and a yukata in the room, though they were faded. The futon cover was still on the futon, so I wondered if it only gets washed every few days or weeks. If you just need a cheap place to stretch out and sleep on a futon and don’t mind that, it could work.

This is a very basic, semi-self-service hostel run by a woman in her 80s. Think of it as staying at grandma’s place, and don’t expect service. The surrounding area is run-down, and most of the three neighboring houses are vacant. You pay in cash in advance. Booking by phone or directly may be cheaper than Rakuten Travel or Rurubu, but check first. One review mentioned 3,000 yen per night by phone or direct booking. I used Rurubu and paid more. Jalan reservations are suspended. Phone bookings may no longer be available because of management issues: the host says her child runs the hostel, and she doesn’t know. There’s no internet, but you do get a receipt. If your room is upstairs, it takes the older woman a while to climb the stairs, so go downstairs yourself when you need something. She seems to recognize the sound of someone coming down and almost always comes out. The first floor is her living area. Upstairs there’s a bathroom, sink, separate men’s and women’s toilets, fridge, microwave, smoking lounge with table and chairs, and a balcony. There’s an inside lock on the room but no lock on the outside, so watch your valuables when you leave. You get a pillowcase, mattress pad, sheets, and yukata. Even if the futon is untouched when you arrive, you need to put it away in the closet at checkout. Amenities include a TV with a broken leg, tea set, electric kettle, stove, kotatsu, Japanese-style chair, and trash bags. The bath is at Ojika no Yu, a day spa about a minute away, and costs 500 yen. There’s parking in front for about three cars. No shops are nearby, so get food at a convenience store or supermarket. It seems they only offer rooms without meals. From the reviews I’d expected more, but it felt like they weren’t keeping up with tidying tasks such as washing yukata and organizing the sink and fridge. The floors were sparkling clean, and the women’s toilet upstairs had a wood-style renovation. There seem to be lots of regulars, so guests may need to help with cleaning. Bring a dustpan, duct tape, disposable hand wipes, alcohol wipes, and a melamine sponge. There’s a good chance you’ll find hair on the futon, so dust it off, then put the duvet over the sheet provided. Designated rubbish bags are by the sink upstairs. Tissues are on the first floor, but you need to ask to take them to your room; there aren’t any in the room. No open flames are allowed, including smoking or cooking hot pot on a portable stove. The host said someone once made beef stew there, and you could tell from the smell. The inn might be better off if guests helped the elderly woman with the work and became part of the operation.

I grew up in a fairly old dorm as a student, so I was fine staying here for one night without meals. I went in mid-July, and it was pretty hot in the room without air conditioning, though it cooled down late at night. My elementary-school-aged kids slept normally and didn’t complain much. The low price was the best part, and I’d stay again. The woman there was easygoing, which I liked.