Nikko Guesthouse Sumica - Hostel

The guesthouse itself was a great base, and Nikko had so much to do. I spent three nights here and loved how the staff made the stay feel special. All four people I met were wonderful. The owner drove us to an onsen one evening and into a nearby town another time. One morning they put on a lovely tea ceremony, and on my last night we made wishes for the shrines together. Noao (I don’t know how to spell it) even made an animated story to explain the animal/CNY calendar, which was really sweet. Getting around was easy too: the train station is right there, handy with a huge backpack, and a bus stop about two minutes away serves the main sights.

The owners were incredibly understanding when three of us arrived hours later than planned, and they even shared a laugh with us about our nighttime wrong turn. We’d driven from the north coast near Kanazawa in a rental car, unfamiliar with the route, and got lost on the winding, mountainous roads in the national park north of Nikko. We’d booked just one night and were clueless about how long the drive would take. They could have been very annoyed or refused us, since we showed up so late, but instead they helped us out and pointed out local landmarks. I don’t often write reviews like this, but Nikko Guesthouse Sumica and its caretakers were among the friendliest, most fantastic places we’ve stayed in all of Japan. Thank you, and I can’t recommend it enough.

I really wish I’d booked more than one night. The host was kind and spoke English well, and I enjoyed the evening with her and the other guests. Two small drawbacks: the station is so close that you hear its bell in the morning, and the room felt chilly. Once I got into bed it was fine, since you can warm the mattress.

A lovely Japanese-style stay, with really friendly owners. Their advice about Nikko tourism was great, especially the tip about a FREE bus straight to our destination that saved us hours. I’d definitely recommend this charming hotel.