Miyasakaya

This is a small, homey inn with a shared bath, so don't expect luxury. We arrived braced for a bad stay because of the low rating, then were pleasantly surprised: the room was clean and nice, the heater worked well, and the owner was kind. The inn is central, near the main street, bus stop, festival grounds, and ski areas, all easy to reach on foot. The owner invited us to the local festival, which became the highlight of our Nozawaonsen stay. There's also a cool onsen nearby, about four or five houses away, said to be the oldest and most ornate in Nozawa. During the busy season, an English-speaking holiday helper explained everything to us, and the host speaks good English too. We'd definitely stay again.

Seiko is such a kind host, and probably the hardest-working person I've ever met. This isn't a fancy stay, just humble and comfortable enough, exactly what we hoped for. You can feel how much heart Seiko puts into her home and the way she looks after guests. For a stay without all the bells and whistles, we'd recommend Miyasakaya Miyasakaya. Thank you, Seiko.

The owner is nice and the location is decent, but the place is badly run down. There's only a bathroom downstairs, which is awkward at night, and the bedding had stains. It's cluttered, dark, and cold. The onsen only ever had cold water, and the drying room was switched off at night, so our gear was wet in the morning. It felt like saving on bills mattered more than guests. My partner even had the bathroom light turned off while she was in there. We were also asked about the bill at least five times after saying we'd pay when we left. We skipped the food, since there are some great places in town. I've stayed at several Japanese ryokan while living in Tokyo, and this was the worst. I'd strongly advise against staying here.

The host kindly explained everything we needed to know and even gave us invitations to the fire festival, which was a treat to watch. The inn is cozy, beside the oldest onsen in town and less than a two-minute walk from the shops. The shared bathrooms were fine too. Don't let the low rating put you off.