Ekimae House Samaru Hostel

Guesthouse Samaru was our favourite stop in six weeks of travelling around Japan, and Taisho-cho was so welcoming and memorable. I hope we can come back someday, and wish Ono-san all the best. He clearly cares a lot about his community and every guest who comes through. We spent three nights at Ekimae house and wished we'd booked longer. The local craftsmanship and beautiful woodwork give the house a lovely feel, and I'll always remember the scent of the wood. Ono-san was generous and kind, and we left feeling like friends. In the evenings we hung out in the living room, played Nintendo, and cooked most of our meals in the well-equipped kitchen. People seem to treat it as a one-night stop before heading elsewhere, but I think that's a mistake. Stay at least two nights, swim in the river, borrow bikes from Ono-san, and join the locals for karaoke down the road on a weekend. It's a lovely place to slow down in the countryside.

Yusuke was really nice, despite his limited English, and there was plenty of information on things to do nearby. The two-person room was cozy, with room for our luggage, and the futon was comfortable. There are several roomy shared living areas with lots of chairs and tables, plus manga if you can read Japanese. It was quiet when we arrived, though a few more guests came later. A good choice for a place to stay in Taisho, maybe the only sharehouse in town.

Ono-san is a lovely owner, and he generously shared local sake and liqueurs with us. We booked at the last minute during Golden Week because camping in torrential rain didn't sound appealing. The beds were clean and comfortable, and the shared areas were spacious. You can hear sounds from one room to another, but there wasn't much traffic noise and we slept well.

When one of our bikes broke down just as we arrived in a snowstorm, Ono-san went far out of his way to help us fix the problem and continue to our destination. The rooms were clean and nice too. Thanks so much for all your help and for a wonderful stay!