Guest House Kumanoyasai

We knew the guesthouse was in a remote area and, as a group of seven, weren’t expecting much space or extensive facilities. Those weren’t our main concerns. What made us feel unwelcome was Ms. Shino’s unfriendly, dismissive manner. She was late to check us in. During the check-in, she rushed through the house rules and instructions in an impersonal way, almost like she was reading a script and wanted to leave. When we asked questions, she kept doing her tasks without eye contact or a proper response. The whole interaction took less than ten minutes. Her manner was the same the next morning when she brought breakfast. She didn’t give helpful answers to our questions about the Kumano Kodo trail, and left right after a brief explanation of less than five minutes. We’ve traveled in Japan for many years and usually found guesthouse hosts warm and welcoming. Our experience at Kumanoyasai with Ms. Shino was disappointing.

We were grateful that Shino arranged a driver to pick us up and take us back to the trail in Takahara the next morning. Staying in this beautiful, private 140-year-old traditional Japanese house was special, and the food she made for us during our Kumano Kodo walk was delicious. We were lucky to spend the following night at her other guest house, Kumanoyasai Base, in Chikatsuyu. That gave us two days of her food, hospitality, and humor. I highly recommend staying at both places. Thank you, Shino!

Shino was a wonderful host and even arranged a ride back to the trail for the next morning. Staying in her remote village home was amazing. One of our best memories from the Kumano Kodo was spending the night in a 140-year-old Japanese house and having Shino prepare and deliver delicious oishi food.

We stayed for two nights, which made our Kumano Kodo hiking trip even more enjoyable. The living room was cozy and the tatami bed comfortable. We were impressed by Shining San’s thoughtful attention to detail and warm hospitality. It was a lovely experience to stay in this traditional Japanese house, and we felt lucky to enjoy such delicious meals and a lunch box.