Aibiya

The owners clearly put a lot of care into the place. It's warm, the beds are comfortable, and everything was spotless. Coming in, there's a really cute shop, then a very zen shared area and kitchen. The location was handy for catching the bus to see the snow monkeys, and the price was good for the area. We paid a small fee to use the nearby hotel's rooftop onsen and got to watch the sunset while bathing. We felt lucky to have access to it.

After Tokyo, the calm here was a perfect change of pace. You can walk from the train, and the monkey park is also walkable if you fancy about an hour on foot. The hotel was spotless, and having breakfast together in the kitchen made a great start to the day. Thank you, Seongmi and Yoshi, for making us feel so welcome. The two owners have made the place feel very homely. Try the pudding at the nearby shop and the coffee from the shop down the road. You can also ask the owners for a food spot to suit whatever you're in the mood for.

The bed was the most comfortable one we've had in Japan, and breakfast was both tasty and nourishing, with lots of thoughtful little touches. The space is beautiful, with wood, tatami, and tasteful lighting. It's also just a very short walk from Yudanaka train station. Yoshi and Seong-mi were gracious hosts, friendly and full of helpful local knowledge. We loved this little hotel and would recommend it wholeheartedly.

I visited Aibiya Hostel in Nagano in 2017, and Seong-mi and Yoshi made me feel like family from the moment I arrived. Their local knowledge and recommendations made exploring Nagano much more enjoyable. The hostel was clean, cozy, and welcoming, but what stayed with me most was how warm and attentive they were, and how much they cared about their guests and the area. My stay was unforgettable. If you're going to Nagano, I highly recommend Aibiya.