Yudanaka Yumoto

A lovely, warm place to unwind and feel at home. This Ryokan is beautiful, right in the middle of Yamanouchi, with a very welcoming atmosphere. The room was spotless and the service excellent. Definitely recommended if you're looking for a relaxing, peaceful stay.

The in-house onsen and traditional rooms really made the stay feel like a Japanese experience. It's a short walk to the bus stop for the slopes, and there are plenty of good restaurants nearby. Yasuyo was the most hospitable host I've ever met. She made the hotel feel like a trip with extended family, and I've never felt so at home while traveling abroad. I'd go back in a heartbeat just to hug Yasuyo and thank her.

Breakfast was made fresh for each guest every morning, and Yasuyo-san kindly drove us to the monkey park and back. She even took my wife shopping for Ichida-gaki, and nothing seemed like too much trouble. This lovely, relaxing Ryokan in Yudanaka has apparently been there since the Edo period and is run by the Yamoto family. It has lovely old-style Japanese rooms with toilets, plus communal showers and an onsen. We'd certainly recommend it.

After I sprained my ankle, the staff brought me a towel, ice pack, and medical plasters. They checked on me regularly to see how I was doing and whether I needed anything. I felt safe and well looked after, and would stay here again. The guesthouse is beautiful, traditional, and family-run, with lovely hospitality. My room on the second floor looked over the garden and felt like a home away from home. It was split into two spacious areas: a modern sleeping space with Western beds and a little sitting area, and a Japanese living room with tatami, a low table, and seats where I could work comfortably. It also had a large flask of hot water refilled daily, green tea bags, a teapot and cups, a mini fridge, a toilet, and a wash basin. I liked getting into the habit of showering at the onsen. After a cold day skiing, soaking there felt wonderful. It had all the amenities, and the yukatas they offer were pretty. I had a hearty breakfast in the breakfast room each morning, with a nice garden view. The food was carefully made and delicious, usually more than I could finish, and I enjoyed chatting with the cook who brought it. I had one in-house dinner, and it was incredible: lots of Japanese dishes, appetizers, sashimi, mains, sukiyaki, and dessert. One evening, I brought two borrowed kimonos and asked the lady boss if she knew how to put them on properly and could help dress my friend and me. She happily came with her mother and aunt. The two elderly ladies dressed us in all the layers and even gave us traditional Japanese socks to wear. Arigato gozaimasu!