2-Starhotels in Nagano Prefecture, Japan

This ryokan is the furthest from Main Street. But I love the hospitality from the owner and the authenticity of this place. There is a private onsen available in the ryokan, just need to pre register. They provide access to shibu onsen as well. Recommended to book your dinner with them. Restaurants in shibu onsen either close very early or not open regularly. We missed our dinner, but the owner is kind enough to prepare a simple oyakudon for us. Though this place is at the beginning of forest trail to snow monkey park. But it is close during winter. Just take note.

The hotel located in good location, with walking distance to the city center area where you can find shops, restaurants, or even Matsumoto Castle. Parking lot provided with fees but it’s quite convenient. The most favorite from this hotel is there’re plenty of amenities – shampoo, conditioner, shower gel from a lot of brands that you can select by yourself at the lobby.

I recently stayed at Hotel M Matsumoto and had a wonderful experience. One of the biggest advantages of this hotel is its excellent location. It is conveniently located near Matsumoto Station, making it easy to travel around the city and visit nearby attractions. There are also plenty of cafes, restaurants, and convenience stores within walking distance. The staff were very friendly, welcoming, and helpful throughout my stay. I booked a private room, which offered much more space than a typical sleeping pod or capsule hotel. I was able to comfortably open my luggage, organize my belongings, and move around without feeling cramped. The room was also very quiet, allowing me to rest well after a long day of traveling and sightseeing. One of my favorite features of the hotel was the large public bath. It was a great place to relax and unwind after exploring the city. Although the hours for female guests were somewhat limited, I still really enjoyed having access to this facility. The common area was also very comfortable and well-maintained. Guests can borrow a wide selection of manga for free, which was a nice touch. Another great benefit is the complimentary bicycle rental service, allowing guests to use bicycles for up to three hours free of charge. Overall, I had a very pleasant stay and would highly recommend Hotel M Matsumoto to anyone planning to visit Matsumoto. The combination of its convenient location, comfortable rooms, excellent facilities, and friendly staff makes it a great choice for travelers.

The staff really went above and beyond to make two ignorant Canadian tourists feel extremely welcome at a traditional Japanese Ryuken. Though there was a small language barrier, we never felt that we could not communicate our needs. The hot and cold onsen was very refreshing after walking post towns along the Nakasendo Way. The river next to the hotel made for a relaxing experience and deep sleep. Somehow, I missed the option when booking to select the dinner option, there is really no other food options in the area, and the clerk (owner) said he would put a 'simple meal' together for us for a small charge which we found acceptable. The kaiseki that followed was some of the best and most authentic Japanese food we experienced in our two weeks in Japan. The woman serving us was an absolute gem and the cat that ran the establishment was adorable. Our room was very comfortable and had a nice sitting area with a view of the river. Only points of contention would be that that it's a little out of the way if you don't have a car, but is conveniently accessable by bus with ~10 minute walk. The facilities are a little dated, the onsen is discoloured, but I assume that is from the natural minerals. There was a stale smell (smoke) in the rooms which is a bit off-putting to non-smokers. It would appear smoking is allowed in the facility which might be a plus to some.

Fukashiso could be one of the loveliest accommodation that I have ever stayed at. The staff were very polite, attentive and extremely helpful and courteous. The place itself is so beautiful and quaint. Traditional garments are provided as an option if you want to dress up for dinner. Made for great photo ops! The Kaiseki was the most beautiful equivalent of a degustation I’ve tried, and it was served in a lovely separate intimate dining area. During dinner Nobu-San a fourth generation family member of the owners greeted us which was a lovely touch. Soba was freshly made at the accomodation. We stayed two nights and the Kaiseki menu was different each time. Breakfast was a nice assortment of Japanese and Western options and the coffee machine was actually pretty good. I enjoyed the onsens, there are two public ones that switch locations for men and women and a private one. They were well equipped and relaxing. Our room was on Level 1 with a private bathroom, seating area and little garden view. Overall this place is highly recommended. For a traditional ryokan experience, it was so nice. Even after we checked out, the receptionist gave us a little gift, and even walked us outside to where our car was parked. Such a warm and lovely place. Stay here for sure!

I’m so excited to share a review for this amazing couple. Kazuo-san and his wife were very kind and caring throughout my entire stay. They had the right amenities for a Bed and Breakfast that caters to ski lovers and snow boarders. The B&B is also a more traditional and heritage kind, preserving the authentic looks through time, they’ve been running this for 35 beautiful years. If you’d like, dinner is also available as an add-on, nothing beats a high value home-cooked food, made from the heart. I’ll highly recommend this location, Kazuo-san also goes the extra mile to drop you off at the pick-up points if you don’t have your own car. Beyond that Kazuo-san is also very knowledgeable and informed with the latest news, so he’s able to recommend good ski resorts, summer activities or even delve into the history of surrounding areas like Kurohime and more. I was quite shocked to see some earlier reviews by other foreigners that rated this location quite poorly when they don’t understand what they’ve booked. This is a bed and breakfast inn and it’s every inch authentic as it should be. So if you’re looking for a fuss-free stay with friendly authentic folks, this should be on your list.

My GF's review: My stay in Meiji Onsen Ryokan was my first stay at a ryokan, and I’ve never felt more welcome at any other hospitality place I’ve been to before, of which there are many. And even after the first day, I am pretty sure it will probably stay this way forever. I am very grateful for your kind welcome and I am amazed at the work that the team of your hotel does at this place. Everything feels natural and beautiful, and the atmosphere is so peaceful and special. People who work here are passionate about their job, and as a passionate person myself I feel energized and happy to see others be so amused about what they do. I will always remember my first stay here and I will compare other ryokans I go to with Meiji Onsen Ryokan, because I feel that it’s the best ryokan in Japan. Thank you so much for this amazing experience. And Okami-chan is the best girl in all of Nagano! When I come back home, I will tell everyone who she is and where she is from - Meiji Onsen Ryokan, Chino, Nagano, Japan! 🇯🇵 (As a fantastic bonus, it’s even allowed to go in with uncovered tattoos! Not every ryokan can match up to that!)

I was very lucky to book the last room on Saturday. Although the evaluation on the trip was not high, the evaluation on Google map was excellent and it was better than expected. I had the opportunity to come to Huyin and stay again. Thank you for everyone received by the hotel. It made me have a very pleasant journey.

The hotel is really well situated, less than 10 minutes from the JR station, and on the same street as the Shrine, so there were lots of places to eat nearby. I stayed in a dorm, which had more people than I expected for a room (I think I saw at least 60 bed/lockers) so it was quite loud even at night as people kept walking in and out. The actual bed was fine, and the people at the front took their time to walk me through what to know for the hostel. The lounge is a little awkwardly partitioned, but at least you get a space to use if you need food. The dorm itself, I think has a little too many people to be comfortable but is clean enough. The lights never turn off, but because you have a curtain, it blocks out most of it. The largest issue is the noise, since people are coming in and out at random times of the night, and the buttons to open the door are also quite loud when you're trying to sleep. If you want ear plugs, they have them for a fee at the front. Nagano overall was very nice though, and the location made it a lot easier to get around.

This ryokan and onsen sits on a hillside above the town of Obuse, with a good view of the town.  We were greeted by a most gracious and kind hostess.  Our room was spacious and clean.  The dining room prepared an excellent and reasonably priced dinner without previous notice from us.  Our hostess was helpful at getting it ordered for us, since as naive Americans we didn't know the food well.  Pictures posted on the wall of all the dishes also helped.  Later, the onsen was simply wonderful.  The water was sulferous, and both stimulating and relaxing on the skin.  The water was a special treat; chemical composition was posted so that we could see what we were getting.  And it was blissful.  We slept well on futons, and woke to an excellent Japanese breakfast (be sure to get the breakfast, well worth it).  Our hostess made everything easy for us, with her gentle and attentive kindness.  We would love to return, but for a much longer stay.