Yama no Yado Shimofujiya

“This place is amazing”

This was the best stay I had in Japan. The families that run this place define hospitality. The breakfast and dinners are incredible, so make sure you include them. We were late and lost when we arrived in town, they had someone waiting for us at the bus stop. I was embarrassed at how many times th… more

This was the best stay I had in Japan. The families that run this place define hospitality. The breakfast and dinners are incredible, so make sure you include them. We were late and lost when we arrived in town, they had someone waiting for us at the bus stop. I was embarrassed at how many times they must have drove down looking for us, but they couldn't have been nicer. It's a very traditional Japanese inn, which means toilet and basin in the room and community bathroom with an onsen (men on 2nd floor, women on third). The rooms are very good. Make sure you reserve the onsen right next door, it's fabulous. Caveats: they do not speak English but communicate through google translate on their smart phones. Don't let that deter you though. Also, they accept cash only and ATMs are a little hard to find. If you need cash, go to the ATM at the post office in town, it's always open. There are ski slopes 10 minutes away and fly fishing in the river near the town, I wish I knew about the fly fishing. And fishing even in winter because the hotsprings probably keep the river from freezing. Can't wait to go back!

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“Highlight of our trip to Japan!”

We stayed at this onsen for a night, and overall everything - location, room, food, hot springs, and hospitality - was excellent. We were planning to take a taxi from the bus station, but the bus driver kindly gave a call to the onsen, and they sent a van to pick us up. The same van dropped us off … more

We stayed at this onsen for a night, and overall everything - location, room, food, hot springs, and hospitality - was excellent. We were planning to take a taxi from the bus station, but the bus driver kindly gave a call to the onsen, and they sent a van to pick us up. The same van dropped us off to the bus station the next day. Our Japanese style room, which was very nice, overlooked the front road. The bath at the inn was pretty nice too, but the private bath at the spa nearby was definitely better. We hadn't made a reservation for the private bath in advance, but lucky for us, someone canceled. The food was excellent. One of us is a vegetarian, and we had let the inn know a few days before about this. So, both the vegetarian and the non-vegetarian was happy with the delightful food. We had a bit of communication problem with the hostess trying to understand what we were eating, but she was kind enough to bring in a young girl who could speak english. The same girl helped us with the private bath arrangement. It snowed the night we stayed at the inn. So, the morning was so pretty. We would have loved to stay another day. Just before we left, we bought a few things from the shop in the lobby. The hostess who looked after us gave one of us a small souvenir! It was very sweet of her. So, all in all, we definitely recommend this place. If you have some time before checkin, you can check out the foot spa (hot springs water for soaking foot), which is before the bus station, across the bridge. There is also a small restaurant near the temple, also before the bus station. We had a nice lunch there. But dinner is so big at the onsen, I recommend saving your appetite for it.

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“すばらしい – Excellent”

I have now had the privilege of staying at this hotel on four occasions in the last few years. It is now one of my favourite places to stay in Japan. Each visit has been memorable. The rooms are very comfortable, quiet and clean. There are traditional tatami rooms with futon, but western style … more

I have now had the privilege of staying at this hotel on four occasions in the last few years. It is now one of my favourite places to stay in Japan. Each visit has been memorable. The rooms are very comfortable, quiet and clean. There are traditional tatami rooms with futon, but western style beds are also available. The evening meals and breakfast are superb. There is an excellent and diverse range of flavours and types of food, the presentation is excellent and everything is delicious - most enjoyable. Particular favourite meals have been shabu-shabu cooked in paper and eggs slow-cooked in the hot spring water. The service is outstanding in every way. The hosts and staff make you feel very welcome – like an old friend. The hotel has its own onsen inside the hotel, and there are a number of other onsen in the village. You will leave the hotel well fed, relaxed and refreshed.

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“Best Ryokan Ever”

My wife and I went here for an anniversary and it was fantastic!! The staff was friendly, the room was beautiful, the hot springs were relaxing, and the food was amazing. If you're looking for a great ryokan to stay at, I highly recommend this one!!!