Kamesei Ryokan

I really enjoyed the traditional experience of Kamesei. Whilst we were only passing through at night, we enjoyed the friendly staff and hospitality provided. It was a great blend of a traditional stay with some creature comforts. They have a great kids playroom upstairs, and the staff were patient with our sometimes noisy and active children. We also paid for the premium dinner, which was certainly something different to what we're used to but a good experience nonetheless. I appreciated the spacious onsen and the fact that we were able to experience it, despite having tattoos. The staff were more than happy to provide advice and recommendations on the local area and places to visit, which we appreciated.

My family of 5(A) had a wonderful stay at Kamesei Ryokan, owned by the most hospitable, kind, and gracious hosts, husband/wife Tyler-san and Mari-san. The ryokan is close to many local food places, other public onsen bath houses, walking distance to local shops, sights/attractions, and is a 20-30mins walk to the local subway, Togura Station. The JR stations Shinonoi, Nagano, and Ueda are between 15-30 mins away using the local Shinano Railway line, and are a gateway to major tourists attractions in the Nagano Prefecture (eg. Matsumoto Castle | Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park | Zenkō-ji Temple). Communication with the hosts is superb. All my messages were answered promptly, with any queries, issues, and concerns addressed in a timely manner. I initially booked the 1st level Standard room, however, after communicating with Tyler-san, I was able to adjust the reservation to the ground level Deluxe room with its own private open-air onsen bath. We appreciated the fact that we were also able to stay in both the deluxe rooms (Sueh + Kodakara). Tyler-san also offered us a discount as we were staying for 6 nights. The total booking price was both competitive and, in my opinion, unbeatable! We also opted to take up the 2hrs walking tour provided by their Zukudashi eco-self Tour company, and it was an enjoyable experience, with Tyler-san providing a wealth of historical knowledge, information and endearing anecdotes about the beautiful Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen Town. Our stay exceeded all my expectations! Tyler-san and Mari-san were both helpful and accommodated all our needs. Tyler-san even helped us organise our Yamato luggage transfer to our next destination and offered us lifts to the Togura Station. Overall, we had a relaxing and rejuvenating time at Kamesei Ryokan and would highly recommend this place to stay should you happen to stop by Nagano Prefecture. Personally, I could very easily get used to the private onsen bath, and I did not want to leave!

Welcoming & hospitable, Tyler greeted us from the train station and drove us to the Ryokan. We had tea & his famous Seattle cookies before enjoying a traditional Japanese dinner (highly recommend). Our family used the private outdoor onsen which was excellent after a long day of travelling & sightseeing. The futon bed was warm & comfortable. There's so many little details that made this experience so unique & memorable. Tyler told our kids to find a hidden pickle tree ornament on the Christmas tree, which they happily searched, found & were rewarded with a chocolate treat. Tyler also helped us arrange for luggage transfer & accommodated us for early morning breakfast & taxi ride. You wouldn't regret staying at Kamesei Ryokan!

It's the wonderful Onsen Ryokan that is beautifully rearranged. And the hosts are super nice people too (the Seattle cookies were amazing too). The hot spring water quality is decent and the location is excellent too. The Kamiyamada Onsen is definitely one of the hidden gem of Shinshu.

The service. We can not fault the service. Tyler and his team go out of their way to make our stay an enjoyable one