We were glad that we chose this hostel as our accommodation in Onomichi as the experience was unique. We stayed at the hostel for 3 nights and it was always delightful to start the day with a view to the beautiful sunrise from our room (Thanks to the floor-to-ceiling window frame design). The design of the hostel is based on the traditional Japanese house with tatami and sliding partition so we wouldn’t expect our room to be sound proof. I believe all the other guests respected that too so everyone tried to avoid making loud conversation in their rooms. We really appreciate the effort that have been put to give a second life to this old building. We didn’t mind the walk uphill and the shared facilities.

This might have been one of the best places we stayed in Japan. The room was right above the cafè but very quiet and cute with an incredible view. The cafè downstairs was delightful and had a lovely view. The coffee and tea were incredible. You can even eat your own food there. All the bathrooms are shared but that's no problem at all. The price was fantastic for what we got. We also enjoyed talking to other guests. The view from the lookout above the shrine is also spectacular.

It's always extremely booked out. So you can generally only stay for 1 night maximum. I think it would be nicer for guests if they would ensure it's always possible to stay for at least 2 nights. It would also allow other guests to socialise more with each other. Getting there is troublesome, so only being able to stay for 1 night is a shame. The location is up an extremely steep hill but we were extremely lucky to find parking at the top area for the day. The parking line went all the way down the mountain. Everyone was coming to the shrine for new years.

Onomichi Guest House blew my husband and I away. We had the pleasure of staying for NYE; there is no better place to enjoy the sunrise on January 1st. It is located right below Senkoji, the most popular temple. The cafe has an old-timey vibe and guests can use it freely to relax, including bringing in your own food. I tried the ginger latte, it was delicious. The staff is very kind. The two-person room we booked, although small, was cozy and have good storage for luggage. We did have a large and small suitcase with us, but by taking some breaks along the way we had no problem going up and down the stairs to get to the guest house. The staff can keep your bags for you outside of check-in and check-out time. Two shared toilets are in the same building as the rooms, and two showers are in a separate building next door. If you are able to handle climbing up and down stairs and don't mind sharing facilities, don't hesitate to book a night or two here.

Nothing!

The walk up to the guesthouse from the train station/the main part of town is lovely, though would be difficult with lots of luggage or physical limitations. Onomichi is a charming, down-to-earth town that I hope to visit again, and the route to the guesthouse takes you through old neighborhoods and temples. The facilities have the feel of an old-school hostel, not fancy but practical, with everything you need and not much you don't. Laundry, kitchen with free coffee and tea, showers, etc. Shelves of books here and there. The on-site cafe is available for guests to hang out in, and there's a charming little back garden with awesome views of the town and the sea.

Very little to complain about! The house is chilly in the winter, like all old Japanese houses, but the duvets do a great job at keeping the cold out. The steep stairs and uneven floors could be challenging for some people. Wish there was a little more room in the kitchen, as there's not really space for more than one person to cook at once.

It is a traditional, old building. I slept in a tatami room with a futon, which I really liked. The view was incredible and the sunrise in the morning super nice! The toilets and showers are modern and clean. Luggage storage after checking out is possible. I really liked my stay here, it was beautiful! Also, staff was very friendly and they also have a cafe where you can sit.

I had no problem, but the walls were very thin. For sleeping, I just used earplugs, then it was totally fine. Also, the guest house is far away from the Onomichi JR station (ca. 20min) and it has some elevation. I had a backpack, so I didn't mind, but wouldn't recommend going up there with a suitcase. Though for me, it was really worth it, I loved the place.

Great guesthouse for a short stay in Onomichi. The house itself is old with beautiful views any time during the day and you can see the stunning sunrise/sunset if the weather is good enough. The food especially the cheese cake is good too. It is very close to the temple thus a perfect place for people who enjoys Buddhism/Zen culture to get there and pray. The location is also close to the viewing platform on the mountain, the Onomichi museum, and the Cat Alley. The restroom and the showers are clean and convenient.

A few things to note when ppl want to book here: 1) the mount climbing can be a bit tiring in summer with heavy luggage so you’d better put the suitcase in the JR station lockers or use the Yamato service; 2) soundproofing is bad due to the characteristics of the old house, but earplugs help a lot

Excellent views overlooking the ocean and mountains. Beautiful guesthouse that made good use of different spaces for their guests. The staff spoke very good English and were super helpful and very kind. Short uphill walk to the temple and observation deck (linked to the cable cart). Small room size - which is very common in many Japanese accommodations. I would highly recommend only bringing a small backpack instead of a full-size luggage bag - it is quite the walk up the hill! The guesthouse will send you information on where to store your bags or how to get them delivered.

Incredible views from the traditional room in a 100 year old tea-house. Onomichi was one of our favourite places on the whole trip, with us hiking up the rest of the hillside at night with lantern-light views down on to the town.. Onomichi is also the perfect starting point for Shimanami Kaido - we rented our bikes in the town. The vibe is a bit more like a lovely friendly hostel, with everyone encourage to eat in the common areas (allowed to bring own food and drinks). It is a bit of a hike up to the accommodation, but the owners gave plenty of warnings about this, and we followed their suggestion and left the bulk of our luggage at the train station.

Just loved this place for the incredible location, the passion and vision of the renovation and the high quality work that has gone into the restoration and the willingness to share it with visitors and guests. We also loved Onomichi itself, a wonderful surprise - what an interesting prot town with so much to do and see, and lovely restaurants very accessible. We loved that the owner spent time chatting to us, giving recommendations for dinner, and sharing his personal journey and story about the renovation, it made it really memorable.

Be aware of the need to walk up a lot of steps to get there. Totally worth it tho! I forgot to take my plate to the servery, got distracted by another guest. (Sorry!) Coffee could be better, but I would say that of almost everywhere in Japan as I am very fussy about coffee.

We followed the suggestion of storing our suitcases in the coin lockers at Onomichi station and didn't regret it because of the long stairway up to the guesthouse (no problem with backpacks only though). The staff was very welcoming, the house is beautifully renovated and it is located on a hill overlooking Onomichi. The main shopping street of Onomichi, including restaurants, cafés and a convenience store is 10-15 minutes away. The walls are paper-thin, but our neighbours were very respectful and quiet. We really liked staying at Onomichi and the guesthouse and can totally recommend the experience!

The bad weather that prevent us from having an amazing sunrise view from our room and that we only stayed one night :)