Our stay at Shimaya was one of the best experiences I've ever had, and I've been coming to Japan for over ten years. Mr Yumoto was extremely friendly and helpful at check-in. If you call in advance, they will come and pick you up from Yudanaka Onsen train station, and they also dropped us back at the station when we left. We had come mainly to see the monkeys at Jigokudani Yaen-Koen, and the hotel very kindly offered to drop us there first thing in the morning after breakfast, free of charge - this meant we were one of the first in the park and got a totally unrestricted view of the monkeys, and didn't have to walk all the way from the bus stop. Mr Yumoto also suggested a lovely walk back through neighbouring Shibu Onsen, and provided us with a detailed map with suggested stops. The room was on the 4th floor - we had suitcases and there is no lift, so bear this in mind - which meant we had gorgeous views of the mountains and the snow, and it was so quiet and peaceful. There was green tea waiting for us in the room, and we could choose our yukata at check-in to wear around the ryokan and to the onsen. The women's onsen was so peaceful - the room was mostly wooden, and the water was nice and hot at about 40/41 degrees, so after being outside in the snow all day it was perfect to warm up in. The breakfast was simple but delicious - you can toast your own bread, and help yourself to eggs, yoghurt, fruit, cereal and hot drinks. There's a self-playing piano in the breakfast room, and every day Mr and Mrs Yumoto came to check on us to see if we needed lifts anywhere or if we knew where to get the bus. Finally, we were so lucky to be able to take part in some local festivities during our stay - the burning of New Year's Decorations or 'Dotonyaki'. We went with the staff to the riverside by car, and got to toast mochi ricecakes and marshmallows over the embers. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience! 改めまして、本当にありがとうございました！

Nothing.

Yumoto-san was the most cheerful and helpful host ever! He drove us to the monkey park and explained the map for our way back, along with recommending a few places. He even walked me to the public onsen when I couldn't find where it was. The hotel itself isn't modern or luxurious but it has its own charm. The place has traditional Japanese rooms and balconies. We were on the 4th floor and we got to see fireworks at night and the amazing snowcapped mountains early in the morning. 2 nights was not enough and will definitely come back!

The bathroom smells a little bit, more like Sulphur smell. But it wasn't a big concern. Also, there are no elevators so be prepared to walk up and down, which we didn't mind at all :)

Staying at Shimaya was easily the highlight of our trip to Japan. The lovely couple who runs the inn is incredibly sweet and friendly, making us feel right at home. They speak enough English to help you get by and ensure you have everything you need. The private onsen is stunning and more spacious than it appears, while the public onsens are even larger and truly beautiful. The rooms are surprisingly spacious compared to other hotel rooms we’ve stayed in during our trip, and the traditional Japanese beds are super comfortable. We made sure to get a room that had an attached bathroom sunce the hotel has both options. The hotel also provides snow boots in all sizes and offers a convenient ride to the Snow Monkey Park. They even gave us a map with a recommended walking route back through Shibu Onsen, which was breathtakingly beautiful. Their recommendations for activities and dining were spot-on and added so much to our experience. Breakfast was nice and filling, with fresh-cut fruit, bread, coffee, cereal, milk, and more. Keep in mind that the hotel does not have an elevator, so it’s best to travel light with backpacks or carry-ons. One unique feature of staying in Yamanouchi is the access to three public bathhouses in the area, which you can visit with a key provided by the front desk. We highly recommend bringing a small keychain or token from your home country to add to the board they’ve been curating for decades. It’s such a charming and thoughtful tradition. We are already looking forward to returning to Shimaya on our next trip!

Shimaya was the best stay in our trip to Japan! The host was super helpful, gave us great tips for the region and drove us for free to the monkey park. They have a simple but very fair breakfast and the room was super cozy and comfortable. The indoor onsen is also really nice and hot! There is one for men and one for women and both my husband and i were very happy with them. You can also book an outdoor private onsen that is less then 5 minutes away. That was really amazing and relaxing and it was great to be able to go together. The stay was definitely one of the highlights of the whole trip!

The only small comment i would have is that they don’t have a dinner option, which the booking.com page says they have and there are also lots of comments and pictures in the reviews about both dinner and more elaborate breakfast. I assume they either don’t do that anymore or do it only in high season. Either way, it was not a big deal, but good to know and adjust your expectations :) there are great places to have dinner nearby though!

I was there during autumn. The owner went out of his way to help us make our trip and stay so much better! Our favorite stay of our entire 15 day trip in Japan! And that says a lot! The owner and wife personally greeted us and drove us to the monkey park! Checked if there is monkey at the park before driving us there so we will not make an empty trip. And offered to drive us back after visiting the monkey park! Love the traditional ryokan that was kept so clean. And the onsen on property is excellent. Highly recommended.

The place is quite old and have abit of damage here and there but that adds to the charm. So no complaints here.

At first we thought we made a mistake choosing the hotel as it was a good distance from Nagano city but to our surprise it turned out to be a very fortunate mistake. The Shimaya was the best hotel we stayed in during this trip. The room and facilities were better than we expected. We so very much appreciated the hot welcome tea and the beautiful kimonos provided instead of the usual pajamas. The Shimaya Onsen's water temperature was just perfect. We had a very comfortable and enjoyable stay. Our host, Mr Yumoto-sama was also the best host one could wish for. He was so very kind and welcoming even if we unfortunately had to check-in rather late in the night. He was extremely kind to give us a parting gift and a much needed lift to the station very early the next day as we had to catch a flight to Aomori. It is thus of much regret that we were not able to stay longer. For sure, we will book the Shimaya on our next visit to Japan and it will definitely not be a mistake.

Nothing, everything was just perfect. Even if the hotel did not have a lift and our room was on the 3rd floor it was not a problem as the stairs were quite manageable.

Early July, we were the only travellers so we had the onsen to ourselves. There was male, female and private onsen available. There was excellent service, and they welcomed our young toddlers. We got driven to the Jigokudani Monkey Park and picked up by Yumoto-san. Yumoto-san and his wife also helped style our family in yukata for photos.

It’s a 10 minute walk from the station, which was fine but inconvenient with toddlers and luggage

Very warm and welcoming. Management was very helpful and kind. Even though I have tattoos was allowed to use the onsen. I was obviously not affiliated with any gang related organization so I was filled with great gratitude to be given the privilege to experience a part of Japanese culture I’ve always wanted to try. Management also received a package we had sent in the mail since we forgot some items, and they also were willing to send mail for us if we needed it. Such great hospitality. Thank you Shimaya.

My only advice was the shared sinks were scalding hot when using the hot water supply, but there is a warning note. Just be careful and make sure you and your companions use it with care.

We loved Shimaya! The owner was so kind, and though his English was limited, he was also so friendly and helpful. Our room was great with traditional futons and a small sitting area with a table. There was a shared bathroom but we never saw anyone else in it. The onsen was also small but lovely! There was another staff member who drove us to and from the Snow Monkey Park which was absolutely perfect. He drove us as close as possible to minimize walking :) It's less than a 10 minute walk from the Yudanaka station and close to a bunch of small restaurants in town and a Lawson.

Despite being close to Yudanaka station and the Snow Monkey Park, it's far from everything else. We were planning to ski at Nozawa, but it would take us over 2 hours by train and all the taxis were reserved. We opted for Shiga Kogen instead, but this was still a 1hr+ bus ride. It also took us 3+ hours to get back to Tokyo. Renting a car may be the best option here.

The host was the absolute sweetest and really wanted visitors to enjoy their stay. He drove us to the monkey park, which was really nice as the whole thing is uphill from the inn. The location is a few minutes walking from the train station and the town is so lovely and peaceful. The room had a balcony which was really nice to sit and enjoy the view after traveling. I found the beds and room to be comfortable and cozy for a more traditional Japanese stay. And the private onsen was a cherry on top.