Matsuya Ryokan

The distance of this inn from Zenkoji Temple and the fact that it's right next to a cultural property indicate that its historical background and the owner's family are definitely not ordinary. You can tell from their daily life that the inn is run by a family. Transportation to the inn is fairly convenient by bus, but this time I took the Nagano Electric Railway to Zenkoji Station and then dragged my luggage there. The "down" at Zenkoji Station means physically down, implying you have to drag your luggage uphill. Not only is there no elevator at the station, but you also have to climb two long flights of stairs, and then there's another steep uphill section after exiting the station. I strongly advise against doing this on a snowy day; you need to be physically strong! The rooms are divided into Western-style rooms and Japanese-style rooms. I happened to stay in both this time. Overall, since the Western-style rooms are newly renovated, they are more comfortable, and the pillows seem different from those in the Japanese-style rooms. I slept better in the Western-style room. Also, because it's all tatami room design, you have to change into slippers upon entering the inn, and the stairs to the second floor are quite steep. If you have heavy luggage, you might want to reconsider staying in this room. They provide small desserts every day upon check-in and refill your hot water bottle while cleaning your room, which is very thoughtful, especially in winter. However, I'm not sure if the cleaning lady is overly frugal, but even though I put my empty tea bottle next to the trash can, she probably thought I wanted to use it again, and it wasn't removed during my stay, including when I changed rooms. It's hard to say if this is a plus or a minus, but at least you don't have to worry about your leftovers being thrown away. Breakfast is a standard Japanese breakfast; the fish was quite delicious, and the pickled vegetables with Nagano miso were also good. Zenko-ji Temple is illuminated at night during certain periods in winter, so if you stay at this inn, you can easily visit the temple in the evening.

Humble ryokan right near Zenkoji, the people are wonderful and the stay comfortable. Loved their kaiseki dinner (add on) and small but cozy bath. The breakfast was nice too! We only stayed one night but that seems sufficient for the area.

Great hotel, friendly staff, ideal location.