Wow, what an amazing stay we had here from start to finish. We stumbled on this place last minute when we decided we wanted a little more time in the mountains and I am so grateful that we did, it was the most perfect hidden gem for our stay. Warm, kind, welcoming and genuinely caring staff that make the stay feel like you’re at home, they couldn’t have done more for us. They took us to the ropeway in the car when it was raining, always helped with our bags, dropped us off at the shuttle. The food was amazing and such good value for money and of course I can’t leave this review and not mention the onsen. Just beautiful from start to finish, couldn’t recommend this place more if you want to feel like you’re at home surrounded by warm, kind human beings. Thankyou so much.

5 private onsen baths .... 2 outside.... just for the 8 rooms The host ..the chef ... the waitress ... possibly all doing a bit of everything... were fabulous ... friendly ... interesting... proud of their family ryoken .... The food was fantastic.... the best breakfast ever .... supper ... a joint best ... And the valley is soooo beautiful ... A traditional place with separate shared but immaculate toilets.... no showers except in the onsen ... but build by the current hosts father 80 years ago ... but I suspect based on timbers or a building far older ..... it felt like japanese history alive today

Only that we couldn't stay longer

Everybody including the owners are so nice and helpful. They speak sufficient English to get along well. The Onsen baths are great, private use, the outside Onsen under the clear sky is a hit. Breakfast was phantastic, japanese style but followed by an excellent expresso coffee and a Panna Cotta at the end - can it be better? no! For good reason (the quality and freshness of the wonderful food) you are asked to make a reservation for dinner and/or breakfast. Though on the other side of the street is a small Cafe and Shop supplying everything you might need. It will probably difficult to get there with public transport - so coming by car is better. It is quite a bit away from everything. Therefore one of the trailheads to climb Mount Yakedake is just 1 km away from the Hotel.

The dinner was amazing - very delicious, thoughtfully plated and almost too much food for one person. The breakfast was very tasty too and I appreciated a lot that for breakfast in my part of the dining are the table and the chairs were repositioned so that I could look outside of the window to the maple trees and mountains while enjoying my breakfast. The outdoor onsen was beautiful, and in general the interior and details in the decoration were thoughtfully made. The accommodation keeper was extremely attentive and gave me a ride to the bus stop when leaving. When arriving to the hotel he picked me up as he saw me walking on the road and I hadn’t checked my messages where he said he could pick me up from the main road bus stop.

Not all the buses drive past here so there’s a bit over 1km walk uphill from the main road BUT they offer to pick you up so that’s no issue.

Staying here was absolutely one of the highlights of our trip to Japan, I couldn't recommend it more highly. First off, the food (and entire dining experience in the old wooden dining room) was some of the best I have ever had, there was an incredible variety of fresh fish, veg and meat for dinner and felt as if we were dining in a very high end, Michelin-quality establishment. I wish we could go back just for this! The owner was extremely kind and courteous, and even drove us to the nearest bus station allowing us to be more flexible with timings. He has maintained the Minshuku to amazing standards and we couldn't have wished for anything more. Highly appreciated the underfloor heating too. There were plenty of private onsens to choose from and the ones outside (when it was snowing) were the best we had visited in Japan. In short, for a relaxing stay in beautiful surroundings, insanely good food and amazing private onsens - definitely don't hesitate to stay here!

Nothing

The house is super comfortable and beautiful. The dinner and breakfast was the best in our trip to Japan. The 24h outdoor private onsen (there are 2) provided a good relaxing experience. The host is very kind and always ready to help. Location in a beautiful little village near Shinhotaka ropeway and can be reached by bus.

The toilet sometimes flushed by itself making some noises that can disturb sleeping;

Perfect. Memorable for all the right reasons. My time at Minshuku Takizawa was absolutely amazing. I booked a solo one night’s stay here on a whim so I could visit Kamikochi nearby, and was extremely impressed by the host and all aspects of the property. The owner was very understanding and had great communication when organising my late arrival, remembering and greeting me by my name after I arrived at an earlier unplanned time. He then gave me a tour of the property, showing not one but 5 private onsens, varying in size and location but all easy to access and use with no additional cost. I used the outdoor onsen at midnight and it was a wonderful introduction to the experience, particularly as I was able to learn the etiquette and process by myself. My room and sleep were great, the floor was heated naturally due to the hot springs but I could control the temperate of the room with air conditioning. As a newcomer to a traditional Japanese stay, I really appreciated the owners guidance, even assisting me in wearing a Yakuta when he realised I was unsure about what to do. I could tell he was putting in a lot of effort to explain everything in English, which I was not expecting but really appreciated. For only 1100 yen I had an amazing traditional breakfast which was a memorable experience in itself - served a variety of food and drink while looking out at the mountain view. I strongly recommend getting it! I had told the owner the night before in passing that I would be travelling to Kamikochi the next day, and when I checked out the he had maps ready for me and explained the route I could take, highlights to see and even warned me about the weather. I had intended to take the bus, but he even arranged for a staff member to drive me to the bus station directly, saving me at least half an hour and a bus fare.

Nothing - I wish I had stayed longer.

When we arrived we were met by the lovely owner who showed us around the place. I don't know if they had a cancellation, but we got upgraded to our own little hut separated from the main house, with private bathroom, living room and upstairs bedroom. They have two outdoor private onsens with breathtaking views of the mountains. We had their dinner and breakfast option and it was absolutely supreme!

Nothing, we truly had a fantastic stay here!

A beautiful & special location. The Onsen options are vast and the stay itself is very special. A memorable experience for sure

I recommend you do your research on the area, including making sure you opt to eat at the property. The Kaiseki is excellent quality however there is not much around to eat for lunch if you don't have a car. I highly recommend hiring a car to access this area - it would be very difficult with luggage if you didn't have a car

I think here we had the best stay in our life :) A beautiful, traditional place in the heart of Japanese Alps. Very comfortable, clean and atmospheric. The food that was served was the highest level, delicious and the best we had in Japan. There are five private onsens, out of which two are outside to enjoy the nature and relax. We definitely recommend to anybody that would like to experience a real taste of traditional Japan.