Very cute place. It is close to the Lake Mashu/Lake Kusshiro Nationalpark and ideal for remote relaxation. The team is helpful and friendly and breakfast and dinner are included - which is super local and very generous. The room and beds are comfortable and they clean the amenities well. I stayed there for three nights and was very happy. Important to know: When I stayed there, they had cats and they moved pretty freely. I loved them, but if you‘re allergic, this is not for you. Also: The owner offers sunrise viewings which was very cool. I‘d happily return.

You can tell that it‘s an older Guesthouse especially in the bathrooms. Some renovation might be helpful for the future. But given the price, the location and the overall experience, it is nothing that would keep me from coming again.

Hostel with rooms set off a hexagonal tower. The hostel is just off route 243 between Bihoro and Teshikaga, Lake Kussharo can be seen from the second floor. It has a large dining / communal area on the first floor, with the toilets and shared bathroom. On the second floor is a small communal room and the rooms/dormitories. My dormitory was split level loft style, 2 beds on the entrance floor and 2 further beds in a loft reached by a ladder. Each bed has access to its own light and power outlet. There is also a switch beside the bed for the room lights. The food is delicious and freshly prepared daily from local ingredients. The hostel also offers cafe meals and snacks and sells alcohol. There are 3 cats in residence, 2 of them really friendly. Just outside the dining room window is a bird table, shimaenagas have been spotted there. Staffe are friendly, helpful. The hostel offers a shuttle bus option to and from Mashu train station.

The toilets are on the first floor, the rooms on the second.

I can highly recommend to stay at this hostel if you are open minded and interested in a genuine experience. The owner and staff are very friendly and even created a little film to introduce you to the area and show which activities could be done. The owner is such a cool person, he shuttled me from and to the train station and took me on an "Ankai Tour" to watch the sun rise above a sea of clouds. Also, the meals at the hostel are just great. Very tasty and flavorful, they are cooking with a great variety of ingredients. Make sure you prebook your dinner by contacting the facility as they need some time to prepare those fancy meals. (They still offer a little menu of a la carte dishes in case you come by spontaneously.) There is a Japanese style shared bathroom with a hot onsen pool, great after a long walk. To sum it up: A very special, unique experience that is very good value for money!

The location is not really convenient to get around if you do not bring or rent a vehicle of some kind. The railway shuttle is great and if you book a tour with the owner (very reasonably priced!) you will be fine as he is happy to drive you. The Kussharo lake peninsula (Wakoto peninsula), arguably the closest sightseeing destination within reach (and really beautiful!), can be reached by walking around 15km round trip, which took me ~ 5 hours.

The guesthouse had a great atmosphere, from the origami decorations to the architecture. The staff helped us set up a canoe tour, which was fantastic as we speak very little japanese. The food, both breakfast and dinner (and ice cream), was exceptional.

Interestingly built guesthouse. Wooden beams + high ceilings gives it a roomy feeling. Bed was comfortable with plenty of light. Fantastic location for nature lovers - plenty of mountains and lakes to explore. 24/7 running bath, which always great.

Male bathroom had only one toilet, which considering how many people can stay in this guesthouse, would be great if there was one or two more.

The breakfast, a Japanese breakfast with a very wide range of dishes, was delicious. The all-wood interior was lovely and the rooms too. Quiet location.

The wifi didn’t work for me and the rooms weren’t very soundproof though this didn’t matter too much as people were quiet at around 10.30 pm.

We had dinner prepared by the guesthouse and it was excellent and value for money.

There was only 1 cubicle in the male toilet and you had to wait if there was a queue to do your big business

The location, the ambience and the rooms were all gorgeous. The owner makes absolutely delicious dinner and shows you the gorgeous places around the area. There’s a small library, a spacious common area, the internet works fine and the rooms are beautiful.

Toilets seem a bit dated. But it’s no big deal.

This is a cozy guesthouse with shared bathroom. The host is a nice guy that try his best to introduce us the nearby place to visit despite he speaks very little English. Kotan onsen is just 5 mins drive away and is a nice place to stop by to see the swan and lake.

Nothing much.

The food was fabulous. Breakfast and dinner were rich and full of surprises.

Problem with communication in English, when I was arriving at the station As they offered, it was a bit annoying. Then it's ok, the ride to the station was fine