Tyler was a great host! At check in he sat down with us and told us about the history of the area and places to explore/things to do. He was highly communicative and checked in with us throughout our stay. The meals at the ryokan were really lovely and a very fun experience. Tyler also taught us how to wear our yukatas correctly and drove us to the train station upon departure! We really enjoyed the family onsen, which is a private onsen on the property that you can reserve! The beds were comfy and the room was nice and sizeable. Overall we would highly recommend staying here! It was a very nice and relaxing time.

NA

My family of 5(A) had a wonderful stay at Kamesei Ryokan, owned by the most hospitable, kind, and gracious hosts, husband/wife Tyler-san and Mari-san. The ryokan is close to many local food places, other public onsen bath houses, walking distance to local shops, sights/attractions, and is a 20-30mins walk to the local subway, Togura Station. The JR stations Shinonoi, Nagano, and Ueda are between 15-30 mins away using the local Shinano Railway line, and are a gateway to major tourists attractions in the Nagano Prefecture (eg. Matsumoto Castle | Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park | Zenkō-ji Temple). Communication with the hosts is superb. All my messages were answered promptly, with any queries, issues, and concerns addressed in a timely manner. I initially booked the 1st level Standard room, however, after communicating with Tyler-san, I was able to adjust the reservation to the ground level Deluxe room with its own private open-air onsen bath. We appreciated the fact that we were also able to stay in both the deluxe rooms (Sueh + Kodakara). Tyler-san also offered us a discount as we were staying for 6 nights. The total booking price was both competitive and, in my opinion, unbeatable! We also opted to take up the 2hrs walking tour provided by their Zukudashi eco-self Tour company, and it was an enjoyable experience, with Tyler-san providing a wealth of historical knowledge, information and endearing anecdotes about the beautiful Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen Town. Our stay exceeded all my expectations! Tyler-san and Mari-san were both helpful and accommodated all our needs. Tyler-san even helped us organise our Yamato luggage transfer to our next destination and offered us lifts to the Togura Station. Overall, we had a relaxing and rejuvenating time at Kamesei Ryokan and would highly recommend this place to stay should you happen to stop by Nagano Prefecture. Personally, I could very easily get used to the private onsen bath, and I did not want to leave!

As with 95% of Japanese accommodation, unfortunately, the walls are what you might describe as "paper-thin", and with any traditional ryokan, this is what you would or could expect in these type of establishments. So be prepared to hear loud and, at times, boisterous conversations that can be at best, "entertaining", or at worse, cause you to lose sleep if it goes on well into the night.

Super nice staff the owner and his wife were very helpful and nice. Very hospitable place. Onsen was relaxing and the area nearby had lots to do and nice food. Just taking the bikes out for a ride around Chikima city was a great experience. Large breakfast and dinner very diverse while not all of the dishes were my thing most of them were quite nice and left me full.

The place does smell due to the onsen so keep that in mind but it personally did not bother me especially once you are in the baths.

Welcoming & hospitable, Tyler greeted us from the train station and drove us to the Ryokan. We had tea & his famous Seattle cookies before enjoying a traditional Japanese dinner (highly recommend). Our family used the private outdoor onsen which was excellent after a long day of travelling & sightseeing. The futon bed was warm & comfortable. There's so many little details that made this experience so unique & memorable. Tyler told our kids to find a hidden pickle tree ornament on the Christmas tree, which they happily searched, found & were rewarded with a chocolate treat. Tyler also helped us arrange for luggage transfer & accommodated us for early morning breakfast & taxi ride. You wouldn't regret staying at Kamesei Ryokan!

Loved the Location, the japanese style room with futons and of course the hot onsen bath. Breakfast was delicious with local food and the service was just great! They answered every question we had, have good recommandations were to go and Even made restaurant reservations for us.

Public area, especially the play room, was a little bit cold. But in the Lobby they have an american Style seating area with oven - very cozy!

The service. We can not fault the service. Tyler and his team go out of their way to make our stay an enjoyable one

We didnt come at the right time of the year. It was freezing cold and winter. Your room and the bathroom are heated but the toilet and the corridors were cold. Also, there was no lift so we , with the help of the Ryokan staff, had to lug our suitcases up and down 2 flights of stairs. Not a big deal though.

Room was spacious. Bed was comfortable. Tyler was very hospitable. The recommended kaiseki dinner was sumptous and delicious. The smaller onsen with 2 outdoor pots was enjoyable.

Stayed 2 nights but the breakfast was almost the same except the egg was prepared differently. Nonetheless still delicious.

Hosts very knowledgeable about the area and willing to help with planning visits around the area. Hosts are also understanding of foreign visitors and take the time to explain local customs. Facilities are well kept and provide a unique onsen experience.

Lovely place to stay if you are looking for something different and out of the city. Has everything you could need. If you are a person where beds are important just remember this is a traditional Japanese Ryokan so the bedding is also traditional.

This accommodation was a highlight in our trip. The room was so comfortable and lovely and warm in winter. Tyler our host went above and beyond to ensure we had a lovely stay and was able to help us with our itinerary. The onsens were amazing and such a beautiful relaxing part of our day. The kids game room was a bonus. There was also onsite parking which was brilliant. Overall we felt so incredibly welcome and I would highly recommend staying here.

Nothing- it was brilliant