We received a very warm welcome from Yoshiko and Toshi at their delightful pension making us feel right at home. All of our communication prior to arrival was excellent and helpful. Our room was comfortable and warm with beautiful views over the snow covered fields. The Onsen tub was a perfect place to relax in after a day skiing. Toshi kindly provided us with a lift to the ski field in the mornings and we chose to walk the pleasant 10 min stroll home. The meals and communal dining were the highlight of our stay The food was delicious and very fresh with generous portions and wonderful variety. Yoshiko and Toshi were fabulous hosts and we look forward to staying again soon.

Excellent meals and host. Toshi-san has done an incredible job managing the guesthouse by himself. He drove me to the slopes every morning, and shared fresh local produce with me during meals. Toshi specially prepared some wasabi and Japanese rice for me to bring back home when he found out that I really liked them! Also found out during the stay that Toshi went to the same university as I did nearly 50 years ago, so we had a good time sharing our experiences. Toshi is one of the most experienced pension-owners in Madarao and is extremely knowledgeable about the community. Will definitely be back next year for my snowboarding season!

The first and foremost is the service and hospitality provided by the owner (Toshi san) and his staff. Although this has been mentioned in all the reviews, I just want to add a bit personal experience. On the day before our checkin, Toshi san’s wife had a fall and was hospitalised. Toshi san spent the whole night at the hospital after her surgery. Yet he still came in and helped us check in. We only found out this after he checked us in. Also I left my reading glasses in the room after checked out. We were in the hurry to go to Liyama station since all Shinkansen were cancelled due to the earthquake the day before. Toshi san found my glasses and then mailed to my address in Tokyo next day. Toshi san and the staff will help at their best of you ask. They make you feel you are staying a home from home! Also the food (breakfast and dinner) here is delicious. The information on booking.com was incorrect. They offer breakfast and dinner. They also serve different meals each day (Western or Japanese).

None

By far our favourite stay in Japan! The room and facilities were good, but the reason the stay was so great was the owners, who really went out of their way to make us feel at home with fantastic food, helping us get to and from the piste, giving us great tips and generally being fantastic hosts. We'll definitely come here again if we're heading back to Madarao in the future.

Maybe we were lucky to share the pension with respectful guests, or maybe the rooms had better insulation than most places, but it was really quiet. The beds were old but comfortable and the hosts were very helpful. Breakfast and dinner were good, too!

The facilities are a bit dated and dusty. I wouldn’t have had an issue, but “mountain prices” are ridiculous this year: the basic room with shared toilet and baths was more expensive than a nice hotel room in central Osaka…

Overall it was a wonderful place to stay. The owners were warm, genuine and hospitable. The food was excellent. A neat and tidy place, that is good value for money. The ski area was easy to access because the owners dropped you off there every day.

Very friendly, family run pension. The staff are extremely friendly and inviting. It is very comfortable and the dinners and breakfasts are delicious, home-made Japanese dishes. Warm and good wifi. Excellent shared bathroom facilities plus a bathing area.

Distance from the centre of Madarao Kogen but this is reflected in the lower price of the property.

Toshi and Yoshi were an absolute pleasure to stay with. There accommodation and amenities were clean and homely. They were very accommodating providing us with breakfast each morning before driving us up the mountain to snowboard. There hospitality was second to none and I could not recommend any accommodation more. If you are looking to stay in Madarao, look no further then Madarao Elm Pension. Both hosts speak great English and provide many insights into the history of Madarao and surrounding towns while always providing 10/10 service. We are hoping to re-visit Madarao and will look no further then Yoshi and Toshi’s place. Thankyou again to Yoshi and Toshi. You made our trip much more memorable!!! We hope to see you again soon!

Yummy hot pot after a full day of skiing. Toshi and his wife were great host.

Probably the distance from the slope. Walking takes approx 20 mins. Most morning, Toshi kindly dropped me off to the slope.

Very relaxed location, staff were welcoming and helpful. Room was basic but would be excellent value for 2-3 people. Good meals.

Was a bit of a walk from the lifts and bars/restaurants but the owners gave you a lift to the mountain each day, so not a massive issue.