A special and warm place, nice room and friendly host, you can feel another life style here. 1. Have shuttle bus to station. 2.Breakfast JPY 500/ person. 3. You can stay in living room and there is a bar if you wanna have some alcohol. 4. A cute cat there. 5. All wooden and warm inside. It’s a nice place that you have to stay.

A wonderfully not too remote location for an inn nestled in a mountain valley with a superb view. Much effort has been put in place to convert this old farmhouse into a delightful inn. The views outside are amazing and the interiors are so well designed that you will be curious to look at every corner of the place. There's a play and read corner for kids with ample toys to keep them entertained. Washing machine and tub bath costs extra but not too hefty. Due to the large space, there are quite a bit of overgrown weed around the pond which I thought will be a nice project for the owner to convert into a small zen garden. The inn cat can be rather wild and no nonsense 😆

Fantastic place, that looks even better than the photos. The transportation from/too Nagiso station was provided by the staff and was a wonderful, brief scenic drive to an incredible location. We stayed here in summer for one night to relax whilst making our way between cities. The staff were very helpful and offered wonderful dinner, drinks and breakfast services that incorporated home grown produce. The homemade plum wine and local sake tasting flights at the bar were very enjoyable and informative. A highlight of our trip so far.

Great place to stay! Friendly staff and it’s also one of the best places in Japan to see the stars at night. Sawara-chan the resident cat is lovely!

This place is fantastic, really they need a 6th star! The hosts are friendly and welcoming speaking both Japanese and English, the building is beautiful and a great place to relax and chat after a day seeing the sights. It is a mix of a Ryokan and hostel taking elements from both. There are shared bathroom facilities which are well maintained and a kitchen guests can use. They serve food and beverages at reasonable prices though so you probably won't be bothered! We came by car but they do offer a shuttle service to the station. Our group loved staying here and we would come back if in this area again.

My partner and I stayed for 2 nights in one of the private rooms with our own shower. The location was perfect, Hiro and Rei did a great job at converting a 19th century farmhouse into a comfortable, rustic, unique mountain inn. We slept on the tatami floor but we were comfortable. We also ate dinner and breakfast on site, you get the best view from the balcony. Sawara the 8yo resident tabby cat is quite the character. The sake tasting was fun. The staff were all great and very helpful too. Thank you Team Yui-An! We loved our stay.

Very good stay! Would highly recommend to anyone!! Service and hospitality was great, they picked us up from the station and sent us in the right direction when we left for our hike. They gave us recommendations and had good conversations. Food was good, I like curry so that was a winner, maybe could have added some mango chutney (just a thought). beers were good in the evening as well! Breakfast was simple but all I really needed, egg, bread, cheese, yoghurt, very European. The facility was very nice, a mix of modern and traditional Japanese. It had a calm environment and had a very cosy feel to it. It is a very clean place, the only thing I think they can improve was the bathing area and shared toilets. The place is on top of a hill in a beautiful location with views everywhere! Overall you are getting a very high quality stay for a great price!! A must stay if your in the area!!

We stayed here for two nights in December. It is the most beautifully renovated traditional farmhouse - it feels like you could just sit here and read all day. They offer local sake, home made umeshu (plum wine), a continental breakfast and dinner (just need to book in advance). The owner, his wife, and the other member of staff are extremely caring and obliging. Don't be put off by the distance from Nagiso station! Hostel Yui-An staff will pick you up/drop you off at the station, and actually the distance means it is exceptionally quiet and has good views. If you want a lovely experience while in Kiso valley, I highly recommend this hostel.

Loved our stay at Yui-an hostel! The place is crazy beautiful; a renovated farm with a beautiful interior full of books and art. The hospitality was great with shuttle bus service and kind people. The curry for diner and the breakfast were both very nice, and I especially recommend the sake tasting! Included super good sakes from the area. Location is remote but a beautiful one, and with the shuttle bus service from Nagiso station doable! Suitable for the Magome-Tsumago part of the Nakasendo trail.

If I could give more than 5 stars - I would. This place is wonderful in so many ways - I am not sure where to begin. The owners are superfriendly and caring - for their guests as well as for the house. It is an old farmhouse that has been renovated by the owners - and the woodwork looks amazing. There is a lot of thought for detail: from the handmade coffee cups at breakfast, to the tiny bed stove you get before going to sleep. And a lot of homemade food - like homemade yoghurt in the morning, or a homemade plum liquor (highly recommended!!). You can get a vegan meal in the evening too. There is a bar next to the kitchen where you can talk to the owners and other guests. We had a great time chatting around - and yes: part of that is being lucky with friendly other guests but I strongly believe the atmosphere really sets the groundwork for this. Like eating on the bar together instead of at different tables. So highly recommended for solo travelers too! The view in the morning over the mountains is beautiful - warm your hands in autumn on some hot coffee and just see the clouds move over the mountains revealing the sun. I feel I am failing to describe the calmness, warmth and beauty this place has to offer. You should really check this out in real life!! For people who are smell sensitive: I found this place perfectly clean - and very pleasant. If you are sound sensitive: please note that there is some big kitchen equipment like fridges and freezers that give a hum. I could handle it during the day, but in the room behind the kitchen the hum is quite present. This is the room with private bathroom. The other two rooms and the 'dormitory' are superquiet from what I experienced. So ask for this when booking 😊 There is a cat too! All in all I wouldnt have wanted to miss this place - it has been one of the best I encountered on all of my travels. ❤️

Only stayed one night but was our best in Japan so far. Cosy and comfortable old restored farmhouse. We booked the private room so had our own shower. The staff here were all delightful and helpful. Wish we had been able to stay longer. Loved it

Very nice hostel in the middle of the Japanese Alps. Friendly owner who will pick you up at Nagiso trainstation. Decent western style breakfast. Green surroundings.

We really enjoyed our stay here. The hostel is really nicely decorated and has a cosy feeling. It would be fantastic to be here sitting around the wood fire in winter. Facilities, people, food were all very nice. I would love to return. Thanks! 🙏

The location is so surreal that you would forget all the hustle and bustle in the city. The hostel owners and staff are all very hospitable and helpful. We really enjoyed every moment staying here.

Unbelievable accommodation with wonderful hosts. Amazing views. Great food. We stayed 2 nights and took it nice and slow.

We stayed a night in this beautiful 200 year old renovated farmhouse and were warmly taken care of by the owners and their staff. The house itself is fascinating, and the renovation has kept the charm of the building alive. The staff all speak much better English than I speak Japanese, and they were patient with my attempts. The dinner options are 2 types of curry and a vegan stew. We had the chicken and pork curries and both were delicious. The breakfast also included homemade yoghurt which was really good. During the pandemic, the owners had to pivot to making some craft items including indigo dyeing. These are really beautiful and you can buy them. The deck out the back has an incredible view of the valley, and you could easily while away some hours there enjoying a glass of home made umeshu. There’s a kitchen for those who want to self-cater, so it’s probably a good option for vegans as there’s a vegan dinner option. The cedar bath was also lovely. I hope we can return!

Best hostel I’ve ever stayed! The vegan meal was so tasty and great value for money. The breakfast was also good value. Amazing scenery and a lovely cat. I got a dorm room but it still felt private which was nice. As you can see from the photos it was a beautiful building. The staff were really nice and when I was in a sticky situation and had to stay another night, they were really helpful. Definitely want to come back one day.

What a dream experience. Service and hospitality were excellent. Shuttles to and from the station multiple times a day made it easy to get to and easy to explore the area. We traveled here with our 18 month old daughter and it was perfect. It is a beautiful home with all the amenities you need set and an idyllic setting. A true Japanese country side experience we won't forget.

Absolute hidden gem and a must stay for anyone traveling around Tsumago-Nagiso. The staff are lovely and the hostel itself is incredible.

what a beautiful place! so thoughtfully designed and homey. they have a beautiful organ i got to play as well as many books, a warm wood-burning fire stove to warm up by, a porch to look out on the mountains and have a smoke, a wonderful curry dinner, and a dog and chickens to check out in the AM. And they provide a free ride to and from the train station.

My partner and I were just reminiscing our stay here back in June so I had to give a review. The curry for supper was probably my favourite meal on our trip, and the homemade umeshu plum wine was equally delicious. The location is gorgeous with a great view... And the hike along the portion of the Nakasendo nearby was a great experience. A real retreat, highly recommended!

You have to know what to expect; this is an old farm building converted to a hostel. With that understood, this is a lovely place to stay. The people are very friendly and the accommodation is simple, but good. There is a kitchen for cooking your own and hot and cold running water. A large social space heated by a stove and plenty of small heaters for local heating. We were there under the roof in a subdivided shared space with the rain coming down all night. It felt very cosy under the blanket.

This place is beautiful and we would highly recommend staying here. It is on the Nakasendo Way and surrounded in lovely countryside. The couple that own and run the place are great hosts, very kind, humble and helpful and they run a wonderful hostel/guesthouse. The house is stunning, by far the best dorm room we have ever stayed in. You can tell the love and care that went into the renovations of this beautiful old building. The food is so fresh and delicious. Great value for money and immaculately clean. If we are ever lucky enough to come back to Japan we will definitely come back to Yui-An.

Such a nice spot! I only wish I had booked two nights, since it took quite a while to get here from Tokyo. Their shuttle does not run on-demand, so be prepared to wait at Nagiso station or take a taxi for around 1,500 yen. The hostel staff are very friendly and helpful. There's a nice view of the valley from the porch. The rooms are separated with hanging sheets, so don't expect absolute privacy and quiet. But this is a nice step up from a typical dormitory-style hostel. It was also a great place to escape the heat. Dinner was nice, especially with some sake. Breakfast is also good, but could be more substantial. If you stay in the area, make sure to walk the Nakasendo trail from Magomejuku!

Hostel Yui-an is a special place. My husband and I stayed for 2 nights in December while traveling throughout Nagano, and we're so happy we did so. We were welcomed with such warmth from the owners and staff, and we really enjoyed getting to know them. It's an old, traditional, historic building tucked away in the mystical mountains and it's been beautifully renovated with such vision, creativity, and skill. I was in awe of the architecture and details within the building. My husband and I were very comfortable and cozy in our private room, I LOVED soaking in the Japanese soaking tub both nights, and nothing could beat waking up with a delicious cup of coffee and peering out onto the mountain landscape in the morning. Dinner was unbelievably delicious and fresh and I enjoyed drinking their homemade plum wine! Yum! We enjoyed learning about how they farm on their land, we met their chickens and ate the freshest eggs ever, and we even saw how they have started an indigo dying business... Wow! We even asked where they purchase the pottery they use for tableware because we were so impressed by the beauty of it. Hostel Yui-an has the most relaxing, peaceful, and inviting feel... It's a place we could easily stay for a while and absorb the natural wonder of the Kiso Valley. Thank you so much for our outstanding stay!