Blue Sky Guesthouse

We spent two nights here. At the front desk, the sign drew our attention to the noise from monkeys, but we did not encounter any. It's our first time experiencing the tatami, and we slept very well and comfortably for both nights. The food is nice, the host provides breakfast and dinner, and a toaster for your toast. Plus, there are washing machines, a vending machine, and two dryers. A lovely place to rest during the hike of Kumano Kodo.

Super guesthouse in the Hongu area! We had a long hike and arrived the guesthouse with everything clean, well explained even with private bathroom(very relaxing to have a bath after a full-day hike), room has a nice view and they provided everything we needed. We could even enjoy the breakfast at the room. Thank you the hosting :)

The guesthouse is located in a quiet part of the village but only a short walk away from the temple and the bus stop. The host is very friendly and speaks good English. The rooms are warm, specious and have a private toilet and shower. The room contains a very informative folder with everything you need to know about the area (both in Japanese and English). The dinner was really tasty but the breakfast was a bit disappointing as it was a plain American breakfast. Overall, it is a great place to stay that I would definitely recommend

This was, hands down, the best stay we have had in Japan. The host was incredibly kind and knowledgeable, the room was clean and comfortable, and the food was great. We pre-ordered dinner for our stay and also ate breakfast, both of which were delivered to our rooms at set times, making planning easy. My only regret is that we couldn't stay longer.

A great place to stay when visiting Hungocho Hongu! We arrived after a long hike on Kumano Kodo and stayed two nights. Lovley room and house! The owner was very kind and helpful - my partner has celiac disease (mentioned it when booking) and they arranged glutenfree breakfast for him. We really appriciate the kindness and effort. Many thanks!

Although booking a room was a bit challenging due to the website’s somewhat convoluted reservation process, I’m glad I persevered and eventually succeeded after a few tries. The house itself is exceptional, meticulously organized with great attention to detail. The host is incredibly knowledgeable about the trails and the local area, providing clear instructions in both Japanese and English. The property is a recent renovation that beautifully preserves the charm and style of a traditional Japanese house. The ensuite bathroom is a wonderful and rare addition, enhancing the overall experience.

I highly recommend this inn. The rooms are Japanese-style and very clean. There is a kettle, tea set, TV, and individual air conditioning. The bathroom and toilet are separate. There is shampoo, conditioner, and body shampoo in the bathroom. There is also one bath towel and one face towel. There are also cotton swabs and a hair dryer. As soon as you enter the room, there is a mat to put your backpack or heavy luggage that got wet in the rain. There are four trash cans, making it easy to separate garbage. In order to prevent infectious diseases that were prevalent a while ago, one of the trash cans is for used tissues. I think this is a sign that they put the guests first. The owner speaks very good English and is very kind and polite. Great hospitality. It is a small inn with a total of four rooms, but it has everything you need. The washing machine in the hallway is free, and only the dryer is charged. The kitchen is fully equipped, although it cannot be used during breakfast time because the owner prepares the breakfast that the guests have reserved. There is also a shared refrigerator. When using the refrigerator, you write your name on the contents. Other than that, most things are written in the notebook in the room. Wi-Fi usage instructions are also written on the cover of this notebook. This inn is about a 7-minute walk from Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine. It is a very quiet environment. There is a small supermarket, a ramen shop, and a sweets shop within walking distance. If you ask the owner, he will tell you about the regular holidays.

Stayed there for a night in September 2024 after hiking Kumano for two days. The rooms are clean and spotless. However, the rules are strict. We arrived at 2:30PM tired and had to wait outside until a 3:30PM or 4PM to check in. They did not seem to want to let anyone in regardless of whether a room was available or not. At 4PM it was a slow process to check in everyone that was waiting at the same time, further adding to the delay. We were already unhappy with that, but there was more to come. For the morning, we could only have breakfast at 8AM, but apparently we can’t also leave the guesthouse for a sunrise walk and a visit to the Hongu Taisha before 8AM for “your own security”. So essentially it’s a prison from nightfall until after breakfast. We insisted that we get out at 6:30AM for a walk and a visit to the temple and the host begrudgingly agreed to open the door at 6:30AM. Definitely the only poor stay experience in all of the three weeks we stayed in Japan. There are other more welcoming places in the area, I’m sure.