Chuoukan Shimizuya Ryokan

What a wonderful ryokan! My husband and I stayed here recently for one night on our anniversary trip and had a lovely time. We booked room 8, which is the only room with it's own private bathroom. Neither of us speak very much Japanese, but the couple who runs the inn were incredibly kind and managed to communicate to us everything we needed to know. It was my first time staying in a ryokan, so there were some customs I wasn't familiar with, but they made my husband and I feel right at home and were able to explain everything very well despite the language barrier. The building itself is beautiful, the futons are nice and cozy, and the kimono robes and green tea in the room were such a nice treat. We found the location ideal for walking, but if you have lots of bags it may be difficult from Nagano station and the stairs in the inn are very steep. When we woke up the next day, the landlady made us one of the best breakfasts I've ever eaten, she is an amazing cook. The price is very reasonable for everything you get. We will definitely stay here whenever we are in Japan!

I stayed here with my friend for 5 days and we had a great experience. We checked in late but the elderly couple owners checked us in anyway and told us the rules and showed us the Ryokan. They clean the rooms, let you pay at check out, has free water dispenser, communal bath with times to enter, washer but no dryer, WiFi (hit or miss), free pj yukatas, and it’s in the center of Nagano town with lots of shops and places to eat. The only thing I would say is that it’s a bit of a walk from Nagano Station. But other than that, the elderly couple do such a wonderful job taking care of us! ❤️❤️ 10/10 would stay again! Stay here if you want to go back in time!

The owners are lovely, the rooms are perfect, and the baths will heal you. A wonderful and interesting old inn. Must stay if you are in Shinshu.

Staying at this ryokan was one of those experiences I would recommend to anyone visiting Nagano. The owners were incredibly kind and immediately offered to help us (despite the language barrier) when we had an issue with our reservation on Booking. It truly feels like stepping into a Miyazaki movie—such a beautiful and traditional place, with gender-separated baths inside that resemble an onsen. The location is perfect for visiting Zenkoji Temple, and nearby there's also Arteria, a bakery famous for its delicious melonpan. Truly a unique experience! We stayed in February, and although it was very snowy and cold outside, the staff gave us yukatas and had already turned on the heater in our room before we arrived—it was perfectly warm and cozy inside.

We stayed here for 2 nights because we wanted to experience a Ryokan and this place was perfect. Great location and paid parking across the street. The couple that run this place could not be nicer. They do not speak English and we don’t speak Japanese but we managed to communicate. We had a room that had its own bathroom and shower. Very comfortable and spacious. The Onsen is small, but clean. Robes for the Onsen came with the room. Hot water for tea is available. Our room was warm, but the main areas and halls are on the cool side. There is also a washer a dryer for use , for a fee.|We loved staying here.

Worst Ryokan we‘ve been to - extremely rude hosts that made fun of us when we arrived, no working Wifi, dirty kettles, Onsen not as clean and nice as expected. Would not come here again.

Absolutely amazing experience! This inn is a gem—run by the sweetest older couple who truly go above and beyond to make your stay unforgettable. The rooms are spotless, cozy, and beautifully maintained, giving the whole place a warm, nostalgic charm that feels like stepping back in time. Every detail here feels lovingly tended to, making it one of the cleanest and most welcoming places we’ve stayed. I’d give it more than five stars if I could! It deserves all the praise, and I hope people appreciate the unique, wonderful atmosphere the owners have created.

I had the best stay at Chuoukan Shimizuya! I’ve been traveling alone but the two grandparents that run the place are so kind and always available for any problem or question I had. They don’t speak English but with my broken Japanese and their broken English we could in the end manage to communicate well! They would always arrive at the door whenever I arrived or had to leave to wish me a good day or welcome me back home. Overall two very kind people. The house is very well kept in my opinion, some parts are old but very well kept and super clean and spotless. The room had a door on the outside that locks so you don’t have to worry about there being only sliding doors. Once you enter the door that locks, there is a small sink and area where to leave your slippers, and then you can open the sliding doors where there is the tatami floors so to not bring the slippers on the tatami. The room was extremely well kept and clean! They gave a new hot water bottle to have tea every day with new cups, tea bags and pot. Fresh towels and yukata every day. Just outside the room there is a small room just for the toilet, then downstairs there is two separate bath areas for women and men. The bath area is where the showers also are, bear in mind it’s an onsen type of bath area therefore there is no private showers. However, there is a lock on the onsen door, therefore if it’s not too crowded you can always lock the door while you shower quickly! As the shower room is cleaned after check out, the bathing times are only in the morning before 10am and then in the late afternoon and evening, to allow them to clean the onsen and showers, which I really appreciated because it was always extremely clean and hygienic, which is something I really look for in every place I stay at. Finally the futon was very comfortable and it didn’t feel hard at all. Nearby there are plenty of restaurants and convenience stores, and the famous Zenkoji temple is literally a 5 minute walk, and overall the neighborhood is very peaceful and quiet, I slept very well! It is also not that far from the train station, about a 20 minute walk or 6/7 minutes with the buses, that you can take from the train station for roughly ¥160 (they only accept cash or the local ic cards, so suica doesn’t work on these buses). I genuinely have no complaints at all and encourage anyone who would like to feel a bit at home and experience a traditional Japanese style house to come here! 😊