Kazeya

We stayed at this ryokan for two nights. One of the highlights is definitely the location — it’s very convenient for visiting Kamikōchi, which was one of the main reasons we chose it, and we highly recommend exploring the area. We also really enjoyed the traditional Japanese meals served during our stay; the food was delicious and a great way to experience authentic local cuisine. The private onsen was another highlight — peaceful and relaxing. The outdoor onsen was also enjoyable, until an unfortunate incident occurred: I stepped on a piece of glass while exiting the bath and injured my foot. I lost a fair amount of blood. While the staff apologized and offered us a scoop of ice cream at dinner, we felt this response was insufficient. A more serious and transparent apology, with an explanation of how it happened and what measures were being taken to prevent such incidents in the future, would have been more appropriate and responsible. There were also a few issues with cleanliness and maintenance. The traditional clothes provided in the room (typically worn during the stay) did not appear to be freshly washed. Our room’s blankets were ripped, and in the ryokan’s library, the couches were deteriorating, with pieces of fake leather peeling off, which gave the space a neglected feel. The staff were polite, though their attentiveness varied. Overall, while we appreciated the location, the meals, and the private onsen, the facility needs better upkeep and a much stronger approach to guest safety. With improvements, this ryokan could offer a truly memorable experience — but as it stands, it fell short in some important areas.

We got the Kaizeki dinner and it was one of the best meals of our lives. The whole experience was incredible and the onsens were amazing. The staff were so lovely and I could not have wished for a better experience. Only small point is if you don’t have a car, the nearest options for lunch are a 35-40 minute walk away, but it’s an incredible walk where we saw snow monkeys and eagles! I think they also have bikes you can rent but we didn’t do this.

This “4 star”  ryokan was the biggest disappointment of our trip. From the first impression to the last minute of checking out. The feeling of haunted house is always present. Dust balls, rotten boards in the onsen places, dirty old walls in the room, The furniture with chipped edges. On top of all that, the blankets were old, dirty and…ripped! The necessities provided were toothbrush, liquid soap and shampoo. In the closet were 4 hagers with yukata. Funny moment. Next day we saw the guy was washing his ryokan provided yukata. So the question is why it was hanging on the hanger instead of laying ironed and folded? No slippers, no socks provided  in the ‘No shoes ryokan’. The food is of low quality. Do not choose beef in any circumstances. If you see it and refuse to eat this garbage you will be charged anyway. Oh, breakfast. It is kinda local continental in size. We had a pouch of jam and a medallion of margarine to share for 2 people.

Kazeya Ryokan is an authentic traditional Ryokan. We have spent a wonderfull time enjoying the food served by the staff as well as the different onsens. I have seen some comments stating that is isn't clean or it has too many insects, but it isn't the case. Sure it is not perfect, but it is not what you should expect coming this far in the valley. If it's a classy and brand new Ryokan that you are looking for, I recommend looking at bigger cities like Tokyo or Osaka. If you want a traditional Ryokan experience, this is the one to choose. My wife and I would be happy to come back again.

The host was really kind and even speaks English pretty well. We also got lucky and had a private onsen in our room. The rotenburo was really pretty and you can also take the private onsen for free. Most of the floors are heated. There is a private rotenburo and indoor onsen. The food was also really nice. 10/10 experience.

Perfect little ryokan! Only suggestion would be for proper pillows, and new linen as it feels a little rundown. But the food and service and hotel as a whole was fabbbbbb :')

Had an amazing time here with my friends for a few days to explore the area in winter. The Ryokan is beautiful with really nice onsens and the breakfast and dinner was incredible- definitely recommend the Hida beef and they were very accommodating for my vegetarian friend. The staff are all very friendly. Highly recommend and hopefully I’ll be back one day:)

We had a wonderful time, in a beautiful japanese-style room. The staff were so helpful and friendly, and went above and beyond to accommodate us as vegetarians — although we had to compromise with dashi (fish stock). Make sure to notify them of this well in advance (we did 2 weeks before). The food, service, and accommodation were exceptional. It is located in a tiny village with no shops/restaurants, so be sure to stock up on snacks. The busses are hourly from a few minutes down the road, and are fairly easy to use. The valley it’s located in is beautiful. We only wish we could have stayed longer!