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About
4.5
#1 of 8 ryokans in Chikuma
Location
4.4
Cleanliness
4.7
Service
4.8
Value
4.7
Traditional ryokan featuring warm wood construction, gardens throughout, relaxing onsen baths and gourmet kaiseki meals. Two rooms have a private onsen bath and shower, and there is a family outdoor bath that can be reserved for private use (free for guests who spend multiple nights). Our chef's kaiseki-style dinner features our regional mountain cuisine and seasonal ingredients. Vegan / special dietary needs requests gladly accommodated. You can wear your yukata robe and use our wooden geta sandals to stroll around our onsen town, Togura Kamiyamada, and explore the many small shops and eateries. Our town also has geisha and we would be happy to arrange an interactive 30-min. geisha show. Cycling along the Chikuma River Bike Path and walking up to Arato-jo, the recreated hilltop fortress above our town, are popular activities. Centrally located to the best of Nagano, such as the Snow Monkeys, Matsumoto Castle, Hakuba, Alpine Route and Karuizawa. Our American owner is happy to share this corner of the Japanese countryside with you. Free pick-up at Togura Station.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
The inn has a classical atmosphere, but it seems to be well maintained, the courtyard until you go to the room is beautiful, and you can enjoy the hot springs and the open-air bath very well, so I think it is a very good inn. Freshly baked Seattle cookies handmade by the inn's owner, Tyler, were served as tea confectionery, and it was slightly warm, moist, soft and delicious. Breakfast was delicious with several kinds of elegant side dishes lined up little by little, and the soup stock of the clam soup in the bowl was also good.
I stayed at Chikuma on the way back from hunting apricots, but by chance the room name was "Apricot"! Apricot tree that bears fruit in the garden facing the room! It was a good memory. Thank you very much.
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Date of stay: June 2022
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Response from Tyler Lynch, Owner at Kamesei Ryokan
Responded Jul 10, 2022
Thank you for your stay, and for your kind words. Our town is famous for apricots. The nearby Mori Valley is covered in soft pink apricot blossoms in early April, and in late June / beginning of July the fruit is harvested. We named one of our guest rooms "Anzu", the Japanese word for apricots, and in its pocket garden we planted an apricot tree. Guests who stay in that room during harvest season can pick fruit in their own garden! We hope you can come back during blossom season -- that way you can enjoy both times of the year for apricots.
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We had a wonderful time -- can't say enough. The owner-hosts are warm and welcoming. Big, beautiful room with wonderful artwork and furnishings. We got the traditional dinner and breakfast, and massages, which were all well worth it. (One or two of the breakfast items do require some bravery.) And of course, the onsen!
We somehow got confused on our itinerary and //on the day we were supposed to arrive// I had to call to say we wouldn't arrive until the next day; they shifted our reservation at no charge, which was really cool of them to do. Be sure, while waiting for Tyler to pick you up at the train station, to go into the little coffee shop so the nice ladies there can practice their English on you.
This was our "unwind" time between Tokyo and Kyoto, and it was the perfect break. We only stayed one night but if we come to Japan again we will definitely book a longer stay.
P.S. If the next stops on your itinerary are to the southwest (toward Kyoto / Osaka) be sure to take the Limited Express Shinano train for its incomparable views.
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Date of stay: May 2019
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tyler-KameseiRyokan, Owner at Kamesei Ryokan
Responded Feb 10, 2020
Thank you for coming to Kamesei Ryokan, and for your kind review. We are grateful you enjoyed our hospitality, our traditional guest rooms, and our chef's culinary magic. Next time I see the ladies at the Togura Station coffee shop, I will mention your gratitude. Our onsen town Togura-Kamiyamada makes a great stop for between Tokyo and Kyoto / Osaka. As you mentioned the JR Ltd. Exp. "Shinano" between Nagano and Nagoya travels along the picturesque Kiso River Valley. It also passes through Matsumoto which has one of Japan's coolest castles and boasts outstanding views of the Japanese Alps, so we recommend stopping there along along the way. An alternative for people traveling with a JR Rail Pass is to take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Nagano to Kanazawa, then JR's Thunderbird to Kyoto / Osaka. That way you could stop in Kanazawa to see the beautiful Kenrokuen Garden. Either way, for people wanting to experience a stay in a quiet, traditional ryokan in between Tokyo and Kyoto / Osaka, we hope you consider our inn, Kamesei Ryokan.
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This place is a great family Ryokan there is both a public and private (outdoor) natural hot spring bath. The room we had this time had a separate bedroom, private bathroom and a lovely sitting area. The owners of this Ryokan, Tyler and Mari make everyone feel welcome and are fun people to talk to and focused on their customers having a positive experience.
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Date of stay: December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tyler-KameseiRyokan, Owner at Kamesei Ryokan
Responded Jan 13, 2020
Thank you for you coming back to Kamesei Ryokan. We are grateful you enjoyed our inn, the onsen baths, our relaxing guest room, and our hospitality. The guest room you mentioned is "Anzu", named after the anzu (apricot) tree we planted in its garden. Besides the 10-tatami mat size traditional room and sitting area, there is a bedroom with a raised platform that can accommodate up to 2 futons. It is our most spacious room. Also, for repeater-guests, we offer our private outdoor family bath for free. (Normally it is +2000 yen for 45 minutes.) We hope you can come and enjoy our quiet inn again someday.
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This was a very relaxing 3 day stay for our family of 5 to start our winter holiday in Japan. We arrived here straight from Narita airport at about 3am .Tyler was present himself to escort us to our rooms. We spent the next 3 days just relaxing, spending a lot of time in the inhouse onsens which were so nice and just recovered somewhat after a pretty demanding year. Day time was mostly spent just walking about the local area , taking in a few sites close by and eating out at a few places. We weren’t here long enough to see a lot of what Chikuma has to offer. Kamesei seemed to be very conveniently located to everything we needed ( convenience stores, pharmacy, ATM, and nice eating places ). Kamesei has retained its lovely architecture dating back to the day when it was a Geisha house ( about 100 years )with lots of lovely old timber features inside . A lot of trouble has been taken to retain its old world character and charm. Our room was very comfortable, the futons on the tatami floor were very comfortable to sleep on. The restaurant was nice serving us a fine Japanese meal with many dishes prepared by their chef. Tyler organised a Geisha show for us in an upstairs function room which became quite interactive and good fun enjoyed by all of us; recommended. I had organised this stay about a year ago and the itinerary underwent a number of changes by email and phone with Tyler showing remarkable patience with my multiple changes. Tyler and Mari are excellent, kind and thoughtful hosts who were very helpful before we arrived, and also whilst we were there. Our short stay was a memorable one and we would like to stay at Kamesei again when we return to Japan.
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tyler Lynch, Owner at Kamesei Ryokan
Responded Jan 8, 2023
Thank you for choosing Kamesei Ryokan as your family's hot spring inn experience on your way to Hakuba. Your curiosity about small town life here in the Japanese countryside made it a pleasure to host you. The 30-Minute Geisha Show is a great example. For 22,000 yen, we can arrange for our town's veteran shamisen player and one of the "tachikata" dancers for a very entertaining and -- as you mention -- interactive show. It starts out with the geisha performing a couple of dances, then they teach the guests how to do a dance and we all get in a circle and do the dance. Then it finishes with a geisha drinking game. It all makes for an unforgettable experience. We are also grateful you appreciated our inn's traditional construction. Modern buildings have a lot of conveniences, but old buildings tend to have more charm, hopefully enough to justify the drafty corridor across the central garden. Thank you again for your stay, and we hope to see you again someday.
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My wife and I visited Japan for our honeymoon in May this year and the thing we were looking forward to the most was Kamesei Ryokan - we were not disappointed!
Tyler and his wife were the most courteous hosts imaginable, going as far as picking us up from the train station and even taking us to a shrine for newly-weds nearby (if you ever go, you will see why!).
We chose to pay for a room with a private bath and it was simply unreal. Whilst some of the dishes were an acquired taste, the food was excellent and we both agreed this was easily the highlight of our trip!
ありがとうございました。来年また会いましょうと思います。
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tyler Lynch, Owner at Kamesei Ryokan
Responded Sep 3, 2023
We were honored you chose Kamesei Ryokan for your honeymoon, and are delighted we were able to provide good memories for your stay. We recently updated two of our guest rooms with private outdoor onsen bath, perfect for guests looking forward for a special stay. Thank you again for coming and we wish the best for the two of you!
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Thank you Tyler and Mari for the most wonderful stay at your beautiful Ryokan. Your kindness and care made our family trip so special. From our initial communications before we arrived, until you kindly took us back to the train station and waved us Goodbye, you made us feel like family, not simply guests.
The beautiful ryokan is so authentic, with pretty Japanese gardens everywhere you look, as you wander through the glass corridors. The large reception area has a gorgeous wood burner giving out warmth and the comforting & beautiful smell of fresh burning wood. We loved our large tatami room and comfortable futons and the Onsen facilities are wonderful. The Japanese dinner and breakfast exceeded anything we could have imagined! A feast in itself for the eyes before .. and then eating and enjoying it ! An exceptional dining experience made from local produce, which we and the other guests enjoyed in the traditional dining room, wearing our Yukatas that they provide when you check In. This is traditional Japanese Onsen town style if you wish to partake and you can trot out & about around the town after dinner in your Yukatas too if you wish too.. which we did. The unspoiled & beautiful area of Togura Kamiyamada is very flat, so perfect for long walking & bicycle riding , nestled beautifully between mountains with the beautiful Chikuma river running through. Lots of little bars & restaurants all within a few minutes walking distance. The local owners of the shops , bars & restaurants are so friendly here & very welcoming. Our Japanese is poor and there’s not much English spoken here by anyone (other than Tyler & Mari who are fluent ) BUT that was actually fun & never a problem. With a little help from Google translate we managed to make ourselves understood with a lot of laughs for us & the locals :) We even went to the nearby post office to send Granny a postcard & they were so friendly & helpful too, with the postmaster gifting us a little Japanese post box money box, stickers & a notebook for our daughter to take home ! Last but not least … THE COOKIES !!! The freshly baked home made cookies which are Tyler’s secret family recipe are delicious on arrival and a thoughtful touch. We could go on & on … In fact if you read all of the other reviews here ..it’s basically everyone saying similar & more fantastic things about Kamesei Ryokan & this wonderful place!
Thank you again Tyler & Mari so much for making our stay truly Exceptional and memorable and we hope to see you again next time we return to Japan. The Scott family
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:No clothes to be worn in Onsens … no swimwear. This is how it’s done.
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Response from Tyler Lynch, Owner at Kamesei Ryokan
Responded Apr 13, 2024
Thank you for coming back to Onsen Town Togura-Kamiyamada and choosing our inn, Kamesei Ryokan, to treat your family to an authentic ryokan experience. It sounds like our town is close to your heart, and we were happy to play a role in making some new memories for your family. Our town is definitely off the regular beaten path for most foreign visitors, but with a little bit of effort to go out and explore the town, fantastic experiences await. We hope you can come back again someday!
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Exceptional hosts and a beautifully presented Ryokan. With a warm welcome, and freshly baked cookies, our host prepared & shared tea after introducing us to the many facilities of the ryokan and preparing our room. Tyler & Marie made our three day stay one of the peak experiences of our three week holiday. Tyler’s walking tour was engaging & informative - meeting many locals & sampling their wares. Kamesei Ryokan’s chef, of many decades, is to be complemented for the colourful & delicious presentation of local, seasonal produce - dinner & breakfast packages are highly recommended. The baths are wonderful!
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Date of stay: November 2022
Value
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Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tyler Lynch, Owner at Kamesei Ryokan
Responded Nov 25, 2022
Thank you for coming and relaxing at our onsen inn, Kamesei Ryokan. We are grateful you enjoyed our hospitality as well as our chef's culinary magic and Kamiyamada's hot spring mineral water. Thank you also for joining our Zukudashi Eco Tours walking tour or our onsen town Togura-Kamiyamada. I think our tour is a great way to get below the surface of the town and to know some of the inspiring stories of the locals. If you ever get another chance to come to Nagano, we would love to see you again!
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I took my daughter on a father/daughter trip tp Japan for 10 days. She was born there but had no memories so this was her time to learn and experience the country where she was born. Most of our trip was in Tokyo and I was looking for a place in the country where she could experience the real Japan. A friend of mine recommended Kamesei Ryokan and it fit the bill perfectly. The inn is wonderful in its old world design, from the large tatami rooms, to the wandering hallways and of course the onsen. Tyler and Mari will put you at ease and ensure you a memorable time. If you need a getaway from the city or a place to just relax and smile, this is it
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tyler Lynch, Owner at Kamesei Ryokan
Responded Sep 3, 2023
Sounds like our inn was the perfect place for the two of you to take a vacation from your vacation. That's what is great about staying at a traditional inn like ours -- you get an authentic ryokan experience along with indulging in the relaxing ambience and getting away from the rush and concrete of Tokyo. We hope you can come again someday!
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Despite a late arrival at Kamesei Ryokan, Mari and Tyler had our room ready for us and checking in was a breeze. Located in a quiet town, we had a peaceful nights sleep and woke the next morning to enjoy a beautiful Japanese breakfast. Our hosts gave us several good tips to occupy our 5 days stay. The suggestion to hire a car for a day and drive a little further afield was brilliant. We ordered the in house dinner on our final night and were not disappointed. It was delicious! The complimentary use of the private onsen (because of our multiple night stay) was a nice surprise and we made use of it on a couple of occasions. Tyler also very kindly transported us to some local destinations as needed (my wife had a broken foot) and also to collect our rental car. We would love to see this onsen town covered in snow and would definitely be staying at Kamesei Ryokan again.
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Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tyler Lynch, Owner at Kamesei Ryokan
Responded Apr 22, 2024
Thank you for making Kamesei Ryokan your base for exploring Nagano. We are grateful you enjoyed our hospitality, our onsen baths (sounds like our family outdoor bath was a hit!), and our chef's kaiseki-style dinner. We certainly hope you can come again and enjoy Nagano during what we call the "white season".
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Tyler and Mari are warm and welcoming hosts. There are numerous Onsen Pools in the guest house that can be enjoyed, as the town is fed from a natural hot spring. Tyler, after living in Japan for so long has a vast knowledge of things Japanese and also of the local area day trips such as to the Togakushi Shrine -400 year old cedar tree walk. It was nice to come back to relax in the hot bath at Kamesei after a day walking in the seasons first snow fall as we walked amongst the trees. When an apple farm shop we wanted to visit wasn't attended Tyler was quick on the phone to locate the farmer in the apply orchard to come back to serve us. Everybody in town knows Tyler!
If anything we wished we had stayed more than 3 nights, to appreciate the Ryokens facilities whilst at the same time doing the numerous day trips in the Nagano area. Tyler was prompt in answering all my email questions and provides free pick ups ( if he is available) from the train stations/s (serviced by 2 different train lines). We had fun frightening Tyler about Australian things that bite & also the questionable habits of Australian Yobbo culture. Kamesei is highly recommended for a relaxing stay
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Date of stay: November 2022
Value
Location
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tyler Lynch, Owner at Kamesei Ryokan
Responded Nov 25, 2022
We always appreciate hosting guests that are curious about Japan and want to experience as much as they can of the countryside here in Nagano, and you certainly fit that bill. Thank you for finding us and for letting Kamesei Ryokan be your window into our onsen town, Togura-Kamiyamada. By the way, the apple orchardist and I play the flute for our town's shishi lion troupe so we're good buddies. Maybe next time you come you can time it for one of our local festivals so you can see us do the lion dance. Until Then!
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Thank you for your inquiry, and your reservation. Our onsen baths are tattoo-friendly. For guests that are concerned, we also have a family bath that can be reserved for private use.
So you and your tattoos are welcome here at Kamesei Ryokan.
Jan-san,
Thank you for your message and for your reservation. We look forward to meeting you.
Access from Kanazawa via train assuming you would be using a JR Rail Pass would be to take the Shinkansen bullet train to Nagano, transfer to the Shinano Railway bound for Ueda / Komoro / Karuizawa to Togura. We provide free pick-up at Togura Station.
For traveling on to Tokyo, from Togura Station you could take the Shinano Railway to Ueda then the Shinkansen to Tokyo. Alternatively, you could take the Shinano Railway back to Nagano, then on to Tokyo (more frequent Shinkansen service that way).
I sent you a welcome e-mail with our tel# for contacting us upon arrival at Togura. There is a pay phone out front of the station -- you can simply put in 10 yen and dial.
If any other questions, please let us know.
Otherwise, we wish you a safe trip here in October.
Best Regards,
Tyler / Kamesei
Ginger-san, Yes -- babies are welcome here at Kamesei Ryokan. We have a 'baby bath' so you can mix the onsen water with shower water for a suitable temperature, and as someone else mentioned we have a family bath that can be used for private use. For guests that spend multiple nights we offer it for free. Also, we have guestrooms with no other rooms adjacent, so you wouldn't have to worry about disturbing others in the middle of the night. We look forward to meeting you and your baby.
Thank you for your inquiry regarding Kamesei Ryokan. We provide free shuttle service to/from Togura Station which is 25 minutes from Nagano Station. From Nagano Station, it is a 2km walk or bus ride to Zenkoji Temple. Other popular side trips include the Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park (aka "Snow Monkeys"), 45 min. bus to the trailhead, and Togakushi for the gigantic cedar trees lining the path to the Inner Shrine as well the Ninja center, 1 hour by bus.
We can also provide shuttle service for Obasute Station which is a 45 minute train ride from Matsumoto for seeing the castle there.
Alternatively, from Obasute S.A. on the Nagano Expressway, it is possible to take a bus to Kamikochi in the Japanese Alps for the day.
So we are centrally located to many great locations in Nagano.
If you have any other questions, feel free ask.
Best Regards,
Tyler Lynch / Kamesei Ryokan
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Which popular attractions are close to Kamesei Ryokan?
Nearby attractions include Nishizawa Museum of Piggy Banks (0.2 miles), Shinshu Taishokan (0.1 miles), and Chikuma Kamiyamada Culture Hall (0.1 miles).
