Welcome to Minshuku Shimada. This minshuku is located in a small traditional town on the Nakasendo trail. It is located close to the train station so you will be able to find it easily, and even if you can't the locals are more that willing to help. The minshuku has a very traditional look and the whole town looks like it is still in the Edo period. It has 10 rooms none of which includes a private bathroom. Your stay comes with a delicious dinner and breakfast featuring fish from the river vegetables from the mountains that surround the town.

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Ryokan Reviews:

• Best Ryokan experience

  Evert

  Date of Review: April, 2020

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer: Netherlands

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Our visit to the Minshuku Shimada was wonderful in all ways. When we arrived, the owner was not present. The helpful neighbour let us in so we could put our luggage inside and have a walk through the beautiful little city of Narai. Although Narai is small, it offers a great experience of a small authentic Japanese village. Upon our return to the ryokan, the owner had arrived and placed all our luggage in the room, turned on the heater (as it was chilly outside) and provided us with tea and cookies. We felt very welcomed. The owners speak a little English, nevertheless they really try their best to help you in any way they can. Google translate can otherwise help a lot! The evening and morning diner experience was amazing, albeit being at fixed times. I would recommend anyone to make use of the diner service as you will get a wide variety of Japanese dishes. We at some point even thought it was never ending, as the owner kept on bringing the nicest small dishes with superb fish and meat. If you have diet wishes, please mention them beforehand and they will keen those in mind! After diner, a walk and using the onsen, we returned to our room for the night. At first it might seem to be really cold, as we turned of the gas heater (due to CO). However the blankets are like thermal heaters themselves. We all woke up super hot and happy after a good night sleep to identify that the room temperature dropped to a staggering 8 degrees. I don't know where they got those blankets, but I want one! After the breakfast the owners took some time to talk to us, which made our stay more personal. They helped us to plan our day and gave us flyers of Matsumoto castle and an explanation on how we could travel there. As we went hiking they even gave us a bell to scare away the bears. As we had to cut our stay short due to the corona crisis in our home country, the owner only charged us for the days we where actually there, and not the full stay, which was the only positive part of the otherwise sad story that we where forced to go home earlier. If I would ever come back to Japan, I will certainly go back to this Ryokan and I would recommend it to everyone!

• Welcoming and truly authentic

  Susan

  Date of Review: February, 2020

  Month of Visit: February

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  This was the most authentic ryokan of our 3 week visit. Others had all the same ingredients you come to expect but were modern and the interactions more ‘hotel-like’. The host was delightful and so helpful and though we hardly saw his wife her cooking was amazing. There was a local, family feel. It had recently snowed and the building was cold but the rooms we used were well heated and the bedding very warm. There were hardly any other westerners about at this time of year and we felt like we had stepped back in time. We saw no one during our walk over the snow covered Torii Pass which is definitely worth doing. There was a fabulous temple just over the ridge and it was an easy train ride back from the next town in plenty of time for dinner. Our host lent us his walking sticks and bear bell! (They were hibernating anyway). Highly recommend this adventure off the beaten track.

• Small but perfectly formed

  Teresa

  Date of Review: November, 2019

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: UK

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  If you are looking for something small, quiet, off the beaten track, fantastic food, lovingly cared for and more authentic than most then you have come to the right place. If you want something more commercial and primped then look elsewhere. Personally this place and service was spot on for us, the village of Narai is away from the commercialism of Tsumago etc, but it does have a couple of small stores and the locals are very friendly. Surrounded by the mountains it feels cool and a world away from the big cities. The minshuku itself is a beautifully kept (restored?) wooden building, the owners are friendly and the food is fabulous, lots of local and interesting ingredients. I loved Japan, its culture and history and this little spot was one of my favourites

• Lovely minshuku in Narai

  Sue

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: Japan

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 4

  We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Minshuku Shimada. The hosts were warm and hospitable, the food was delicious and plentiful. It is central and easily located. We were given two rooms at the front of the building (up some steep steps) because the back was occupied by more than 30 children in town for a sports contest. Sounded ominous, but it was managed expertly and we had no problems.

• Wonderful Stay

  Fitti

  Month of Visit: September

  Country Of Reviewer: Indonesia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Narai is a beautiful and quiet place, just exactly of my favorite vacation spot. Three of my friends and I had an overnight stay. We had a wonderful experience with the minshuku. The house is traditional beautiful. We arrived at night just right at dinner time. I speak Japanese a bit, so we had a fun chat with Shimada Okami. Okami-san gave us 2 rooms and extra time for ofuro. The rooms are big enough for 2 persons. We love the futons and the bean pillows. The temperature in mid September is around 16 Celsius degrees at night, the minshuku only provides electrical fan. I don't acknowledge how it is in summer time. There are a shared ofuro to use individually, and 2 cubicles at female toilet. Both dinner and breakfast were superb! I love the tsukemono/pickles and the miso soup! Best taste ever! This is definitely a place I highly recommend to stay. I'd love to stay here again for more days! Shimada Okami-san is a very lovely and friendly person, please stay healthy so we can meet again next time! どうぞお元気で!

• Beautiful traditional home in Narai

  Belinda

  Date of Review: September, 2019

  Month of Visit: September

  Country Of Reviewer: Japan

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  My husband and 11 year old son hiked for three days on the Nakasendo trail, through maple forests and cedar lined stone paths to find our Minshiku Shimada waiting. This was our favourite ryokan in Japan. We rested here for two days and could have stayed a lifetime. The room looked out into the street, it was clean and warm, everything was perfect. We felt less like guests and more so a part of the family, the owners were so kind and accomodating. The futon was fluffy, clean and warm. Dinner and breakfast is highly recommended, there was so much food and it was absolutely beautiful. The bath is warm and deep and cured my hiking aches and pains and was also private as I could simply lock the door behind me. Overall everything was absolutely beautiful, I would stay here every time and highly recommend it, we were so sad to leave. We hope we can return soon. Hints for fellow travellers: walk form yabuhara station, through the tori pass and into narai, a magnificent walk you will never forget. Basic good fitness will get you through. Ask for the front room looking out into the street and watch the town from your bedroom window. Wake up early morning for empty quiet streets and watch this beautiful town and it’s beautiful people come to life. After dinner, take a stroll through the lantern lit street. A magical experience. Learn some basic language before you go, it will enrich your experience. Narai locals have some incredibly beautiful stories to give.

• Wonderfull stay and delicious food!

  Jo

  Date of Review: September, 2019

  Month of Visit: September

  Country Of Reviewer: New Zealand

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We had walked from Yabuhara sta. to Narai via the Tori Pass a beautiful walk for those interested and only took about 2.5 hours. The Ryokan was fantastic we had a lovely room that overlooked the stunning street and an ajoining lounge room to relax and drink tea. The food was an absolute stand out for us, we had been in Japan for two weeks and by far was the best authentic food we had. Simply delicious! Our hosts were so kind and made feel so welcome. They had fabulous suggestions for us of what to see during our stay. Thank you so much and we will be sure to come back to stay on the next trip!

• Delicious dinner and breakfast

  Tina

  Month of Visit: September

  Country Of Reviewer: Germany

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We highly recommend this Ryokan for an overnight stay. Our room was authentic. Sleeping on tatami mats was really comfortable. We enjoyed the fresh and lovingly prepared food.

• Old simple traditional ryokan. Excellent food.

  Dowrai

  Month of Visit: June

  Country Of Reviewer: Thailand

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 3

  The ryokan is quiet old with basic amenities. All rooms are on the second floor through a narrow staircase, hint, don’t bring big luggages. Our room was quite small comparing to other rooms next door, so it’s a bit cramp. Amenities in the room was very minimal. But the food they served for both dinner & breakfast were excellent - best part of this stay! My personal opinion, Narai is a very quiet town. The not-so-nice part is cars are allowed to run through the city at all time. If you have gone to Magome & Tsumago already, you can skip this town easily.

• Warm and homely minshuku with absolutely delicious food

  Sanaya

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  It was such a delight to stay at Minshuku Shimada while we were in Narai. It is perfectly located in the centre of this historical town, and close to the train station. The hosts at Shimada were warm and kind and made us feel right at home from the minute we arrived after walking the trail that day. Our room was big and spacious and the beds were really comfortable. Yet the highlight of this stay had to be the food. Make sure you are hungry because it was a feast and every dish was delicious. Some of the best food we had on our trip. We'd highly recommend a stay at Shimada if you're doing the Nakasendo trail or passing through Narai.

• Old Japan

  Charles

  Date of Review: May, 2019

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer: Canada

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Our first stay in a Minshuku, in the wonderful old town of Narai. Shimada exceeded our expectations in every way. Totally authentic old building. Good traditional bedding. Shared washroom, private access to Japanese Bath. Excellent traditional evening meals and breakfast. Friendly staff. We stayed two nights and wished we had booked 3 to more fully explore the area.

• Exquisite food!

  Eloise

  Date of Review: May, 2019

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer: New Zealand

  Atmosphere Rating - 3

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 4

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 4

  The main drawcard at this minshuku is the food! The property itself is quite basic and, due to the time of our stay, outside of room (halls and bathrooms) was pretty cold! Our host worked very hard to communicate with us. We were embarrassed at our lack of Japanese but, overall, this wasn't a problem. It snowed in Narai the day that we planned to walk between Magome and Tsumago and, instead of attempting to make enquiries around whether we should attempt the walk, we just made a decision not to. If you find yourself faced with the same dilemma, I urge you to ask for advice! Because Narai is significantly elevated it was blanketed in snow. However, we met a group of elderly people who'd walked Tsumago to Magome without seeing a snow flake!

• Excellent Ryokan

  Ken

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Canada

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 5

  We recently stayed here while touring Japan. We were hiking and carrying backpacks but it was very easy to find. We were given a choice of rooms and selected one that had a 'mini couch' so that we could relax a bit more than by just sitting on the floor. The room was relatively large, which we found surprising. There is no private bath so we had to go downstairs for the restroom and showers but that was not an issue. The room, the restrooms and the showers were all spotlessly clean. We found that the slippers provided did not fit very well and so we carried them when going up and down stairs and put them on again at the top or the bottom, as we did not feel safe wearing them on the stairs. The sleeping mats were quite thick and had warm comforters so sleeping was very comfortable. There were 4 or 5 couples here at the time and so we shared a table for another couple for supper. The food was all excellent, although we needed some help from our host as we did not recognize a lot of it. There was both coffee and tea to drink and we were offered our choice of sake or beer as well. The breakfast was also excellent (but again, we needed some help with identifying what we were eating). Our host spoke quite good English but our hostess had only limited English but we did not find communicating to be a problem. This was the third ryokan we stayed in and, in our opinion, the food served here was the best of the three. The host and hostess were very friendly and helpful and willing to do anything they could to make our stay as pleasant as possible. They came to each room later in the evening and let us know that the bridge would be lighted up for a few hours and provided directions as to how to walk there, which we really appreciated. We really enjoyed this ryokan and would stay here again if we visited Japan and this area in the future.

• A special experience

  Nikki

  Date of Review: April, 2019

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: South Africa

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  A delightful little town and this Ryokan is well located to enjoy the sights of the Nakasendo Way. What a wonderful way to experience authentic living in Japan. Mr and Mrs Shimada are a charming couple. They made us feel very welcome and despite speaking little English they made every effort to communicate with us. Our room was spotless, the heater made it nice and toasty and the fluffy duvet was heavenly! To our absolute delight it snowed and we awoke to a winter wonderland. The meals were outstanding and contributed to our on-going love affair with Japanese food. The variety and quantity was amazing. Thank you so much Mr and Mrs Shimada! Nikki and Geoff Twomey

• Wonderful Ryokan in an old-fashioned Post Town

  Anne

  Date of Review: April, 2019

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: United Kingdom

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 4

  We loved staying in Minshuku Shimada. The ryokan is in a beautiful old post town on the nakasendo way, filled with small interesting shops and at the base of several interesting hiking routes. It’s a town that feels like you’re stepping back in time, far less touristy than nearby Magome and Tsumago. Minshuku Shimada also has this timeless feel. The tatami rooms are warm and well appointed and there is a Japanese bathroom. What really makes this place special is the incredible food: both breakfast and dinner were a varied feast, and we felt so lucky and so taken care of. I would wholeheartedly recommend this if you’d like a glimpse of Japan as it would have been a hundred years ago.

• Lovely host & great atmosphere

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer: South Africa

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 4

  Loved the atmostphere of this old house, truly felt like stepping back in time. Freezing cold inside but a nice heater and warm blankets helped. The host was absolutely fantastic, such a sweet lady, we really enjoyed our brief stay with her. Great cooking as well, had the most amazing dinner and the cultural education we got along with it! Didn't love the town of Narai, not much to see or do in the off season, but the house in well located right on the main street of the old town.

• Cozy old house

  Irina

  Month of Visit: January

  Country Of Reviewer: Russia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Very beautiful village and the house. Warm rooms, friendly people's. We was has delicious dinner and breakfast, it was prepared "like a home". Our travel at Japan could not be so interesting without Narai and Minshuku Shimada. Thank you!

• Our best experience in Japan

  Johannes

  Month of Visit: December

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Our host was extremely kind, warm and friendly and went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable. She spoke little English but we had no problem communicating basic needs and have light conversation. The bedroom was very comfortable and warm. The food was absolutely unbeatable in presentation and taste and catering to dietary requirements (one of us does not eat fish/seafood and the host made delicious vegetarian dishes instead). The bathing experience can be improved with bigger towels and heating (we visited in the middle of winter and the bathroom was quite cold). This was definitely the best experience we had in Japan and we would love to visit Minshuku Shimada again.

• Remarkable stay

  Lalita

  Month of Visit: December

  Country Of Reviewer: Thailand

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Homemade breakfast and big big dinner made it memorable stay for us. The hosts were so friendly and kind. Small shops down the street were so lovely and picturesque. Great place to stay in Narai.

• Unfortunately underwhelming

  Oliver

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 2

  Food Rating - 4

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 2

  We were a little disappointed with the stay here actually - even though there seem to be lots of good reviews maybe it was a one-off but worth posting here nonetheless. While the host was a delight and there was plenty of food, the accommodation was kind of plain and lacking in atmosphere. If it had any interesting historic, artistic, architectural merit of value (I'm sure it does..) this wasn't articulated and the room we were given didn't show any of it - rather full of cheap plastic appliances and fittings, felt like a dated 90's hotel. Unfortunately it was the most expensive place we stayed on a nearly month-long trip and was also the most basic..

• Great memory

  Elodie

  Date of Review: November, 2018

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer: France

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 4

  This 1 night in Narai is a great memory. The host was very kind and give us great info (lightup in the village at night). It was great to wake in the morning and opening the window to the street full of old house. The interior of the minshuku is all of wood with high roof! And what to say about the food! it was so great. One of the 2 people didn't ate fish/sea food and they changed it to vegetable (that's great because not all the minshuku have backup solution). Room is simple but the futon are very soft (so love it).

• Slightly expensive but great hospitality

  Morgan

  Date of Review: September, 2018

  Month of Visit: August

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 4

  The female owner is incredibly friendly and warm, and the food she and her husband cooked was delicious and very plentiful! Their kindness and hospitality made up for the slight lack of comfort in the room and the fact that the ryokan is overpriced. Overall we had a great stay!

• Lovely place and minshuku

  Elisabetta

  Month of Visit: August

  Country Of Reviewer: Italy

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We stayed in Narai only one night, but the experience was wonderful. The minshuku is beautiful, clean and the owners are nice and friendly. The food was delicious and everything else perfect. I totally fell in love with Narai and this house!

• Talita

  Talita teresa

  Month of Visit: July

  Country Of Reviewer: Brazil

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  This was by far the best place we stayed in Japan. The accomodation was beautiful and cozy, the bathrooms were clean and the shower was great. But what made it really special was the sweet and welcoming owner. She was so nice to us, even though she didnt speak english very well she tried hard and helped us with information about hikes and things to do around Narai-juku. The food is absolutely delicious, I let them know before that Im a vegeterian and she cooked me incredible japanese veggie food. We arrived late for our check in and still she gave us dinner. So nice, if u go to Narai I highly recommmend this place.

• Food food and more food

  Cindy

  Month of Visit: July

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 4

  Shimada was so welcoming. She explained everything with her limited English. We could only check-in at 3pm but she gladly let us store our luggage. When we arrived back, she had taken our luggage all the way to our cozy room. We travelled as a family of 5. The dinner was an absolute treat! Warning: arrive hungry! The food was tasty and plentiful. Just when we thought we were being served the last dish, another one is presented by Shimada. She was always smiling and willing to practice her English. The next day, (the breakfast was also plentiful and traditional), we went for a local bush walk and came back to sweet juicy watermelon and cold drinks before our train journey. The room was very clean and quiet. Would definitely recommend for a traditional experience.

• Wud r8 8/8 was gr8 m8

  Rowan

  Month of Visit: July

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  The service, food and location were all phenomenonal. A must go for sure!

• Incredibly welcoming host and a taste of old Japan

  Shashi

  Date of Review: April, 2018

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  The food was delicious, the room was very comfortable, the building itself was like stepping back in time, and the location was stunning (Narai is a gorgeous little town with great walks). However, our hostess was above and beyond the best part of our stay at this Minshuku. Although she couldn't speak english, she made us feel so welcome, and even went as far as serving us tea and mochi when we returned from a morning hike to pick up our bags. We loved our stay at this Minshuku, and absolutely recommend it to future travellers!

• A charming highlight of our trip

  Aj

  Date of Review: April, 2018

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  From the moment we arrived, we were taken in by our host’s warmth, kindness and real pleasure at having us as guests. Her English is limited but that’s not a barrier. I’ve never experienced such genuine hospitality, anywhere. Narai is beautiful. The minshuku is a perfect slice of it, with traditional frontage and interesting architecture in the foyer giving way to a homely feel beyond. We enjoyed our room, had a soak in the bath and a lovely night’s sleep. But the best part was the food. Dinner in particular was among the best meals we had anywhere in Japan and that is really saying something. If you want an authentic Naraijuku experience, stay here.

• A glimpse into the past

  Patricia

  Date of Review: April, 2018

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Singapore

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 4

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 4

  Staying at Minshuku Shimada made me imagine how it must have been like to stay in this type of residence in old Japan. The house is atmospheric and architecturally interesting. How did the residents manage those tiny stairs? The room was comfortable and roomy enough for two. But not coming from a temperate country, the areas outside the room was very cold. Since obviously it is not practical for heating, but that added to the authentic experience. Dinner was good - ingredients acceptable but nicely home-cooked comfort and pleasure in taste. Madam Shimada is super friendly despite the barrier in language, and she bothered to try via a dictionary! Location of Minshuku is excellent, right in the heart of the old street. A real treat for me was the sudden Yuki that fell in the evening and night. Would recommend to anyone looking for an authentic experience.

• Family stay

  Nicholas

  Date of Review: April, 2018

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Booked a single room with 3 futons but ended up with a large room and a small sitting room at the front of the Minshuku, on the street. So that was very spacious and we could look out our window at the almost intact old buildings. We enjoyed our delicious evening meals and breakfasts very much. Our hosts were very helpful with everything, especially when leaving and hadn't allowed enough time to get to the railway station so Shimada San drove us at the last minute. Perfect base for walking the Nakasendo trail from Yabuhara, get the train back. The small private ofuro had the advantage I could take a bath with my wife, which isn't possible in larger sento.

• Magical

  Bryan

  Date of Review: January, 2018

  Month of Visit: December

  Country Of Reviewer: Scotland and Singapore

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We stayed one night in Narai as we made our way (mostly by car) along the Nakasendo Trail after staying near Fuji-san. It was cold and atmospheric when we arrived and left, but the charm of the village (not quite so touristy as Tsumago and some other villages along the trail), especially the warmth of the welcome and hospitality, was so touching and much appreciated. We felt very much at home (and within a real home) in such an authentic environment. It may have been very cold outside (and a wee bit inside as traditional Japanese houses have no central heating) but with all the portable heaters and bedding we were as warm as toast and slept so well! A nice bottle of sake helped. And the food! Homemade and absolutely delicious. Our main course dinner was made in front of us and surrounded by numerous small delicious dishes. And breakfast set us up for our short journey along to Tsumago for another night’s stay. It was also plentiful, varied and delicious. Although our host(ess) spoke little English we communicated well and she showed much interest in our home countries and where I live (Switzerland). She was charming. The ryokan itself transports you back to another time and place we would not have missed staying here for the world. A most definite highlight of our journey through Honshu over Christmas and New Year 2017/8.

• Wonderful

  Marc

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We had a really comfortable stay here. The room was spacious and clean, the food was delicious, and the hospitality was excellent. Would definitely recommend this minshuku for a night's stay in Narai.

• Also low luxury, high authenticity

  Keith

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 3

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 3

  The dinner and breakfast was great. Home style cooking that you can’t get in restaurants or even some other ryokan. The room was basic, and you need to share toilets. But I always love the bathtubs that they have in Japanese Minshuku and Ryokan. No English spoken, and it was a bit difficult checking in - there is no reception and we had to wait a long time for someone to come. But I still thought it was overall a good experience.

• Wonderful Stay

  Anthony

  Month of Visit: September

  Country Of Reviewer: UK

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  From the welcome to the departure this could not have been better. Our host made us at home and looked after us thought, taking care with all the guests to ensure we had what we needed. Wonderful meals and the opportunity to talk with the other guests from Japan and Europe.

• Kristine Murray & Dianne Larsen-Smith

  Kristine

  Month of Visit: September

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Thank you for recommending Minshuku Shimada, we had a most enjoyable stay. It was very comfortable, clean & welcoming. The food was prepared with "love" & was amazing. I would stay again next time I visit Japan to experience the hospitality again. Kristine Murray

• Low Luxury, High Authenticity

  Helen

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 3

  Located in Narai, a fascinating old town with great access to several good walks in the Kiso Valley, this family-run ryokan is quite basic, but the food is incredible and the owner's hospitality is excellent. The sign is in Japanese though and finding it when arriving after dark was very challenging (all part of the fun though!).