Aburaya Tousen

Japan , Nagano
Nagano, 2586-5 Sano, Yamanouchimachi, Shimotakai-gun
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75 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

02 Feb 2026

Arianna

Spacious room Japanese style rooms, incredible onsen and shower spa with great Mountain views walkable to shops and town

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jan 2026

Kerri

Amenities, food and staff are amazing

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2026

Mia

Excellent accommodating some English-speaking staff, clean room, well appointed for onsen life. Great location!

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jan 2026

Mikalan

Room was clean and huge! Hotel is about a 5-7 minute walk to Yudanaka station so if you’re unable to get a taxi or shuttle from the hotel, no need to worry. Breakfast was really good and so was the onsen. I’d definitely stay again when coming back to Yudanaka

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jan 2026

Daisy

Very cool staff was very nice and helpful!!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

31 Oct 2025

Rebecca

Amazing room and staff! Had the most relaxing stay here and would definitely come back if we are in the area

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 May 2025

Ian

Beautiful property lovingly cared for with a breathtaking mountain view. The kaiseki absolutely delicious!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

27 Apr 2025

jean

Chambre japonaise correcte, belle vue, futon au sol de 3 pouces environ et salle de bain minuscule. Faut absolument reserver les soupers d’avance car nous etions la deux nuits et les deux soirs complets

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Mar 2025

Brian

Nice hotel but a bit dated.

10/10

Exceptional

28 Mar 2025

NATALIA

Just amazing! Wonderful staff. Thank you for making our stay so special. Could not recommend it enough! My family felt really well taking care of. Thank you!!!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

24 Mar 2025

eleni

Such a wonderful and unique experience ! The owner greeted us outside the door with a warm welcome and also on our departure was there to say good bye. The entire staff was so kind and courteous. Marina, especially went out of her way to help us throughout our stay. We chose to book the private onsen room and it was well worth the extra charge. We also opted to have the traditional Japanese dinner. Again, such a unique and amazing experience. We were asked to choose from a beautiful selection of yukatos/kimonos upon our arrival to wear to our dinner. And of course don’t miss the snow monkeys! It is a short train ride, but then quite a long walk uphill and a further beautiful hike to get there. (We did see taxis dropping off people to the top but it would still be half an hour easier hike to arrive there ). Worth it !

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Mar 2025

Paul

Absolute excellent experience from beginning to end. Hospitality, service, food and dining, in room Onsen and very attentive and sweet owner always assuring we are comfortable. That’s why we have become repeat customers!!!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jan 2025

JENNY

Staff are friendly & service is good. Good breakfast spread & rooms are clean. We enjoyed our stay & will consider to be back again.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

25 Jan 2025

Allison

If you’re going to stay at this hotel, I would suggest you pay the extra money to have one of the rooms with a private onsen. Somehow I booked a basic room that was more than basic. It smelled like mold and had little more to offer than a futon on the floor. Thank goodness we were able to upgrade. I would have left the hotel otherwise. Staff were great, very friendly and helpful. Few spoke English just as a side note.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jan 2025

Andy

Excellent room with private onsen, clean and spacious. Dinner was solid, felt slightly rushed during the first seating.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jan 2025

Verified traveler

The owner and staff were amazing and so friendly. We loved our stay !

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jan 2025

Jason

Awesome location! Walkable from Yudanaka Station. Has a shuttle service for pickup and dropoff to the station. Short walk to the bus stop to the Snow Monkey Park. Breakfast buffet is decent. Right next to a brewery if you want to try some local crafted beer. Rooms are nice and big. 2 public onsens and also a private onsen is available. Downside is the kaiseki dinner option may not to available so prepare to plan for dinner elsewhere. They have a do-it-all-staff, this one receptionist was checking us in/out, driving the shuttle van, and communicating in English~ impressive.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jan 2025

Miyuki

We stayed during the shoulder season and it was quiet at the time so we were able to enjoy the public onsen all to ourselves. Private onsen in our own room was perfect for us as we have tattoes, but the staff said if your tattoo is for fashion purpose only, it'll be ok - just let them know in advance. Food was great, they have free trf services to/from Yudanaka station. We didn't get to go this time but it's not too far from Jigokudani snow monkey park. We loved the roof top bar they had! Staff including the owner were very polite, friendly and courteous that we enjoyed our time there and we'll definitely recommend and go back!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Dec 2024

Kristina

Perfect authentic Japanese stay for the family.

Great experience for the family. Japanese hospitality at its finest.
The meals were exceptional and meticulously served.
Onsen on our balcony was a treat.
Lovely escape after a day of skiing.
Highly recommend.
Special mention to our dinner waiter Koji-San. Great job!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Dec 2024

Verified traveler

Staff was very friendly and accommodating since i had to check out before the available checkout time. Clean waa absolutely spacious and clean. Love having my own open air bath! I definitely would come back fo spend more time there.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

10 Nov 2024

mark

Traditional

10/10

Exceptional

21 Oct 2024

Erika

This hotel made feel like royalty. This hotel was really and staff was very accommodating, professional and kind. I loved our suite and breakfast and dinners we had.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Oct 2024

Brittney

Ayako was amazingly warm and welcoming to us. The owner fed us even though we areived too later for dinner. We were absolutely spoiled by their hospitality and if I could spend my entire trip there I would.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Aug 2024

Paul

Our stay at this location could not have been better! It was a 5 Star experience in all categories! We stayed in the suite with the open air onsen and it was amazing. The staff offered the best costumer service all throughout the hotel. The food was incredible for all meals, another 5 Stars! The owner of the establishment came and spoke with us on 2 separate occasions to make sure we were enjoying our stay. This place is a total gem if you are staying in the Nagano area. We will definitely be returning in the future!!! Domo arigato gozaimasu!!!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 May 2024

Shlomi Shlomo

All was fine. Thank you very much.

Business_and_leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

08 Mar 2024

Stephane

We went on a Japan trip for 2 weeks and this was our favorite ryokan, because they made us feel at home. It's in a little town surrounded by snowy mountains, near Shiga Kogen and Snow Monkey Park. The kaiseki was unbelievable, well worth the price. We don't want to ruin the surprises during dinner and the attention to detail throughout the experience. The staff were thoughtful, kind and thorough to us foreigners that don't know all of the customs of the area. The onsen was beautiful, well maintained and allowed us to connect. The owner greeted us several times and was so welcoming. They also have the best chopsticks, it's worth checking out their gift shop.

We highly recommend staying here. You won't regret it.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jan 2024

Timothy

Loved the greeting on check-in, very friendly and welcoming.
Excellent room, great breakfast dining, very helpful staff

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jan 2024

Megan

The perfect stay in the snow

Our stay at this hotel was really wonderful. Even without our room having access to its own onsen, we were still able to book a private onsen for ourselves. Additionally, this hotel had one of the best breakfasts I’ve had in Japan. A mixture of fruits, veggies, curry and so much more. It was an incredible way to start our days in the snow. The access we also had to the station was convenient for our day trip to see the snow monkeys. All-n- all we were not disappointed in our selection and would choose this location again and again if we ever decide to come this way again.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jan 2024

Meighan

Beautiful hotel at a very convenient location. Could walk to the bus stop that went around town, and to the Snow Monkey park. Onsens at the hotel were lovely and spacious.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

17 Sep 2023

Terry

Sure will recommend friends to stay in this Hotel

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jul 2023

Dmitry

Wonderful hotel. Outstanding service. Excelent food and amenities.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Apr 2023

John

This ryokan is excellent! Very comfortable rooms with plenty of space. The private Onsen tub in every room feels great! The food tastes great and is healthy. Massage and Kaiseki service at the hotel is also wonderful!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Feb 2020

SIUFUNG

Great ryokan

There was a mix up during check in and we were shown to the wrong room but it was sorted out quickly. And their record had me staying for a night instead of 3 nights based on my booking.

Otherwise, everything else was fine, then owner and the staff of the ryokan are friendly and helpful.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Feb 2020

Natalie

The staff is very nice, respectful and helpful!
The place is clean and we had a beautiful view out of our room.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 Feb 2020

Verified traveler

Staff was very attentive, provided excellent customer service and were very helpful! The spa is excellent and the massage i got was one of the best i've ever got. I would encourage the staff to provide more details on how to use the private facilities as that was not 100% clear. Also, in a very good location near the ski resorts, snow monkey park and onsens. I'm hoping to come back soon!

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jan 2020

Verified traveler

Very impressive hotel, nice decor, outdoor onsen bath, super friendly and helpful staff who would help push my car out of snow on kimono and sandals.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 Dec 2019

Verified traveler

Hospitality was great, rooms were clean, if coffee n tea sachets are provided in the room will be even better.

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

28 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

Great hub for exploring area, lovely helpful staff

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

Great place to relax and enjoy the sceneries and surroundings. Ample parking space. Close to attractions and restaurants.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

20 Apr 2019

Chia

Ms Chia

Lady boss is very hospitable. She followed and sent us off to the train station personally while her lady staff drove the van and helped us to load and unload the luggage. Onsen is clean with good view

Family

10/10

Exceptional

25 Mar 2019

Sable

If you are going to see the snow monkeys, it is well worth spending a night at this nearby hot spring inn. We had a room with a hot spring tub on the deck and it was well worth the extra $ to have private relaxation. It’s japanese style rooms, so westerners will have to get used to not having a regular bed, but just do it. It’s worth it!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

Good experience, good service but need a bit of communication improvement.

We arrived hotel around 3.15 PM but can actually enter the room around 3.45 PM due to the slow check in process.

The condition of the hotel is good, service level is good but the communication is a major problem here as most staff can not speak much english.

Anyways, we had a good stay and its worth visit this place.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jan 2019

Verified traveler

Awesome experience

Stayed there for 2 nights with my daughter while visiting the Snow Monkey Park. The onsen hotel was very professionally run, and the staff were friendly and helpful.

A staff of the hotel somehow was at the train station to bring us to the hotel when we arrived on an express train, even though it had not been prearranged.

We used the public bath on 2 separate days, and was lucky enough to have the whole place to ourselves on both occasion. It was very clean, and well maintained. The only complaint was that the temperature of the water was a bit too hot for comfort.

The 8 course dinner was scrumptious. The best part was being offered the choice of main course on the 2nd night. All courses were different on the 2 nights, which allowed us the chance to sample many different types of food. The owner even made an appearance during dinner time at our private dinning room to personally welcome us. It was a nice touch.

I have no reservation in recommending the hotel.

Family

8/10

Excellent

23 Dec 2018

Verified traveler

Amazing ryokan experience!

Stayed 3D 2N in Aburaya Tosen. We had such an amazing experience at the ryokan. Service was excellent. I just love how the lady boss will put in effort to meet and make small conversations to her guests during dinner and waved us good bye on our last day at the ryokan.

Food was tasty and we love how they put in so much effort on the presentation of the food. They will also cater to our special dietary needs.

Choose the room with an outdoor bath for an amazing time!

Just a tiny complain - Would prefer if they could provide us with thicker towels or maybe provide us with new towels in the evening as they will usually get really soaked by the time we used them during the day for our outdoor bath :)

Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Dec 2018

Verified traveler

Onsen hotel with Kaiseki meal option. Luxury retreat.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Nov 2018

Ioannis

The staff is wonderful. The inside of this hotel is very nice. The lobby coffee machine was great. Better than the special room further in...

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2018

Verified traveler

Best experiance

We stayed here on our Honeymoon and was not disappointed. The staff were incredible and nothing was out of the way. Very friendly and would highly advise. Private onsen was perfect for stay.

10/10

Exceptional

13 May 2018

Paul

We had a room with an outdoor onsen
Included in our package was breakfast and dinner
The food was outstanding and the staff and management were superb 6 Star !
Highly recommend for personalised service
Don’t go anywhere else 😀

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Dec 2017

Simon

Superb Stay

We made a last minute booking of a room with outdoor hotspring which was superb.

The building is modern but the room design and dining are are traditional Japanse and look really good.

The staff is amazing and the set course dinner was great.

Highly recommended

10/10

Exceptional

24 Sep 2017

Glenn

Experience the real Japan

We came to Japan to experience the culture outside of Tokyo and what memories we got from Aburaya Tousen. From the time we got picked up at Yudanaka Station till we bid sayonara the next day, we felt so welcome and appreciated. Even the owner came by and spoke to us during dinner and she was so down to earth. She even walked with us to the shuttle as we were leaving. The experience of staying at this Ryokan was priceless. Well maintained facility but it's the people that was the difference. Highly recommended.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Apr 2017

Verified traveler

Foreigner friendly onsen hotel

Great service. Excellent dinner. Top floor onsen must try.
Foreigner friendly.
Futons a bit hard but this is the only thing I can complain.
Will come back for the ski season next time.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 Apr 2017

Ryan

Awesome traditional Japanese room

The room was amazing!

10/10

Exceptional

26 Mar 2017

Verified traveler

Excellent

Staff room and hotel is very nice. Staff are amazingly friendly and helpful

10/10

Exceptional

16 Mar 2017

Robin

Excellent hotel close to monkeys

We stayed here to visit the monkeys but the hotel turned out to be the better attraction! We did the private hot spring bath and hot rocks. Very relaxing. It was nice as a westerner to partake in Japanese traditions.

10/10

Exceptional

11 Mar 2017

emma

Unforgettable honeymoon stay

This hotel was an incredible experience from the moment we arrived at the station where a staff member of the hotel was waiting to pick us up with a shuttle to the hotel without us even requesting that service. We were greeted with a warm welcome at this beautiful hotel with green tea, shown to our beautiful room and the lovely staff explained the amenities available. The room was comfortable, the multicourse meal that evening was top quality and because of the special occasion we were surprised with a bottle of bubbly and fresh sushi made by the chef right in front of us. We had Japanese style breakfast the next morning which was the best hotel breakfast we've ever had. We were then given a conplemtary shuttle service to the snow monkey park and also to the train station when we left. Would definitely stay again!

8/10

Excellent

05 Mar 2017

angie

Excellent japanese style hotel

Convenient location and friendly staffs.
Both private and public onsen are excellent.
Breakfast food variety is limited.
Overall a nice place to relax.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Feb 2017

Amanda

Luxurious Modern Japanese-style accommodation

I was truly satisfied in my stay here. From check-in to leaving the hotel, the experience was wonderful. Staff are courteous and friendly. I thoroughly enjoyed the public baths. The hotel had just the right amount of people during my stay. Not too crowded so I had a lot of privacy and space during each bath.

Great value for money and authentic at the same time! One of my best hotel stays!

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jan 2017

Joel

Great place to stay

Was awesome to have the hot spring tub right in the room. Wasn't used to the tatami sleeping arrangement, but it was ok. Most places in the area were closed because of a big snow storm.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Jan 2017

Calvin K C

SUPER RELAXING!

When we arrived at the hotel, they told us to sit in the lobby and served us some hot green tea and a little sweet. Staffs were very friendly and they all have big smile on their faces. We booked a room with a private hot spring on our balcony. the room was very spacious and the private hot spring was AMAZING! The room was super clean and the view was nice and open. Our stay included dinner and breakfast. You have a choice of private dining or dine in the banquet hall. We picked private dining for both. The dinner was good, sashimi was very fresh. the chef even come in with his little cart and make sushi right infront of you. when we got back to our room, our bed was made for us as any other japanese ryokan would do.

The breakfast was what really got us! It was a very nice surprise! you have the option to choose Japanese or western, and of course we picked japanese! the breakfast was like a full size dinner! dish after dish and when we thought it was over, the chef came in with his little cart and this time he is making tamago!!! We were so full that we almost wanted to go straight back to bed. When we headed back to our room after breakfast, our futon was surprisingly still there, our friend said they usually would put away the futon. It'd be nice if they did since we still had another hour an a half till check out.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Nov 2016

Hila

High quality Japenese style hotel

It was a wonderful traditional Japenese experience.
The dinners were amazing and they were very accomodating to our diarery needs. You get your own dinning space, to which you arrive on time, and dinner takes a long time with many small Japenese dishes, most of which were delicious. The earliest dinner time was 6, so with jetlag my child fell asleep before getting much to eat. The next night, we fed him elsewhere before going to dinner and when he fell asleep at the table, we gently placed him on cushions on the floor, where he continued sleeping while we enjoyed our many course dinner.
Service was excellent.
Sleeping on the floor was an interesting experience - the mattresses are not very thick.
The Snow Monkey Park required serious walking skilles to reach - mostly the first half a mile, which was a steep incline. The weather there is colder. The park is small, but very much worth the climb.
There is not much to see on foot from the hotel. Apart from the Snow Monkey Park (and the delicious food at Enza Cafe at the entrance to the path up), the other main sight-seeing is at Shibu Onsen. There are also Japenese style hotels there, and if you are car-less, I would stay there. Aburaya Tosen is great if you are travelling by car, but I would not bring one into the narrow roads of Shibu Onsen.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jun 2015

John

The ambiance of a ryokan and the modern hotel.

Very enjoyable experience with polite staff in kimono. If one would like to immerse themselves in Japanese tradition with tatami floors, sleeping on futon, and taking a traditional bath (onsen)/dress in yukata provided by the hotel, then this is the hotel for you.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Feb 2015

Janet

Japan travels

We wanted something convenient to the Snow Monkey Park. They provide a shuttle to the park and from the train station, but you need to find your own way the opposite directions (no big deal, though). The accommodations were well worth every penny, especially with the included meals which were excellent. Beautiful onsen as well.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

13 Feb 2015

Janet

Japan travels

This ryokan offers shuttle service to and from the station as well as shuttles to various points of interest (you will need to find your own way back, though, taxis are easily accessible.) Feel very pampered at this hotel from moment of arrival, until departure.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Feb 2015

john

Quick ski day on a layover

I only had 2 nights in japan on a layover while travelling on business. I decided to squeeze in a day of skiing, see the snow monkeys, and dip in the region's famous hot springs and public baths. This is a wonderful place to stay. The room was beautiful and immaculate with traditional style and fine mountain views. The food was delicious and delicately presented with many small plates and courses of house made and local ingredients. The masseuse was an expert providing highly customized service and offering tips on sustaining a sense of well being. The bath was clean and comfortable with great roof top vistas and both outdoor and indoor offerings. The service was what takes this hotel from great to amazing. There was never any hesitation to make me feel valued as a guest. I had not pre-booked any excursions or tours so they were able to make recommendations and arrange transportation for a very seamless private experience. As i was travelling alone i appreciated the feeling of having gotten to know the staff on a personal level learning a little more about the day to day of life in the region. They also helped me understand protocol and tradition in usinf the bathing facilities, enjoying the food, and using room features. All in all this was a fantastic experience for me and i was sad to leave. I usually don't leave reviews on booking websites, but i really feel compelled to share this positive experience.

10/10

Exceptional

14 Aug 2014

Ron

Great Ryokan, sleepy town.

We LOVED this place. A typical Japanese Ryokan writ large. Each room is made to look like a classic inn but it's all brought into the modern world. At check in yukata clad staff greet you warmly and take you to your room for a nice tea ceremony you are pampered. Though the outside could use some work, the ryokan itself is lovely. We had the family room with a balcony hot tub, outside, enclosed shower, nice bathroom, entry alcove for shoes, refrigerator, tea service etc. The public baths upstairs are spotless, brand new and they offer a nice twist by switching male and female access each evening so each can appreciate the other's uniquely styled bathing areas. Open baths take in the mountains (though views around the hotel aren't so nice. I sat out under the roofed (and I hope lightening protected) bath during a thunder storm and deluge, it was totally cool.

A couple of downsides: we didn't realize that the meals needed to be booked with the reservation and were unable to add it after checking in. (Why not?) Did I say the town is sleepy and tired? A real disappointment. We went to the recommended sushi restaurant and it was one of the worst meals we had in Japan. At check in, a staff member took my passport and driver's license and then forgot to return it -- I was caught up in the excitement of the place and failed to notice when I only got my license back. Fortunately, ryokan forwarded passport to next lodging after we noticed it was missing. .

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jul 2014

Neil

Fantastic experience, lovely owner!

We treated ourselves to a suite with private bath on the balcony plus the traditional 7 course meal. Room was great, spacious and clean. Futon mattress super comfortable. Took about 30 mins to get to snow monkeys (I know that's why you are here :-). The staff were very attentive and the owner introduced herself to each guest during their stay - lovely lady. Great hotel and experience.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2014

Verified traveler

Most beautiful ryokan/hotel i've ever stayed in. Great view of the river and the room was perfect. Only wish I could stay longer.

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2014

Verified traveler

Nice baths, superb food and fantastic people working in the hotel. We had a room with a bath on the terrace. I would definitely go back.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Feb 2014

Karen

Aburaya Tosen

We really enjoyed our stay here. Our private onsen was amazing, with great views too! Service was 5 star. We will be recommending this place to everyone!

10/10

Exceptional

14 Feb 2014

Daniel

Amazing!!

After a long (5 hour) train connection from Kyoto, we were very surprised and happy to see the wonderful staff from Aburaya Tosen waiting at the local train station - it was even more special due to the fact that we hadn't told them which train we were arriving on!! I can't put into words how wonderful the accommodation and service is - and I highly recommend a room with a private outdoor onsen - a truly magical experience; especially while it is snowing!!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Feb 2014

Verified traveler

Luxury hotel and service - brilliant value

Better than we ever expected. The quality of everything in the hotel is very high but the Japanese baths on the seventh floor are exceptional. To have use of these baths as part of your hotel booking was truly wonderful. I would happily recommend this hotel for the baths alone.

10/10

Exceptional

02 Feb 2014

michael

Fantastic Service, Great Food,Friendly Staff

Enjoyed every minute of our stay, the hot spring on the balcony was sensational!

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jan 2014

Chris

Excellent hotel and staff

Our balcony hot tub was fantastic! The staff also spoke some English which was a great help.

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jan 2014

Paul

What a beautiful hotel!!

This is a wonderful place to stay. The rooms are spacious and traditionally themed with a lot of nice touches. The view from the rooms in winter is beautiful. The staff are very friendly, welcoming and accommodating. The breakfast served was also very nice. If you can afford it treat yourself to a room with a private outdoor onsen (we did for one night - very special)

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jan 2014

Mr. Lai

Great Hotel

All are fine except no wi-fi in guest room