Hotel Tsubakino

Japan , Nagano
Yamanouchi, 3294 Hirao, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun
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75 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

06 Mar 2026

James

Hotel Tsubakino is a bit of heaven on Earth and our stay will be fondly remembered forever. Their staff attentive, professional and friendly. In pre-arrival communication with repeated follow ups they asked about our special needs. The food exquisite with them going out of their way to make their traditional Japanese menus gluten free for my wife, not a simple task. The facility exceptionally clean, our room beautiful, and their hot-spring baths wonderful. Location great for seeing local sights such as the snow-monkey park. Simply loved our stay.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Mar 2026

Mainghor

Very nice and spacious. Great view. Love the tub with hot spring water in the room.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Mar 2026

Daenielle Marie

Loved my stay here!

10/10

Exceptional

17 Feb 2026

Alex

Very good accommodation!!!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Feb 2026

Alex

What a wonderful stay! My husband and I had an amazing time here. The staff were so polite and kind, the food was amazing, and the room so spacious and clean. We also used their private onsen, which was so peaceful. I would definitely stay here again!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Feb 2026

John G

Delightful, helpful, courteous staff day and night. Onsen was best I’ve been in, in Japan! Food is highly recommended, as the restaurant provides multiple course authentic meals

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Feb 2026

Jeri

The staff was very helpful & friendly. The room was beautiful. The free breakfast was amazing. I would love to stay here again.

10/10

Exceptional

02 Feb 2026

Steven

A great little hotel with incredibly great food.The staff is so helpful and the onsen is great. I can't think of a better experience for a ryokan stay, and again the food is world class.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jan 2026

Michelle

Everything was amazing - the room, the service, the delicious Kaiseki dinner and breakfast.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

19 Jan 2026

Matthias

Wasn’t what I was hoping for

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jan 2026

Jeannette

The meals were exceptional as were the wonderful staff.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Nov 2025

Summer

My friend had accidentally lost her backpack on the train just before we had arrived to the hotel for check in. As soon as we arrived at the hotel we asked to borrow their phone to call the lost in found center at the train station. After we explained the situation the hotel staff asked us what train we were on and what the backpack looked like and offered to call the station for us to help locate the backpack. This was a huge relief to us because we were worried about the language barrier over the phone. Not only did the hotel staff locate the backpack for us but they also typed out detailed instructions for us in English of where to go to pick up the backpack and what hours that lost/found center would be open. It was so helpful and we were able to get the backpack back easily! Not only was the staff really kind and professional but the hotel itself was really nice. I enjoyed the traditional style room, wearing a yukata for the first time, and being able to take a hot bath in the onsen. This hotel was my favorite on my Japan trip and I want to go back again!

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

19 Nov 2025

Renata

Attentive staff. Large rooms - traditional ryokan style

10/10

Exceptional

16 Nov 2025

Mayumi

Very clean and excellent breakfast. Good Mountain View from room and onsen

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Nov 2025

CECILE

It was a very nice stay. The place was so peaceful and quiet. Very impressed with the cleanliness. The staff are very polite and helpful. Sadly I just stayed 1 nite and it was raining., but we get to enjoy the hotel’s amenities.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Nov 2025

John

The room was clean and the private, open air Onsen was spectacular. We really appreciated the breakfast and dinner meals, the food was amazing. The service provided by the staff was top notch and we will look to stay again.

6/10

Pleasant

19 Oct 2025

dawn de

We loved the place but thought the meals included and were SHOCKED to get a huge bill- at the end of our stay. We felt a bit taken advantage of……

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

25 May 2025

Erica

This hotel is a beautiful ryokan and onsen. We stayed 2 nights and really enjoyed it. We ate breakfast and dinner at the ryokan and really enjoyed the food - meals are 7 courses and food quality is top notch. We would highly recommend to anyone looking to stay in Yudanaka. They have a private onsen which we also booked so my husband and I could use the onsen together.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Apr 2025

Lin

It is a fantastic hotel with high quality of any services they provided. I definitely will come back if possible.

Business Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Apr 2025

William Henry

Excellent Ryokan. Breakfast and late night sake tasting included free. Very short walk to excellent local restaurants and train station. Very easy to access for tourists

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Mar 2025

Rebecca

We will be back

We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the private onsen. Highly recommend! Very convenient for traveling to see the Snow Monkeys. Thanks for a great stay, wish we could have stayed longer.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Mar 2025

Winnie

Staff are super attentive and very helpful. Love the onsen and the traditional room. The top floor outdoor onsen is lovely.
Breakfasts are great.
Hotel is about 10 min walk from the train station,
We had a lovely stay. Highly recommended.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Feb 2025

Audrey

Lovely hot springs stay

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 Feb 2025

Miho

The staff were exceptionally attentive and helpful, and the meals were outstanding. The onsen was delightful and felt private and was never crowded. Proximity to the station and location in a quaint neighborhood made it feel special yet convenient.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 Feb 2025

Eri

Top notch food and service.
Dinner was excellent. I would go back just for dinner.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Feb 2025

Harry

Great stay

The service was fantastic. Nice bathrooms and comfortable bedding. The private onsen was spectacular. Very convenient location only a 2-minute walk from Yudanaka Station.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jan 2025

Anna

What really made our stay special is kindness and attentiveness of the staff. We had large suitcases, and though the train station was a five minute walk, the front desk manager noticed us struggle walking uphill and came to our rescue with a hotel van, loaded and unloaded our bags. The dropoff service was not included, and we did not ask for it. He did it out of compassion and kindness. Very touching. Food was delicious! Do book dinner if its available. We had a traditional tatami room, which was cute, though a bit dated with some tears on the faded couch upholstery. The shower was very small, which is expected. We were lucky to have a private shower as many ryakans make you share. Great experience overall.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jan 2025

Laura

We enjoyed our stay

The ryokan is lovely and the meals were excellent. The private outdoor onsen was particularly appreciated. The staff was very helpful.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

25 Dec 2024

Marsel

Great traditional riokan with a beautiful outdoor onsen. Breakfast and staff were really good. The elevator has bad smell, however, and the property is quite pricey.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

16 Dec 2024

Nicole

Loved our stay, the staff were absolutely lovely and made it so warm and welcoming. Definitely recommend

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Nov 2024

shelly

The staff are exceptional, they are very kind and professional.. the breakfast and dining options are amazing!! The onsen was so beautiful, this has been my favourite hotel here in Japan, can’t recommend it any more highly

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Nov 2024

Christian

Wonderful staff and a fantastic onsen

10/10

Exceptional

17 Oct 2024

Jonathan

The hotel is hidden up in the hills of Yubanka and is a welcome surprise from the tourist epicenter of Nagano. The hotel has an amazing breakfast and couples can use the onsen on the roof for a price. The monkey bus leaves daily for exploration of the local hills. Great price and quiet. Staff was polite and friendly. Great experience and loud visitors need not apply.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jun 2024

Julie

My family enjoyed our stay at Hotel Tsubakino. We had a traditional Japanese room with a mountain view. The sunset views from our room were very nice.

We also enjoyed the private onsen both nights of our stay. The temperature of the water fluctuated so the second night it was really hot and we were unable to stay in the water long.

We had both the Japanese breakfast and the western breakfast. The Japanese breakfast was very impressive and it was tasty - although a bit much for the morning for our kids. So we tried the western breakfast on our second morning. It was good too.

Beds were comfortable and the service was attentive and helpful.

We came for the snow monkey park and while the snow monkeys didn't show up on the day we were there, I'm still happy we visited this beautiful mountain town. Would also recommend Sushiya for dinner.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

17 Apr 2024

Maryna

Enjoyed overall stay. The room is great. Hot springs are awesome. Vegan options for the food could be better. Make sure to check that kids are included when receiving confirmation. We didn’t and have to pay 1/4 more and it was already expensive. I checked the price online for four of us and it was exactly as we paid while booking but the confirmation letter didn’t include kids so we have to pay anyways. Otherwise happy with stay.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Mar 2024

Paul

We did the half board option and the food and service was excellent. It was great for experiencing Japanese cuisine and culture. Staff very friendly and helpful. Close to the station and the bus to see the snow monkey park.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Mar 2024

Daniel

Excellent service and welcome.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

26 Feb 2024

Justin

A great stay. Great private bath. Had lots of fun.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2024

Joshua

We stayed two nights at Hotel Tsubakino during our honeymoon. The hotel was clean and inviting, the staff were immediately welcoming, taking us into the lounge to welcome us and get us checked in, offering us complimentary drinks. The room was large, clean, well appointed and included is own hot spring fed bath. Each breakfast and dinner was served in a private dining room with multiple courses of incredible food.
Hotel Tsubakino was easily the best stay of our trip.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Feb 2024

Victoria

An unforgettable experience with my son who is 9 we enjoyed the private onsen with 2 separate baths we bathed under the stars which was perfect. The staff was incredibly accommodating attentive and so SWEET , the Japanese chocolate covered pecans are dreamy definitely grab a box or 2!

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

27 Dec 2023

Andrew

great spot

really enjoyable
would highly recommend

10/10

Exceptional

24 Dec 2023

Tooba

Excellent hospitality. Amazing meal services. Very kind staff. Our stay was amazing and we quite enjoyed the onsens! Looking forward to coming back

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Dec 2023

Stephen

A great Ryokan in Yudanaka

A friendly warm welcome and drink were received on arrival. This was our 2nd visit to Yudanaka. Very comfortable traditional rooms, and the outside onsen on the 5th floor was great. The nightly wine bar was a pleasant surprise and the Japanese breakfast was high level. Would definitely stay again !!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Dec 2023

Jaimee

The staff were incredible, the service was incredible, the food was amazing, the onsen was fantastic. Great value for the level of care that the staff give. I really want to come back and stay at this hotel for a week. 10/10 recommend!!

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

24 Oct 2023

Heidi

This hotel was so incredibly amazing in every regard. We arrived and were provided a wonderful welcome drink. We booked a western king bed with an outer room for tatami mat as there were 3 of us. The rooms were very spacious - and had large sitting area and a massage chair. The Nespresso coffee machine in room was fantastic- but the coffee machine in lobby that opened at 6 AM became my best friend. The baths in this hotel on the roof were absolutely beautiful with incredible views of the mountains. We booked the private bath too- and this would be fantastic for a celebration as had beer and champagne. The food in this hotel was 5 star and so artfully presented. It was delicious and we had a choice of Japanese or western breakfast. The Japanese breakfast was amazing. They make their own apple juice which was so yummy. The staff at this hotel were so polite, accommodating, helpful, kind, and the absolute best. This was truly a special find- and I would recommend this hotel to one and all. It was very special. Very close to train station, very quiet, and close to the Heiwa no Oka Park (largest brass Buddha) and snow monkey park. We actually walked down from Snow Monkey park to hotel thru Shiba Onsen. I loved Yudanaka, Yamanouchi, and Hôtel Tsubakino!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 Feb 2020

MajesticTurkey

Absolutely excellent. Great onsen with views of the mountains. Staff is very helpful.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jan 2020

Fiona

What a beautiful hotel. A relaxing peaceful haven, it’s been a highlight of our trip.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Dec 2019

Verified traveler

The open air onsen was amazing, staff was helpful.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

03 Apr 2018

Verified traveler

Quaint and quiet

Charming staff tries hard to please. Wonderful rooftop private hot tub with beautiful views. Delicious multicourse authentic Japanese dinner.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Feb 2018

Antonio

Very nice hotel with attentive staff.

From the start, the staff welcomed us with a drink. My son has food allergies. They were very accomodating by adjusting the daily menu. Room is nice and clean with own bathroom. The view of the five mountain peeks is excellent. Would definitely come back.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2018

Hoi yan

I highly recommend this hotel

Very nice hotel. Very friendly and attentive staff. They responded to our request immediately. The Onsen (indoor and outdoor) are very nice and well maintained. I highly recommend this hotel.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Dec 2017

roberto

Quiet and comfortable

Friendly welcome from attentive staff. My room was spotlessly clean and very comfortable. Free spa on the roof was wonderful.

10/10

Exceptional

29 Nov 2017

Alexander

Enjoyed this place

Located in a remote, quiet onsen town that has a beautiful view of the local mountains.

Also, if you are planning on going to Jigokudani (Snow Monkey onsen park) it is relatively easy to get to.

Staff is very friendly and helpful. Would go again if I was in the area!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Nov 2017

Ali

Spa with wonderful view of the mountains

My daughter and I went to the hotel for my birthday as a special treat. We stayed two nights and really enjoyed the spa. It was very hot though, but very relaxing. It wasn't crowded at the hotel so we didn't have to share the spas much, but I could see them being small if there is a lot of people. We recommend going for the sunset over the mountains. Their English was helpful but far from fluent.

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jun 2017

Natalie

Expensive but SO worth it

We booked this hotel to experience a traditional ryokan and to celebrate the end of our three weeks in Japan. It was super expensive for our budget (we're backpackers), but SO worth it. The staff were wonderfully friendly, the rooms were spacious and beautifully designed in traditional style, and the breakfast they served (both western and traditional) were perfect. We also booked the private bath for 50 minutes (price of 2150 yen), and it was AMAZING. The only things I could complain about was the female only bath had slightly dirty water, but that could happen from people not understanding how to use the baths. We didn't get to see much of the local area, so we can't really comment on that.

Tip: If you're not familiar with Japanese food and not up for being adventurous, maybe opt for a western style breakfast. I loved my traditional breakfast, but it had a bewildering array of flavors and textures. Last breakfast they can serve you is at 8:30 am.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Apr 2017

Katarzyna

Great service

Amazing hotel with private Onsen and great customer service.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Mar 2017

David

Attentive staff; good food; quiet room

The hotel is 3 minutes from Yudanaka station, so getting there and away is convenient. My reservation included breakfast and dinner and both were fantastic.

10/10

Exceptional

13 Mar 2017

Olalla

Nice hotel close to the station

There was a wonderful stay, the japanes food is very good, and the publish baths has beautiful views, also for not too much money you can reserve a private onsen, with good amenities.

8/10

Excellent

06 Feb 2017

Verified traveler

Nice onsen. Big rooms. Helpful staff.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jan 2017

Francis

Very nice Japanese Hotel

Breakfast was super, there are choices of Western breakfast or Japanese breakfast.

8/10

Excellent

23 Jan 2017

Verified traveler

Traditional Japanese hotel

The hotel was very nice, the hot baths were on the 5th floor, fantastic! it had been snowing heavily and we were picked up at the train station which was a very nice surprise.
The room was traditional and very confortable. the hotel staff was very nice and helpful.
It was very easy to go and see the snow monkeys, 15 minutes from train station by bus and 30 minutes awesome walk in the woods.
The only 2 down points were a persistent bad/odd smell through out the hotel. most probably related to the hot springs and a disapointing western breakfast.
Yanaka in winter was beautiful, seeing the snow monkeys was a fantastic experience.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jan 2017

Eugene

Overall the stay was very good. The open air onsen is very nice with really warm rooms. WiFi connectivity was the only issue.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jan 2017

Paul

Very authentic Japanese stay!

We had four guests and all stayed in the same room on futons. The room was warm and comfortable in a minimalist fashion and we had apricot nectar as a beverage on arrival. We used our yakatas throughout the hotel as did the visiting Japanese. The hotel onsen was lovely and we also used the private onsen which was lovely under the stars. My friend and I went for a full Japanese breakfast and my wife and daughter went Western. Both were lovely in their own context.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Dec 2016

Inna

Nice ryokan with friendly staff

Close to the station. Very friendly staff. Nice dinner.

10/10

Exceptional

11 Apr 2016

Pin-Chieh

Great getaway!

One of the great Ryokens we have stayed in. The private onsen is one of the best for sure! Nice food, big room, and friendly service. If you are planning to see snow monkey, you should consider to stay here for sure!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Apr 2016

Verified traveler

Nice hotel, great onsen and nice staff. Good location to Yudanaka station.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Mar 2016

Nath

Great Hotel!

This was the best hotel I've stayed in over 4 trips to Japan. The staff are friendly and helpful and professional. The rooms are clean and comfortable. It's perfectly located for touring the Yamanouchi area. There are lots of cafes and restaurants locally that you will not see obviously/ but they are there and they are great! The onsen style baths in the hotel are amazing. Will definitely go back.

8/10

Excellent

25 Jul 2015

Verified traveler

The quality of service is excellent.

It's very enjoyable hotel.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jul 2015

Verified traveler

quiet, relaxing atmosphere and a welcome retreat

The hotel is located close to the train station which makes it very convenient. They also offered to pick us up, which came in handy since we travel with two small kids. The hotel staff were very hospitable. The room was large by japanese standards, very clean and comfortable with great views. The japanese breakfast was a surprising value, plenty of delicious local food served in private rooms. The hot spring is located on the top floor with an awesome view of the surrounding area. The bus is a convenient way to get around to get to Shibu Onsen and to the Snow monkey park. We wish we could have stayed longer and we would highly recommend it.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Mar 2015

Simone

Perfect Hotel for Snow Monkey Trip

My girlfriends and I wanted to go see the Snow Monkeys, and this was the perfect spot for our trip. The hotel is about a 10 minute drive to the Snow Monkey park.

The rooftop onsen is gorgeous - there is both an indoor and outdoor version, with a stunning view of the surrounding mountains. At 9 am, we had the entire Onsen to ourselves.

I don't usually like Japanese style futon bedding, but the hotel uses a double layer futon, so it was a lot more comfortable than your standard futon. Also, we got lost on the way to the hotel, and they were accomodating enough to let us check-in at midnight, which was a huge concern.

We had both the Western and Japanese breakfasts in the morning. Both were beautifully presented - the Western Breakfast had a great mix of everything (waffles, croissants, yogurt, omlette, quiche, salad, potatoes).

Highly recommended!!!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jan 2015

Jim

A Charming Hotel

An absolutely charming hotel with lovely welcoming staff. (Unfortunately, not much English spoken however.) Located conveniently close to the railway station.
Clean and comfortable and - the star attraction - a glorious male and female bath house on the top floor.
Only downside was a rather long walk to the nearest coin laundry - but a small criticism.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Aug 2014

Verified traveler

best hotel in Yudanaka

The traditional room was impeccably clean and spacious. The service was very friendly and a huge effort was made to make one feel welcome. The common areas including the onsen was also superb. The food was amazing. Overall strong recommendation. The Hotel is only a 3 minute walk from the train station

Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2013

Verified traveler

Very enjoyable stay - book the onsen

We stayed as a family of 4 (5&8yo) and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Whilst they sometimes were a little short on English the staff tried very hard at every opportunity to assist us and make our stay enjoyable. Breakfast is great and we enjoyed it every day and the private onsen is a highlight - very relaxing and I would definitely recommend booking it. Hotel is close to the train and we found it easy to walk around town for dinner, etc.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

03 Jun 2013

Verified traveler

Decent Ryokan style hotel close to Monkey Park

This hotel is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-range Ryokan style hotel. The rooms are clean and comfortable. It's not far from the monkey park.

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jan 2011

Verified traveler

Hotel Tsubakino - great ryokan in a great setting

Great ryokan! the private onsen on the roof is amazIng, and definetly worth the splurge of ￥2,100 for 50 minutes. Take along a phrasebook as the staff are not 100% on english, although they will try extremely hard to make your stay great - even so far as to drive you to a restaurant instead of making you walk through the cold! great location to get to the snow monkey park too - the reception gave us a print out with japanese and english directions with a token to show the driver so he knows where to let you off! dinner in the hotel is extremely expensive, though there are great cheap restaurants nearby, with directions and a great map given by reception.

overall, highly reccomend this place!