Nakanoyu Onsen Ryokan in Matsumoto

A really lovely mountain retreat.

The rooms were very comfortable and had beautiful views of the surrounding mountains/ nature. The rotenburo was hot and comfortable (also tattoo friendly). All meals were excellent! Would highly recommend getting the packed lunch.

Getting there was easy to figure out and staff provided detailed steps in English with how to get back to the ryokan after taking the shuttle to Kamikochi.

The staff were incredibly lovely and supportive. They made the trip feel very safe and comfortable despite speaking limited English. Would highly recommend this ryokan.

Love the onsen experience, never in my life would I have realised that the Haori was so comfortable until this trip, if only it snowed, the experience will be a lot better.
The food was nice, it was finger licking good.
Anyways, highly suggest this property if you want the ryokan experience.

We stayed 2 nights and loved this traditional ryokan experience. The tatami floors were incredible and the futons were very comfortable. The staff were considerate and kind. We appreciated the shuttle service and the well appointed building. The traditional japanese food was delicious and bountiful. The location and scenery were magical, peaceful, and transcendent. We visited the nearby kamikochi area during the day and relaxed in the onsen after. The water is very nice, the smell was not unpleasant. The facility was clean and good for relaxing. My friend with relatively big tattoos was able to use the onsen without issue.

Reception staff service was excellent. Clearly explains nearby attractions with a map, along with pick-ups/ drop-offs areas, and most importantly the cut-off times. I later came across signs at the Kamikochi station reminding people not to miss the last bus, because you will be stranded there. So, I made sure to buffer some time for me to leave from the Kamikochi station, and other nearby attractions.

The reception staff helped me retrieve my phone left in a public taxi I took from Kamikochi station. I feel very grateful to them.

I paid extra for the upgraded meal package and enjoyed the incredibly delicious, and authentic Japanese dinner and breakfast. Dinner was served in my room, and the server was extremely courteous and tried his best to explain the meal to us in English. Incredibly grateful for his service. At the end of dinner, he bowed to us on his knees (I was uncomfortable with this), but it could be a Japanese tradition. Best I could do is bow back.

Some cons that didn't bother us much.
1. The room has lingering food smell on the day we check-in. Likely because they serve dinners in the room itself.
2. Due to its location, we have to rely on the free shuttle they provide, and switch to public bus/ taxi to get to nearby attractions. If we had stayed further up at Kappa-bashi bridge itself, we could manage our travel time better.
3. Food is only available at nearby attractions (refer to point 2) or a drive down to nearby towns.

Lovely ryokan just outside of Kamikochi. Such friendly and helpful staff. Tomoko san was very helpful in answering my questions before the stay and while we were here. Great and varied food for breakfast and dinner. Loved the beef sukiyaki in particular! Nice onsen with outside area. Right by the Mount Yake trail head so you can start your trek from the door. Great shuttle service into and back from Kamikochi, and to Matsumoto. Packed lunch option if you’re out hiking for the day. Delicious ice cold beers available! It can get a bit bright early in the morning in the room so bring an eye mask if that bothers you.

We stayed one night after hiking and it was a wonderful stay! We were met at the door where someone took our bags while we checked in. The woman at reception was so friendly and spoke English. She showed us around and explained how the onsen worked (it was our first time). Our room was very clean and both dinner and breakfast were plentiful. We enjoyed coffee in the beautiful lounge area after breakfast. There was a shuttle that picked us up and dropped us off for the bus. It was raining upon our departure and they gave us umbrellas to use while we waited at the bus stop! Everyone was so friendly and service was too notch!

Why did I book this hotel? I was planning to climb Mount Yake, and it would be closer from behind this hot spring hotel than from Kamikochi. And considering my stamina, I knew I'd be exhausted after the hike, so a hot spring soak would be a nice touch. Turns out I was incredibly tired, and my legs were sore for days afterwards. While this is one of Japan's hidden gems, it's only average by hot spring hotel standards. The ambiance and service were good, though. I also loved the CD playing in the lobby, which I found on Apple Music when I got home. Haha.

The hotel has a pick-up service and arranges a car to go to Kamikochi on the second day. It is a one-stop service and very considerate. Two meals per stay, and you can also add Xinzhou beef for a fee. Every employee is friendly and pleasant. I am very satisfied with this trip and hope to come again next time. The secret soup of Tianfeng Lu is very comfortable.

It’s our second time staying here. The staff, service, meals are excellent. The location is good for those going to Kamikochi as they provide free shuttle there. Recommended to stay during autumn so that you can enjoy the autumn foliage from the Ryokan

Really great for solo travellors from tokyo. U can shuttle bus from Matsumoto which is a train away from shinjuku station at 2.45pm (easy reservation over email). There is shuttle bus as well to kamikochi at 8am and 9am (reserve at hotel). The 8am bus will be sufficient time to explore the major sceneries at kamikochi if you walk fast and the hotel will bring your luggage to the shuttle bus if you reserve a seat for the 12.20pm bus from kamikochi bus terminal.