Nakamatsuya Ryokan in Ueda

My location rating on this hotel heavily depends on the use case here. If you like to go sightseeing it might not be optimal, but if you like to relax in an onsen, enjoy traditional food, and go hiking in japanese mountains than this is as good as it gets.
The room has a lot of space (im writing from another ryokan right now with approximately a quarter of the comfort...), you have your own bath, which we didn't need because there is an onsen on top of the hotel. The hotel is at the edge of the city directly behind it is a mountain and the hotel has 7 floors so the view from the onsen is really good. If you are inside the onsen it gets a bit difficult too enjoy the view because of a privacy screen (which in my opinion would not be needed at that height of a building, but other opinions might differ here.
If you are a woman with tattoos you aren't welcomed in the public onsen, but there are private onsen you can book for 2200 ¥ for an hour.

You will get a Yokata (traditional indoor clothing that looks Kimono like)
Everyone in the hotel was very friendly and happy to see us. For english translation we had one person that spoke fluently, otherwise no one had a problem with talking over google translator or with hands and feet.
In the end we got a ride to the train station by the hotel staff. The train scenery is quite nice, I would recommend instead of a taxi just to enjoy the view.

Overall very nice experience. I wish we would have stayed there a little bit longer.

I had impressed with the hospitality of staying and the catering at the hotel .

We had a truly unforgettable stay at Ryokan Nakamatsuya during our honeymoon. The level of customer service was exceptional. Although only one staff member spoke fluent English, he went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and cared for. He took the time to explain each dish during our first kaiseki dinner, which made the experience even more special and memorable.

The rest of the staff, despite speaking limited English, showed incredible hospitality through their warmth, attention to detail, and kindness. Every interaction felt genuine and heartfelt.

The reception area was going through some rennovations and the staff kept apologising for the inconvience. It just showed how much they appreciate their guests.

We also booked the private onsen, which was amazing — spacious, clean, and even had some toys for children. The public bath was equally relaxing, and the outdoor bath offered a stunning view of the surrounding mountain ranges, adding to the serene experience.

Ryokan Nakamatsuya is the perfect blend of traditional Japanese charm and thoughtful service. We highly recommend staying here if you're looking for a peaceful, authentic, and memorable experience. We’re so grateful for the care we received and would absolutely return.

Clean, walkable from station (if no rain), spacious rooms, warm service, tasty food. Best was the fantastic roof top onsen view of the mountain town and forests! One of the staff Hoshino-san was helpful with his English & Mandarin translations.

Clean, tidy, and with attentive staff. A genuine hot spring.

The food was delicious.

They even upgraded our room. Great value for money. Highly recommend staying here.

Nakamatsuya is next to Shimoda. It takes 27 minutes to reach Bessho Onsen on the Bessho Line. Shimoda is a Shinkansen station. The Bessho Line runs about every half an hour. There is a free tour bus from the hotel on Saturdays and Sundays. It takes ten minutes to reach the hotel. If you don't walk uphill towards Guanyin in the north for ten minutes, or call the hotel and say they are at the station and they will drive to pick you up in five minutes. Bessho Onsen is more popular than many declining hot spring towns. There are many hot spring hotels doing good business. Among them, Hanaya Daishofu is the most popular. Tamaya is a new Japanese and Western style. Because the price on Saturday is expensive and the single person, one night and two meals are less, I blindly chose Matsuya, which is also a hotel with a long history. The lobby has the atmosphere of a family hotel. The Japanese room I booked should have been partially renovated. There is no unpleasant smell of tatami mats. There is a view outside the window that can see the town and mountains. Some cheap rooms have no view at all. There are also Japanese and Western style luxury rooms. The town is worth walking outside. There are quiet temples. The town is quiet and beautiful. There are flowers blooming everywhere in June, especially peonies. The restaurant only has matsutake mushrooms from September to November, and the restaurant has grilled wagyu in June, which is very good. The breakfast is a bit simple, a Japanese set meal, and it is served at 8 o'clock at the latest. The hot spring on the top floor is very good. There are flower arrangements everywhere in the hotel, and they are carefully maintained. There are Chinese staff, and the service is warm and friendly. The disadvantage is that the curtains are useless. The roller curtains do not block the light. I was woken up very early and slept very badly. Is it strange that the Japanese sleep so well? Light affects the secretion of melatonin. Why don't they care whether the curtains block the light? It is a common problem in Japanese hotels. The kettle heats up in one or two hours. It is best to unplug it when sleeping. The tatami is a bit sticky when barefoot, and it should be wiped more carefully. There will be a little odor in the bathroom. Overall, it is a well-run hot spring hotel. If the price is right, it is recommended to stay.

What a wonderful semi-western Japanese ryokan. We took the little train from Ueda and Nakamatsuya picked us up from the Bessho station for a 3 minute ride. Checked into a front facing room with self-contained private onsen bath. Delicious Kaiseki dinner and Japanese breakfast for our group of 10 friends. All in all, a little jewel, conveniently located in the little quaint village of Bessho. highly recommend.

The people at the inn were very attentive and the atmosphere was very comfortable.
The food was also delicious and there was so much we couldn't finish it.
It would be nice to stay two or three nights instead of just one and relax. I would definitely use Nakamatsuya again.

Stayed here during my long trip in September. Though it’s not the grandest ryokan in the area, it was nice , approachable and had all the things I was looking for. Room had great view of the mountains and the open air onsen was such a delight to use. Hospitality from the staff was as always, impeccable and I was glad to be able to have the Matsutake courses along with regional produce for dinner. Breakfast too was equally amazing!
This is a trip that will stay in my memory for a really long time!

A very unique Japanese-style hot spring hotel. The entire building is covered with tatami mats. The open-air hot spring on the seventh floor is great and you can see a lot of stars.