Yamaura Stay

A delightful place to stay. Traditional home but with all the little luxuries to make it quite special. Perched in a small community with far reaching views. The team at Chino provided a great service and answered queries quickly. Their recommendations of activities were spot on. Cooking with grannies was both fun and informative and it was lovely to spend a short time cooking and talking together. Relatively local vegan restaurant had super tasting food - a real treat.

My husband and I had a wonderful time thanks to Sebastian and Megan at Yamaura Stay.
We did a bike tour the first day and were delighted by the farmhouse that evening as we settled in by doing "Cooking with Grannys" we had a lovely conversation thanks to our interpreter and are so excited to try recipes we learned and inspired.
Then we did a bike rental day, it was a cold day and were so grateful that Yamaura Stay made sure we had a lunch reservation at a very cozy and delicious vegetarian restaurant.
Finished the day with a stay at the Onsen hotel.
We recommend this for anyone looking to explore rural areas and feel more in touch with Japanese culture.

If you are looking for an authentic way to experience Japanese culture, then a visit to Chino in the Nagano prefecture is it!
Megan and Sebastian from Yamaura Stay were so lovely and helped us organise our itinerary by tailoring our Japanese village experience. We stayed in Hanato a traditional farmhouse in the village of Sasahara in the foothills of the Yatsugatake Mountains. Hanato was comfortable and clean and a gorgeous place to stay with it's giant cherry blossom trees and pristine mountain streams.
We did several activities in and around the village whose local culture, food and hospitality were amazing. A must do when visiting Japan.

Our stay in Chino was everything we could have asked for and more! Everybody was so friendly, kind and excited to share their culture with us. I highly recommend a homestay, any cooking activities and a bike tour if you can handle the hills. The local public onsen as well as the one at our ryokan was wonderful. The countryside in early May was gorgeous, from the greenery to the surrounding mountain ranges. Honestly, my husband and I can't wait for the chance to come back again!

This is a very special place. We spent a night in the Hanato farmhouse, and we wish we had stayed longer. It is designed so well--traditional and charming with all the modern conveniences. The kitchen is thoughtfully equipped, organized, clean, spacious and functional. Interacting with the villagers made this a deep and meaningful experience. We are planning our next trip and hope to stay longer!

This was the stay we were looking forward to through our whole trip in Japan! After visiting the busy cities, this was what we needed. We stayed in this lovely, 2 people cottage Kinkei for 4 nights in the small village of Oike where the people were lovely, the nights were quiet, and the views breathtaking. We loved everything about the design of the house! The modernity respected the old designs of the original farm, a lot of furniture was repurposed and there was a great sense of belonging within the property. Sheets, mattresses, the tatami mats were all premium quality. The kitchen was well equipped with a lot of expensive china that felt like they cared about quality. The cherry on the top was definitely the use of fireplace, their sound systems and a projector where we watched movies with takeouts. The team was fabulous and very responsive as they made our stay feel very welcomed. They arranged A Historical Walk through the village with a Grandpa. The experience at Yamaura definitely elevated our understanding and love for Japan as a whole. Can't wait to be back!

We stayed in Kiyomizu farmhouse for 3 nights and it was the highlight of our month stay in Japan. The house is an architectural dream with all details beautifully done. We did the cooking with grannies experience and it was wonderful chatting and cooking with a local woman from the hamlet. Yamaura Stays were helpful and friendly hosts. This is a rare chance to experience Japanese village life. We will be back!

Amazing! We stayed in Kinkei for a few nights as we wanted to get away from our busy urban lives. The Yamaura Stay team helped us do exactly that, organizing everything to a tee and providing fantastic recommendations for our little getaway vacation. The experiences we were recommended were just right for us and gave us a glimpse of local culture.

The Kinkei house makes you wish you booked an extra week. You're equipped with all the amenities, provided with all the little extras that make your evenings indoors comfortable, and you're surrounded by the sounds of nature that remind you that there are other ways to live your life. And you've got an absolutely beautiful view to wake up to.

We visited in late spring, but I can only assume any time of the year is the right time. I also think that winter evenings in Kinkei would be very cosy. We've run out of superlatives here - if you're looking for a getaway that checks all the right boxes, you've found it.

We're eternally grateful to Megan and the team, thank you!

We spent two nights in Haus Hanato and we loved it. We were completely taken in by the fantastic decor and beautiful surroundings. We will definitely be back. Thank you also for the fantastic service.

とても清潔感があり、センスを感じるお宿でした。夕飯は地元の食材を用意していただきお部屋で調理するコースを選択。子供達と一緒にご飯を作りとても楽しくいい思い出になりました。

あえての不便さを楽しむ事がこのお宿の魅力かなと私は思うのですが、、次来る時はお気に入りの調味料など持っていくとかなり料理の幅が、広がりそう！と思いました。

アメニティは華蜜恋。嬉しかったです♡