Biyu No Yado – Luxury Japanese Ryokan in Yudanaka | NAGANO – JAPAN
THE PERFECT HOMEBASE FOR EXPLORING SNOWMONKEYS!
Yudanaka is a small town 1 hour by car or by train from Nagano train station. Most travellers visit there for 3 main reasons: snow monkeys, onsens and Shiga Kogen, the largest ski resort in Japan.
Since we planned to ride the powder with some friends at Shiga Kogen, we decided to base ourselves in Yudanaka to get the full local Japanese experience. We found the hidden gem of Yudanaka town: “Biyu No Yado”–a traditional Ryokan perfect for travellers who seek a small piece of luxury, comfort as well as a touch of Japanese culture and charm.
Located only 7 mins walk from Yudanaka train and bus station, this hotel is in a great, quiet location with many restaurants and shops within close proximity.
Biyu No Yado is a hotel which offers traditional Ryokan style accommodation with facilities that meet most international traveller’s needs…
By that we mean, a bar–with a good selection of beers! 😉
Ryokan Biyu No Yado was one of our most pleasant stays in Japan so far.
We stayed for two nights in the “ISSA Special Room”. While this hotel offers rooms with Japanese tatami futon and traditional Japanese sitting-on-the-floor living area, our room had Western style with very soft, cozy, comfortable bed and sofa. On top of that, we had our own private outdoor Onsen bath on our balcony overlooking the the beautiful Japanese Alps!
There are various room types with and without a private onsen bath. Guests who prefer getting a more basic option can access the hotel’s public onsen bath also.
We’d also like to mention that Ryokan Biyu No Yado’s onsen baths are 100% pure kakenagashi, which means their hot spring bath water are never recycled.
Every room comes with breakfast, and guests can choose whether they want a Western breakfast or a traditional Japanese breakfast set. Without any hesitation we went for the traditional Japanese breakfast, and it was fantastic (even as a vegetarian set)!
However, if guests wish to get the full authentic, traditional Ryokan style meal, dinner at Biyu No Yado is a must!
In summary, this was one of our most favourite hotels in Japan and we would strongly recommend everyone to stay here if you are in the area. The hotel offers a free shuttle to Jigokudani Snow Monkey park, and there are local buses which run quite frequently all the way to Shiga Kogen everyday from Yudanaka station down the road. The town itself is small and hasn’t changed much (unlike most famous destinations in Japan), but it has a few small quaint shops, bars, and restaurants for visitors to enjoy for a few days!
Above: some of the old, beautiful houses and buildings in Yudanaka
You can see a little walk-through of our room in the end of this video, after some footage from Yokoteyama (the highest piste in Japan) and Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park!
RECOMMENDED LINKS
- #LOLGO experience post on Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
- #LOLGO experience post on Yokoteyama – Japan’s Highest Ski Resort | SHIGA KOGEN – NAGANO
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Photo by Life Out Loud. - Ryokan Biyu No Yado Official Website: http://www.yudanakaview.co.jp/
- For more information on Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, visit: http://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com
