“A truly unforgettable and authentic stay made special by the exceptional hospitality of Shino-San”

Staying here was one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. We were a group of five, and the entire experience was unforgettable for all of us – we’ll all be recommending Shino-san to our friends and family. What made the stay so special was Shino-san himself. He looked after us so incredibly well and has a fantastic sense of humour – a very special person to have met. The amount of care and detail he puts into making guests feel welcome is remarkable. From the beautifully prepared meals, to giving us access to his sake shrine, to the incredible sunset bath overlooking the valley, every moment felt thoughtful and unique. He also went above and beyond to help us plan our days in the Iya Valley, even giving us tokens for discounts to walk across the vine bridge. His hospitality made us feel less like guests and more like friends being welcomed into his home. If you want a genuine and memorable experience of traditional life in the Iya Valley, this place is truly something special.

Great experience. Shino-san was a wonderful host and made sure we enjoyed our stay with him. Loved the outside hot tub. We had a hire car so it was simple to explore the area. I think it would be difficult using the local bus.

Shino-san was the most wonderful host. He went above and beyond to make our stay truly special. Every single moment felt like a memorable experience — from chopping wood to heat the rice and prepare the hot bath, to making onigiris together, and even sharing a taste of his treasured sake from the shrine. Staying in his beautiful old home, tucked away in the quiet mountains, was something we’ll never forget. The traditional toilet does take a little getting used to, but thanks to the comments I’d read beforehand, I was prepared — and it quickly became just part of the charm of the whole experience 😂. The meals were delicious, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and Shino-san’s tips, humor, and genuine kindness made us feel so incredibly welcome. Saying goodbye today was honestly hard — we left with such full hearts.

genuine traditional house

Shino-San is so welcoming and kind and has a great sense of humour. He's also a great chef and has an amazing sake collection to share with you. The outdoor bath is a great option (if you're flexible. Tall or non flexible people might not fit in) for relaxing after a long day exploring. Highly recommended

Even though we only stayed one night, this was the highlight for our kids. Making the fire, chopping the wood, taking a bath and cooking rice on your self-made fire. The kids really loved it. Shino-San is really friendly and welcoming. Whenever I talk about our holiday, I typically bring up this stay. It’s really memorable and a great experience.

“This is not just a stay it is an exceptional experience”

The property is a true old style Japanese farm house run on traditional lines . The only nod to modernity is good wifi and electrical mod cons. The owner Shino San goes out of his way to give you an authentic local experience and goes to huge effort to entertain and cook for you often on wood burning stoves . He tailored the meals to suit us and we had nice coffee . The local area is exceptionally beautiful and we would recommend ochiai village and the heritage museum. The vine bridge is fun but really overly touristy. There was nothing open for lunch so bring some snacks to keep you going. Shino San is generous with his sake , which is a real experience . Highly recommend shino’s place it is not just accomdation it is an experience you won’t forget

“Amazing Place, Even Better Host.”

We absolutely loved staying with Shino-san. It was so peaceful and relaxing, with breakfast and dinner cooked for us every morning/evening (every single thing we ate was incredible), and sightseeing in the area during the days. We stayed on futons on the floor, ate cross-legged by the hearth, watched the sunset over the valley each night, frequented the 'sake shrine' 😋, made our own onigiri for our long travel day 🍙, and even helped cut wood for cooking rice and heating the bath (which overlooks the valley). Maybe it doesn't sound like much, but it was so special - it is so hard to describe! We've never been so well taken care of as we were with Shino-san! Our toddler came to love Shino-san, smiling quickly whenever he'd say hi, and by the end of our stay she would strut into the dining room and plop down on her chair to patiently wait for Shino-san's delicious food! It felt like home.

“A memorable stay.”

As others have noted, it's quite a memorable stay with Shino-san. He has a well-oiled routine worked out for the guests, which includes all the things mentioned in the other reviews - chopping wood, cooking rice, making onigiri, etc. He only takes one booking at a time, and we had the whole of the main building to ourselves. He has his own living quarters next door. He is a wonderful and caring host, and we had a great time staying with him.

An amazing experience for a family aged 5 and 10 kids. Everything was so thoughtful for the ages of the children. We had so much fun.

“Nice and hospitable host but place very messy.”

Shino was a nice, very friendly and decent person. He picked us up from the railway station but

“GREAT”

It is really an experience, there are many thing you never seen it, but here, you not just looking at it, but to try it. The place is very rustic and basic, but the host make you feel comfortable and relax, He is very details and make you feel like being home. The most touching is teach you make rice ball in the morning is to prepare for your lunch to bring along (with sauce, chopstick, napkin and seaweed prepare with a carry bag) Too many things to mention, you should go and experience yourself Note: Give yourself more time, come early and leave later if possible.

Overall a fabulous experience and insight into Iya life.

“A memorable stay in a beautiful place.”

Our generous and charming host, Shino-san, who was full of ceremonies and rituals and who guided us around the Iya valley in his campervan.

“Wonderful experience with Shino-san - the perfect host!”

Our four-day stay at Kajiy Iya Romantei with Shino-San was the highlight of our month in Japan. He was the perfect host; attentive, engaging, a great sense of humor, and a wonderful cook. The clever ceremonies were fun, the “sake cave” was fantastic, and the property was great and relaxing. We watched the moon rise each night from the small wood-fired soaking tub, and hand-fed the birds from the deck while enjoying our morning coffee. If you are into an authentic Japanese village experience while exploring the Iya valley I would highly recommend a stay at Kajiy Iya Romantei. We would love to come back.

Very memorable and interesting experience.

“Nice experience at a traditional farmhouse.”

The accommodation is a traditional Japanese farmhouse in Iya valley. It's location is especially good if you want to explore the inner part of Iya Valley. It can easily be reached by bus from Oboke or Awaikeda train station (it's actually the same bus). But the host can also pick you up from Oboke train station if you arrange with him in advance. It's recommended to stay at least two nights to fully enjoy the landscape and explore the valley. The host will involve you in several activities around the farmhouse like chopping wood or prepare rice on a traditional cooker. And he can drive you around if you don't come with your own car. Although there are buses to get in and out of the valley, they are too infrequent to use them to explore several spots on one day. The farmhouse is simple. But that's part of the experience. In return you can enjoy the beauty of the Iya valley. Especially in the evening and at night there is a quiet and peace that you won't find in other places anymore.

“An unforgettable and magical experience.”

We had an amazing stay with Shino-San. The house is full of character and charm with amazing views of the valley. We were made so welcome and had a lot of fun. Shino-San makes this experience unforgettable, making sure every moment is special.

Everything! (Except that toilet)

Great traditional lifestyle experience in a beautiful valley. Shino san is an amazing host who really makes you feel welcome at his home. Can't recommend it enough unless you are bothered by things that come with old countryside living like cold rooms and manual flushing toilets but to me those were just part of the experience.