Oyado Iseya — Hotel in Shiojiri

This Ryokan on the Old Nakasendo trail was built in 1818, when the Nakasendo was at its peak. Narai-juku is the largest and best preserved Post Town, and stepping into Narai-juku having traversed the Torii pass, it felt like stepping back in time. Narai-juku marks the mid-point between Tokyo and Kyoto and was a very popular resting point before or after the Torii pass, hence Narai-juku's size and number of Ryokans.

I would very much like to thank Iseda-san and his wife for opening up their family home, so that guests can spend the night just as the travellers did hundreds of years ago during the Edo period. It also marked the end of my 3 day hike along the Nakasendo, and a worthy Ryokan to end my journey. I did indeed spend the day, night and morning resting. It is very quiet in the evenings and in the mornings, that is when Narai is at its most beautiful and serine. Walking around in the evening, alone was stunning. You really feel like you have travelled hundreds of years back into the past. It was absolutely beautiful. Dinner was a spectacular 14-course Kaiseki meal, every complement was home cooked using seasonal ingredients from the local area. They are all small dishes but together will satiate even the biggest appetite. Breakfast was a 10-course meal. Usually I'm not a huge fan of Ryokan breakfasts because they can be too much, and I don't tend to eat breakfast. This meal was just right in terms of volume and was very delicious. The only downside is all facilities are shared, toilets and bathrooms are outside your room. There can be a wait to use the hot bath, but once in it's very modern and very relaxing. I would highly recommend Oyado Iseya if you are planning to stay...

We stayed just one night here whilst walking the Nakasendo Way. We arrived in the midst of a downpour of rain which had soaked us to the skin en route. We were welcomed on arrival by a most delightful gentleman who took our soaked coats, umbrellas and boots to the drying room, showed us around the inn and explained everything to us. As we were almost the first to arrive, my husband and I took the opportunity to shower and bathe and then have a rest before our evening meal. We found all the amenities to be spotlessly clean and well-appointed; our small bedroom was cosy and we very much appreciated the tea and snacks.|The highlight of our stay here was the exquisite food. Dinner was very refined, in kaiseki style. Each small dish was delicious and beautifully plated. We shared our table with a Japanese couple who were also mid-way on the Nakasendo Way so we shared some experiences and enjoyed the conviviality of the meal with them. Breakfast was also a very fine meal, setting us up for the day's walk that was to come.|Also of note at this lovely inn is the garden between the old and the new buildings. When we came down in the morning there was a light dusting of snow here and there, showing off the beautifully cared for garden.|As we left this lovely inn our host gave us a beautiful post card of the inn which will always remind us of this...

We stayed just one night here whilst walking the Nakasendo Way. We arrived in the midst of a downpour of rain which had soaked us to the skin en route. We were welcomed on arrival by a most delightful gentleman who took our soaked coats, umbrellas and boots to the drying room, showed us around the inn and explained everything to us. As we were almost the first to arrive, my husband and I took the opportunity to shower and bathe and then have a rest before our evening meal. We found all the amenities to be spotlessly clean and well-appointed; our small bedroom was cosy and we very much appreciated the tea and snacks.|The highlight of our stay here was the exquisite food. Dinner was very refined, in kaiseki style. Each small dish was delicious and beautifully plated. We shared our table with a Japanese couple who were also mid-way on the Nakasendo Way so we shared some experiences and enjoyed the conviviality of the meal with them. Breakfast was also a very fine meal, setting us up for the day's walk that was to come.|Also of note at this lovely inn is the garden between the old and the new buildings. When we came down in the morning there was a light dusting of snow here and there, showing off the beautifully cared for garden.|As we left this lovely inn our host gave us a beautiful post card of the inn which will always remind us of this...