A Historic Road Through the Majestic Mountains of Nagano

Brilliant white in winter, impossibly green in summer—the mountainous lands of Nagano provide some of Japan’s most striking natural scenery. To help travelers safely traverse this rugged region, the Nakasendo Road followed river valleys such as the Kiso Valley, which runs alongside the Japan Alps. Post towns sprung up along the road with simple inns that catered to the needs of such travelers at locations such as Kiso-Fukushima, where the original Tsutaya Ryokan was built in 1688 and endures to this day.

Discover the Pristine Beauty of the Remote Kaida Highlands

Opened in 2000, Tsutaya Tokinoyado Kazari was established in affiliation with the original Tsutaya Ryokan. Designed to provide guests with more of an escape into nature, this modern ryokan was built on a remote plateau to the north of Kiso-Fukushima known as the Kaida Highlands. Ringed by mountain peaks, these remote highlands are surprisingly fertile, producing an astonishing array of delicious vegetables and providing for the rearing of cattle and famous Kiso horses.

A Stay with a Sense of Place

Escape into Nature While You Relax in Peace and Comfort at a Modern Ryokan

While it contains some of the features of a classic ryokan, Tsutaya Tokinoyado Kazari is very much a modern take on traditional Japanese hospitality with a style all its own. Part mountain retreat, part hot springs resort, part gourmet restaurant, part apres-ski auberge—this unique ryokan provides all that you need and more for a memorable escape into the mountains of Nagano with complete relaxation and comfort.

Private Onsen Baths, Private Saunas, and Spectacular Mountain Scenery

Tsutaya Tokinoyado Kazari was constructed with the surrounding wonders of the natural world fully in mind, with every guest room aligned to provide views of Mt. Ontake. Rooms have private balconies or terraces so that guests can relax outdoors to breathe the pure mountain air, including special suites with private outdoor onsen baths and saunas. The water for the onsen baths is drawn directly from natural underground hot springs.

Please note that at any time during your stay, you can also make use of the Picnic Bar, a lounge with comfortable seating that offers self-serve drinks and snacks (free of charge).

Pre-Selected Rooms

Our recommended room for your stay at Tsutaya Tokinoyado Kazari is the Suite with Sauna. This premium suite is a stylish guest room that combines Western furniture and modern design with traditional Japanese ryokan features such as tatami mats and sliding shoji doors. The suite’s piece de resistance is the outdoor terrace, which is almost as big as the room itself, where you will find your very own tent sauna, onsen bath, cold plunge bath, and wood fireplace, as well as lounge chairs for relaxing in the fresh air. This room can comfortably accommodate up to 4 guests, with two single beds as well as futon bedding.

Other Rooms

The Junior Suite is also an excellent choice for your stay at Tsutaya Tokinoyado Kazari, offering similar amenities including a tent sauna, onsen bath, cold plunge bath, and wood fireplace on the room’s private terrace. The decor is slightly more Western and the suite slightly smaller, making it just right for two people with a pair of twin beds.

*Please note that room assignments may be subject to change based on availability. If a change is necessary, the rate may vary, and we will notify you of the details beforehand.

Moments at the Table

Savor Gourmet Meals Conceived in the Mind of a Master Chef

This Wabunka stay plan includes breakfast and dinner served at the ryokan’s on-site restaurant, which overlooks the terrace and blueberry garden.*

*Please note that the on-site restaurant is scheduled to reopen in April 2026 following renovations. The restaurant will feature a new menu conceived by Akira Miyake, a chef selected by The Michelin Guide Tokyo (2024–2025). Guests staying in Spa Terrace rooms can have dinner at a counter made from a single piece of hinoki cypress (subject to availability).

Breakfast

For breakfast, you can enjoy a meal centered around the local dish known as toji soba, made from buckwheat soba noodles boiled in a special dashi broth. Side dishes that accompany the soba vary by season based on ingredients available in the local area.

Dinner

Dinner is served in the kaiseki style, which emphasizes visual beauty as well as flavor and aroma. Each beautifully-crafted dish is a feast for the senses, balancing color, texture, and flavor in unique ways that maximize the taste of delicious local seasonal ingredients. Some dishes are prepared right before your eyes, with anticipation of the coming delight as the ultimate appetizer.

Relax and Reconnect with Nature at an Unforgettable Mountain Retreat

As incredible as the view is during the day at Tsutaya Tokinoyado Kazari, make sure as well that you venture outdoors after dark—and look up. In this serene place, far away from the overwhelming lights of the city, stars take back the night sky, ethereal points of light that shimmer down from the darkness. Gaze upward for long enough and you may almost feel like you are starting to float towards them.

Night and day, Tsutaya Tokinoyado Kazari gives you the time and space to slow down, relax, and reconnect with the world around you, while enjoying the privacy and comfort of this immaculately modern ryokan in Nagano. With gourmet meals, private onsen baths and saunas, and views that are simply beyond compare, a stay at this special mountain retreat in this beautiful, remote part of Japan will not be something that you will soon forget.