Question 1

How do I get to Kashiwaya Inn?

Accepted Answer

Take the JR Chuo line to Nagiso Station, then walk 15 minutes to Kashiwaya in Midono-juku (Nagiso 3993). If you need a ride, the manager can help arrange a taxi — just tell us in advance.

Question 2

Can you accommodate dietary restrictions (vegan, gluten-free, etc.)?

Accepted Answer

Yes — tell us when you book on our site, or send us a WhatsApp message. We cook around your needs, from wagyu through to vegan and gluten-free.

Question 3

How do I reserve dinner and breakfast?

Accepted Answer

Booking direct on the official site, guests choose meals as add-ons at checkout. One-night stays need nothing more; guests staying multiple nights message the inn on WhatsApp to say which order they'd like on which date — for example, staying Oct 3–6 with sukiyaki on the 3rd and shabu-shabu on the 5th: add both sets at checkout, then message "Sukiyaki on the 3rd, Shabu-shabu on the 5th". The same applies to breakfast mornings. Guests booked via Booking.com order their meals on WhatsApp, using the same name as the room booking. Orders are accepted up to 3 days before the stay.

Question 4

Can I cancel a meal order?

Accepted Answer

Cancellation is free with a full refund up to 4 days before your stay. From 3 days before onward, meal orders are non-refundable, as the meals are already being prepared.

Question 5

Can I rent an e-bike?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the master runs guided e-bike tours and rentals through Beyond Nakasendo Cycling. Daytime use is ¥4,000 per bike per day (10:00 — 15:00). Book through their site.

Question 6

What are the check-in and check-out times at Kashiwaya Inn?

Accepted Answer

Check-in is 16:00 — 18:00. Early arrivals can drop luggage and explore; late arrivals should message us on WhatsApp on arrival. Check-out is by 10:00 with no procedure.

Question 7

Is pick-up from Nagiso Station or Tsumago available?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Nagiso Station, Tsumago and Junikane Station are within the free pick-up area between 16:00 and 18:00, arranged in advance. For departures the inn can call a taxi.

Question 8

How much are dinner and breakfast at Kashiwaya Inn?

Accepted Answer

Dinner sets come in two sizes (serves 2 / serves 3): chicken hot pot ¥6,000 / ¥8,000, pork shabu-shabu or chilled rei-shabu ¥8,000 / ¥11,000, wagyu sukiyaki ¥10,000 / ¥14,000, and vegan gluten-free hot or chilled pots ¥8,000 / ¥11,000. Solo travellers can order one set at half the two-person price. The ochazuke breakfast set (vegan & gluten-free) is ¥1,500 per person.

Question 9

Is there Wi-Fi at Kashiwaya Inn?

Accepted Answer

Yes — free Wi-Fi throughout the house.

Question 10

Do I need cash in the Kiso Valley?

Accepted Answer

Kashiwaya takes card payments, but most local restaurants and all local buses and trains are cash-only and can't change notes larger than ¥1,000. Bring ¥1,000 notes. The nearest ATM is at the 7-Eleven, about 20 minutes on foot.

Question 11

Are the bathrooms shared? Is there a bath?

Accepted Answer

The shower room, sink and kitchen are shared; toilets are private (the second floor's private toilet is on the first floor, reached without passing through any other guest's area). There is no bathtub; a day-use natural hot spring is about 15 minutes away by car (closed Wednesdays) and the inn can arrange a taxi.

Question 12

Can I do laundry at Kashiwaya Inn?

Accepted Answer

First-floor guests have a washer-dryer. Otherwise there is a coin laundry about 15 minutes' walk away.

Question 13

Can luggage be forwarded to the next stop on the Nakasendo?

Accepted Answer

Between Magome and Tsumago there is a no-reservation luggage shuttle. Between Nagiso and Nojiri stations Kashiwaya runs one — just ask. For the wider Kiso area (Matsumoto to Nakatsugawa), NLTS and Walk Lite offer booked luggage transfer.

Question 14

Are there bears on the Nakasendo trails?

Accepted Answer

Asian black bears live in the mountains, but fixed bells along the Magome Pass trail mean no sightings there for about a decade. Bears avoid people; the main risk is surprising a mother with cubs. Bear bells and bear spray are available to rent at the inn.

Question 15

How hard is the Magome Pass walk?

Accepted Answer

Easy — sneakers are fine, sandals are not recommended. In winter, strap-on ice spikes are advised and can be rented at the inn.

Question 16

Is breakfast free with Booking.com Genius at Kashiwaya Inn?

Accepted Answer

No. Some Genius Level 2-3 reservations display a free-breakfast benefit added by Booking.com's system without any arrangement with the inn. Kashiwaya has no breakfast-included plans; all meals are optional, paid services reserved in advance.

Question 17

Can luggage be stored before check-in or after check-out?

Accepted Answer

Yes — luggage can be left at the entrance on the shelf just inside. Liability for stored luggage is limited to ¥100,000 per person.

Question 18

What is the cancellation policy for room bookings at Kashiwaya Inn?

Accepted Answer

100% of paid prepayments are refundable when canceled 7 days before arrival or earlier; 0% refundable if canceled after. Meal orders follow their own policy: free until 4 days before the stay, non-refundable from 3 days before.

Question 19

Can guests rent the whole house at Kashiwaya Inn?

Accepted Answer

Yes — on select dates (about one night a week) the whole kominka is listed for a single group: both floors, garden and kitchen included. On those dates the individual rooms are closed, so the whole-house calendar only opens on available days. The whole-house stay is unmanned (self check-in via key box) and Kashiwaya's dinner is not available on those dates — instead, Marusho, a local shop, delivers dinner, breakfast and drinks to the house (dinner sets ¥1,500–¥3,500 including vegetarian and vegan options), ordered via the Marusho order page at marusho.vercel.app with payment made locally to Marusho. Kashiwaya's ochazuke breakfast set (¥1,500 per person) can also still be ordered, and the kitchen is included for self-catering.

Question 20

Can guests eat out in the evening near Kashiwaya Inn?

Accepted Answer

Nearby restaurants do not keep regular evening hours, so reserving dinner at the inn (up to 3 days ahead) or same-day meal delivery is recommended.

Question 21

What are the house rules at Kashiwaya Inn?

Accepted Answer

No pets, and no smoking inside the wooden house (the courtyard is fine). Photos and videos are welcome. Quiet hours after 21:00, as local residents rise early.

Dinner & breakfast, cooked by the chef next door.

Reserved in advance, cooked around you.

Whole-house dates — dinner, delivered

What a Japanese family eats on a special day.

Three craft beers, brewed only for us.