Cottages in Tateshina

Quiet. Secluded. Peaceful. Beautiful. Natural. After the stress of Tokyo, Villa Azumino was exactly what I needed to recharge. Clean fresh air. Lush trees changing colors with the fall. Deliciously hot natural springs, with baths located both indoors and out. I came alone but it has enough space for a large family. Definitely a romantic place for a couple who enjoy each others company. The attentive staff went above and beyond what was necessary. Friendly, respectful and helpful, they saw to my every need. The villa itself is beautiful, with too many exquisite details to list. Suffice it to say that everything from the structure to the furniture is well thought out. The house was also well provisioned with utensils, plates, bowls, glasses and the like. The baths are a short walk from the main house and they too are well built and rich in detail. The water from the springs did wonders for my skin. I’m not a diva with a skin care routine or anything but even I could notice then difference in my skin after a couple soaks. I only left this morning and already I’m thinking about going back.

The host is amazing, the place is a new listing, so it is a work in progress. The host is always looking for feedback on how to improve the place. When we had a problem he solved it really fast. Location is perfect (be sure to rent a car). The place is an historic very traditional house and small museum. Quite a unique experience. Be mindful that given it is an old historic house, there is no AC so in summer can be really hot, and winters really cold. You also can't expect a spot-clean house because of this. You need to be OK with having an old-house experience and what that entails.