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ZEN Hostel

2.0 star property

Photo gallery for ZEN Hostel

Front of property
Front of property
Basic Quadruple Room, Japanese Futon
Interior entrance
Living area

Reviews

8.6 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Parking included
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Air-conditioning
  • Laundry room

Explore the area

View map
3031 Hirao, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano, Yamanouchi, 3840401
  • Place, Yudanaka Hot Spring
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, Takayakushi Wakoan
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Place, Shibu
    ‪6 min walk‬

Room options

View all photos for Basic Shared Dormitory, Mixed Dorm

Basic Shared Dormitory, Mixed Dorm

Basic Shared Dormitory, Mixed Dorm

  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Single Bed
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Basic Twin Room, Japanese Futon

Basic Twin Room, Japanese Futon

Basic Twin Room, Japanese Futon

  • 10 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Single Futon
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Basic Triple Room, Japanese Futon

Basic Triple Room, Japanese Futon

Basic Triple Room, Japanese Futon

  • 12 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Single Futon
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Basic Quadruple Room, Japanese Futon

Basic Quadruple Room, Japanese Futon

Basic Quadruple Room, Japanese Futon

  • 20 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Single Futon
  • Free Wi-Fi

View all photos for Basic Suite, Japanese Futon

Basic Suite, Japanese Futon

Basic Suite, Japanese Futon

  • 40 sq m
  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 Single Futon
  • Free Wi-Fi

About the area

Yamanouchi

ZEN Hostel places you steps from Nishimiya Shrine and within a short 5-minute stroll of Yudanaka Hot Spring. Highlights at this hostel include free in-room WiFi. .This hostel has free WiFi in public areas, a garden and multilingual staff. Additionally, you'll find laundry facilities, a microwave in a common area and a fridge in a common area. There's also the convenience of free self parking. .Attractions within a 15-minute drive of this Yamanouchi hostel include Shibu and Shiga Kogen Ski Area.
View more Hostels in YamanouchiOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Nishimiya Shrine - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Yudanaka Hot Spring - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Takayakushi Wakoan - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Shibu - 6 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Heiwakannon - 13 min walk - 1.0 km

Getting around

  • Yudanaka Station - 4 min walk
  • Kaesa Station - 25 min drive
  • Matsumoto (MMJ-Shinshu - Matsumoto) - 95 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪味処 みかさ - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪道の駅の食堂 - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪いさみ寿し - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪As it. - Craft Beer and Vintage Clothing - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪中華料理 栄楽 - ‬5 min walk

About this property

ZEN Hostel

As a guest of ZEN Hostel, you'll find multilingual staff, a garden, and laundry facilities. WiFi is free in public spaces. ZEN Hostel also features a microwave in a common area and a fridge in a common area. Limited free parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Smoking is allowed in designated areas at this Yamanouchi hostel.

  • 5 guestrooms or units
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Staff members are multilingual
  • Garden
  • Smoking in designated areas
  • Microwave in a common area
  • Fridge in a common area
ZEN Hostel offers 5 accommodations with air conditioning. This Yamanouchi hostel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Guests have access to shared bathrooms. Bathrooms include a shower.

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Free self parking on site
  • Limited on-site self parking

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Separate bedroom

Conveniences

  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Shared microwave
  • Shared refrigerator

Guest services

  • Multilingual staff
  • No housekeeping service

Outdoors

  • Garden

More

  • Designated smoking areas

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Shared bathroom
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3 PM; check-in end time: 10 PM
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM
Contactless check-out

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 3 PM - 10 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
  • Cots (infant beds) are not available.

Payment types

Important information

Fees

Guests will be asked to pay the following charges at the property:

  • A city tax may be collected at the property. The city tax ranges from JPY 100-10,000 per person, per night based on the nightly room rate. Please note that further exemptions may apply. For more details, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.

We've listed all charges provided to us by the property.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard and American Express. For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher in all accommodation.

We should mention

  • As required by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, all international visitors must submit their passport number and nationality when registering at any lodging facility (inns, hotels, motels etc). Also, it's required that lodging proprietors photocopy the passports of all registering guests and keep the photocopy on file.

Property is also known as

ZEN Hostel Yamanouchi
ZEN Yamanouchi
ZEN Hostel Yamanouchi
ZEN Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation
ZEN Hostel Hostel/Backpacker accommodation Yamanouchi

Frequently asked questions

What is the cancellation policy at ZEN Hostel?

ZEN Hostel offers free cancellation on select room rates. Check out the cancellation policy for more info.

Is parking available at ZEN Hostel?

Yep, ZEN Hostel has a free self car park. Onsite parking is limited.

Is there a spa on site at ZEN Hostel?

No, there is no spa at this property. Shibu is a short 6-minute walk away.

Is there a free airport shuttle available at ZEN Hostel?

No, ZEN Hostel does not offer an airport shuttle service.

What time are check-in & check-out at ZEN Hostel?

Check-in begins at 3 PM. Check-out time is 10 AM.

Are pets allowed at ZEN Hostel?

No, pets are not allowed.

ZEN Hostel Reviews

Reviews

8.6

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 24 out of 48 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 16 out of 48 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 6 out of 48 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 48 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 48 reviews

8.6/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

10/10

Amenities

8.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very chill, run by nice people
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

8/10 Good

Fook Wai

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Lorena

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Enjoyed our stay at Zen hostel. The staff was attentive and helpful in planning activities.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

8/10 Good

Jon

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Nice on a budget

Cheap, clean, friendly staff, lots of trust, good breakfast
Stayed 1 night in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

luis

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great value and attention to details from the hist

It was a great stay! Everything that you could need was provided! Very friendly environment both the staff and the guest! Special Kudos to Maya who manages the hostel very professionally and welcoming. She provided very useful information as well as the gentleman that was also there!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

holly

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great place to stay in Yamanouchi!

Zen Hostel is in a neat, old, traditional Japanese building. The lounge overlooks a pretty Japanese garden which can be viewed through the giant windows making it seem like you are outside. The walls throughout the hostel are adorned with nice photos from around the world. The floor in my private room was covered by beautiful tatami mats on which a futon is placed for sleeping. The futon was a little thin for sleeping on my side (boney hips) but was otherwise comfortable. Everything is clean. The heaters provided kept the room as toasty as I needed but the common spaces are pretty cold so bring warm jammies in the winter for the trip to the restroom. I don't consider this a negative for this hostel as I found it is normal for there to be cold common spaces in places in the low budget range (I wouldn't know about the fancy hotels in Japan). The staff were super nice and speak English. The breakfast options were yummy and reasonable at 600 yen. The dinner menu is limited but my curry was good. The location is perfect, just 5 minutes walk to the bus and train station and close to all restaurants. I definitely recommend this place!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019

8/10 Good

Nelson, Kuala Lumpur

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Clean hotel, but wifi is slow and too far from metro or JR station
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Kevin

Amazing, non expensive and clean place.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service

Not bad but expensive for what you get

We stayed at a "private" twin room and once our door was opened by someone while we were away, and another time while we were still inside someone came into our room even though it was locked! It was a mistake but I couldn't recommend the private room if you are concerned about someone entering the room. Furthermore my girlfriend didn't think the room was that clean, personally I thought it was average. Service was nice and it's not far from station. However this area doesn't have many stores or restaurants that are open. I chose to come here because my girlfriend lives close by, but hotels in Nagano city are much cheaper and cleaner if you book in advance. Unfortunately my girlfriend was a bit picky and didn't want to travel to Nagano so I ended up paying more money for less. If you have the choice, stay at a hotel in Nagano city or choose this if you want to be close by some specific tourist attraction.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

ANDY, Tokyo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
個室に泊まりましたが、旅館のような部屋に泊まることができくつろげました。 また、近くの有名温泉旅館と提携していて、追加料金で温泉に入れる仕組みがあり、助かりました。
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

8/10 Good

adam

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Town stay for snow monkey trip

Convenient for snow monkeys and nice nearby onsen. Employees very kind made nice breakfast and drove us to the station

6/10 Okay

ren

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Beware, this is NOT in Shibu Onsen town!

We chose this hostel by mistake. We thought it was in Shibu Onsen since this what we searched for when booking. Our fault!! We were disappointed to learn this place is in neighboring village and can not provide key to the 9 public onsens in Shibu Onsen. The owner didn’t bother explaining where we got it wrong. He pretended he doesn’t know what we are talking about and offered to sell us entry to an Onsen nearby his place where he has a deal. What is the problem helping us understand the situation? This is not the friendliness and hospitality we got accustomed to traveling around Japan. The hostel itself is ok, very basic and abit unhygienic in Japanese standards. It is quite cheap so you get descent value for money.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Friendly English speaking staff, good breakfast, private showers, comfy bedding and good location handy for the snow monkeys.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2017

10/10 Excellent

CC, Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Nice Hostel close to the mountains, friendly staff

Out family of 6 stayed in the self contained suite that had our own toilet and bathroom very comfortably.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2017

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Modern comfortable

Our party of 5 stayed in a private room with shared bathroom. The traditional tatami room is nice and the staff are great. They serve good choices of breakfast at their lounge area for a fraction on price. Had their fresh fruit smoothies, matcha latte and roll cakes in the afternoon and they are delicious. Totally recommend this place to all travelers.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Modern meets Japanese simplicity

Great value for a private room which was warm and spacious. It was surprisingly quiet considering the paper walls and doors. The common areas seemed new, modern, and clean. The shared bathroom was clean and the shower booths were great, very private. One of very few places without its own onsen or yukatas but you still get some traditional features like the garden off the lounge area and Japanese style rooms with tatami and futons (Japanese floor mattress). The cafe had good prices for drinks but a limited menu. Breakfast was good but expensive. No amenities in the room, not even tissue. You need to rent towels and bring your bedding down to the laundry bins but it was well worth it to save on the cost.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness

Weekend Adventure

It was a wonderful stay. Coming from a warm environment, the cold rooms were a challenge. The heat in the rooms is kerosene. The heater runs for 3 hours and then beeps, and shuts off. So, if you are a light sleeper, this could be a problem. The showers are located on a separate floor-not with the toilets and it is co-ed, with private shower stalls. The shower area was not heated. With an outside temp of 24 F it was quite cool in the showers. Overall we had a delightful adventurous time, but it does take some grit to keep the smile on. The staff were amazing, helpful, funny and kind. Also most importantly...they speak English :).

10/10 Excellent

Yin Ping

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Helpful and budget

We almost couldn't go there when the local train has stopped because of heavy snow. I called them and got a pick up from them as a service, I saw people taking taxi into the town and it must cost a fortune. So they are willing to help on contingency. The paid access to a nearby hotel's onsen is quite good, in a good timing we were in public bath with nobody else. If you go to nearby ski resort(Ryoo for my case), ask for coupon as the discount is really good compare to the original walk in price.

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Freezing but nice staffs

•Freezing almost everywhere •Hot water stopped in the middle of shower •Coffee was terrible... we ordered 2 and the 2nd one was like brown hot water. We didn't mind if they were free but actually paid ¥350 each •The staffs are nice and friendly

10/10 Excellent

NANCY, US

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Excellent stay-close to Snow Monkeys

The Zen hostel is very close to the Yudanka train station and takes no more than 5 minutes to get to. The hostel is very well laid out and decorated. Our room was clean and provided just what we needed- - place to sleep. The facilities ( bathroom and showers)are very clean. The buikding itself is very historical- but has been updated to be quite modern. Each room has its own heaters. Food served here is quite delicious. The owner was kind enough to give us a lift up to the snow monkeys- which is a huge plus. Just make sure you know your way back down or can catch a taxi cab. Enjoyed our stay very much and would most certainly return!!!

10/10 Excellent

Hon Nam

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Super friendly host.

It is a very new hostel. Bright, comfortable, modern. Owner has tastefully decorated the hostel. He speaks good English, friendly and helpful. Price is very reasonable. Best hostel that I have stayed so far.

8/10 Good

YUKAKO

Stayed 1 night in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

DAISUKE

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Disliked: Cleanliness
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019