BYAKU Narai is an inn of 16 rooms in four historic buildings along the old Nakasendo road in Narai-juku, Shiojiri, Nagano. Its main building was the Suginomori sake brewery, a town landmark with more than 200 years of history, and the brewery itself has been revived on the same site. Before you book, three things matter: stays with young children are limited; dinner is a set course that starts at 18:00, 18:30, 19:00 or 19:30, so a late arrival can cost you the meal; and the rooms have no TVs, by design.
The four buildings of BYAKU Narai
Instead of new names, the inn went back to each building’s Edo-period house name, or yago. Every room has a different layout, from a 23 m² loft room to an 89 m² former storehouse.
| Building | What it was | Rooms |
|---|---|---|
| Toshiyoshi-ya (main) | The Suginomori sake brewery | 8 (101–108) |
| Uehara-ya | A bentwood craftsman’s home, later a guest house | 4 (109–112) |
| Shimamo-ya | A merchant family home with a storehouse over 150 years old, later a lacquerware shop | 3 (113–115) |
| Kanekami-ya | A house by a temple approach, rented whole | 1 (116) |
From the official rooms page and booking page, read October 21, 2026.
What is in the rooms?
Every room has Wi-Fi, a refrigerator, air conditioning, an air purifier, a humidifier, a hair dryer, a kettle, a bidet toilet and its own bathroom with shower, towels and shampoo. 12 of the 16 rooms also have a private open-air or semi-open-air bath, and room 116 adds a private sauna. All rooms and buildings are non-smoking, and pets cannot stay.
Which room suits a budget or a solo trip?
Room 111 in Uehara-ya is the smallest: one double bed, up to two guests, and a loft reached by a very steep ladder. The inn says it is priced low because it is compact and hallway noise carries, and it does not recommend it to anyone unsteady on their feet. Shimamo-ya is about a 3-minute walk from the main building.
BYAKU Narai at a glance
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Address | 551 Narai, Shiojiri, Nagano 399-6303 |
| Phone | +81 264 34 3001 |
| Check-in / out | 15:00–19:00 / 11:00 |
| Dinner starts | 18:00, 18:30, 19:00 or 19:30 |
| Shared bath | SAN-SEN, 6:00–10:00 and 15:00–24:00 |
| Prices | From 41,800 yen per person, breakfast only, tax included |
| Extra charge | Nagano accommodation tax, 200 yen per person per night |
| Parking | Free, outdoor, 10 cars |
From the official site and booking pages, read October 21, 2026.
The baths at BYAKU Narai
What is SAN-SEN?
SAN-SEN is the inn’s large bath, filled with mountain spring water from the source of the Shinano River. The inn is clear that it is not an onsen. The bath house was the brewery’s storage room and is built from the five trees of the Kiso region, including hinoki and sawara cypress. It is open 6:00 to 10:00 and 15:00 to 24:00. Bring the towels from your room.
Can I bathe with a tattoo?
The official pages do not mention tattoos. Guests with a room bath can bathe privately, but ask the inn about SAN-SEN before you book. Our tattoo and onsen guide explains what to ask.
Meals at BYAKU Narai
What are dinner and breakfast like?
Meals are served at kura, a restaurant inside the former brewery, where the Japanese booking page says you can watch sake being made through the glass. Dinner is a course of about 8 dishes of new local cuisine from seasonal ingredients; the English booking page says it is supervised by Zaiyu Hasegawa of Den. Breakfast is about 5 side dishes cooked by local women, with rice, miso soup and pickles, served from 7:30. Book your dinner start time in advance, and keep in mind that the course may not be served if you arrive after 19:30.
Can the kitchen handle allergies or a special diet?
The English booking page asks you to tell the inn by 7 days before your stay about any ingredient you cannot eat for allergy or religious reasons. Requests made on the day may not be possible.
Is there a bar?
TASTING BAR suginomori, in the old miso storehouse, opens 20:00 to 23:00 (last order 22:30) and, per the official page, is currently for inn guests only. It pours the brewery’s own sake, Narai, including unpasteurized sake, plus Shiojiri wine.
Prices, children, cancellation and payment at BYAKU Narai
How much does a stay cost?
Per person, with two sharing a room, the official Japanese booking page starts at 41,800 yen for the breakfast-only plan and 50,600 yen with dinner and breakfast. The single-house Kanekami-ya plan starts at 69,300 yen and the all-inclusive plan at 66,000 yen. Prices include consumption tax. On top, Nagano Prefecture charges an accommodation tax of 200 yen per person per night on stays from June 1, 2026, which the inn collects at checkout, even if you prepaid through a booking site.
Can children stay?
Only with planning. The inn cites steep stairs, steps, and sound that carries in the old buildings. Elementary-school children can stay only in some rooms, and from junior high school age children pay the adult rate. The official pages describe the rules for preschool children differently, so contact the inn before you book; the English booking page asks families with children to do the same.
What is the cancellation policy?
Each plan lists its own deadline for changes and cancellations, and the deadline differs by plan. The cancellation fee rates were not shown on the booking pages we read, so confirm them with the inn before you book. Our hotel cancellation guide covers how fees work in Japan.
How do I pay?
It depends on the plan. Some Japanese plans allow paying at the inn or by card in advance; card prepayment is arranged by Time Design Co., Ltd. Check the payment line on your plan before booking.
Getting to BYAKU Narai in Narai-juku
By train, the inn is a 5-minute walk from Narai Station on the JR Chuo Main Line. By car, it is about 35 minutes from the Shiojiri interchange or 40 minutes from the Ina interchange, with free outdoor parking for 10 cars. On festival days, such as the shrine festival on August 11 and 12, 2026, cars could not use the street and guests parked at a temporary lot; the inn posts these notices on its site. If you are combining the trip with Matsumoto, see our Matsumoto Castle guide.
What foreign guests should know before staying at BYAKU Narai
- The English site and English booking page exist, but some details differ from the Japanese pages, so confirm anything important by email (info@byaku.site) or phone.
- There are no TVs in any room, and the inn asks guests to stay quiet in the wooden buildings and on the town’s silent night streets.
- Arrive by 19:00; after 19:30 dinner may not be served.
- Keep 200 yen per person per night for the accommodation tax.
- Rooms are spread over four buildings, so you may walk a few minutes along the street to the restaurant and bath.
Frequently asked questions
What time is check-in at BYAKU Narai?
Can I bring young children to BYAKU Narai?
Is the SAN-SEN bath at BYAKU Narai a hot spring?
How much does BYAKU Narai cost?
How do I get to BYAKU Narai?
Bottom line (2026): BYAKU Narai turns a sake brewery and three other old houses in Narai-juku into 16 distinct rooms, 12 of them with a private open-air or semi-open-air bath, with a restaurant and bar beside the working brewery. Families with young children should contact the inn first, and everyone should plan to arrive before dinner.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from BYAKU Narai’s official pages: home (Japanese), home (English), rooms, bath, restaurant, facility information, tax notice, the official English booking page and the official Japanese booking page, plus Nagano Prefecture’s accommodation tax page. All were read on October 21, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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