Nipponia Hotel Ozu Castle Town

Overall a good experience

The scenery here is quaint and perfect for photos, the food is delicious, but the dinner area has poor ventilation for cooking fumes.

Nipponia Hotel's concept is novel and makes for a wonderful visit to an historic castle town. We stayed in a restored Meiji era merchant's home, with beautiful restored wood floors and traditional walls and shoji interior doors. It is one of many that comprises the hotel. Because the "rooms" are separate structures and the dining facilities are also separate, you walk outside on the narrow streets of the historic town to get to breakfast or dinner. (There is also a shuttle to get to the dinner venue just below the Castle) Once you wrap your head around the concept, it is a wonderful way to visit. The staff were kind and helpful, despite a few minor lapses which I would chalk up to inexperience. Our Japanese was a bit rusty but the staff managed to communicate well, for the most part in English, and even through google translate when necessary. A couple of things to note. Our room was a duplex with the bedroom and sitting room upstairs and the WC and bathroom downstairs. The stairs were narrow and steep, which is typical in Japanese homes. This was not an issue for us but for those with limited mobility, you should consult with the staff when selecting a room type. Breakfast and Dinner are included and consist of a large and delicious traditional Japanese breakfast and a multi course Japanese French fusion dinner with a set menu. We stayed four nights and had four distinct and very good dinners. Over all, considering the somewhat remote location of Ozu, it was a wonderful experience that exceeded our expectations.