"Pros: I booked Guest House Kuranomachi last minute as an unplanned stopover when my plans changed but it turned out to be a wonderfully memorable part of my adventure in Japan. The host is a super friendly and welcoming young woman. I’m a Japanese speaker so it was nice to be able to chat with her, but she does speak a small amount of English and has put up useful signs and rules for travellers who do not speak Japanese so it’s an accessible experience. I stayed in a cosy traditional Japanese room with futon. I think there was only one other guest staying at the property at the time so it was very quiet and relaxing, I pretty much had the place to myself. There are plenty of amenities you can use as you please such as free tea and instant coffee, a fridge and microwave etc. Unfortunately I didn’t manage to eat at the property but whatever they are cooking downstairs (it’s a bento shop) smelled absolutely delicious - it added to the wholesome atmosphere. I’m really happy I stayed there, if only for one night. I slept so well, I wished I’d been able to stay longer. Tochigi city is a very interesting place that rewards those who take their time to explore it thoroughly. I was overwhelmed by how helpful people were on my way to the property and the next day while exploring. Thankfully the host was happy to keep hold of my luggage for the day after check-out so I was able to make the most of my time there, which meant that I stumbled upon a spectacular Hokusai exhibition taking place at the local art gallery. People have commented that security at the property is a bit lacking, but in such a quiet and friendly Japanese countryside town, it’s not too much of an issue. There are lockers for valuables and you can lock your room from the outside if you are concerned about other guests but all in all, I was not worried about leaving my things with the host the next day as there are people constantly working in the bento shop. Cons: The only downside to how good the smell of the food being prepared downstairs is that I could smell it on my clothes all day afterwards!" ~Katie