HONKE OGIYA

About Honke Ogiya 

Ouchi-juku in Fukushima Prefecture is a popular sightseeing destination lined with thatched-roof houses preserved from the Edo period. Standing within this historic post town, Honke Ogiya is a traditional minshuku that retains the strong atmosphere of an Edo-era lodging town. Its more than 300-year-old thatched-roof house and white-walled storehouse are designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan. Today, only two inns in Ouchi-juku still offer overnight stays. Among them, Honke Ogiya is known as the only inn where guests can stay in a traditional kura (storehouse).

The thick wooden beams inside still bear marks from hand-axe carving, quietly conveying the weight of history. Stepping inside, the gentle scent of smoke from the irori hearth fills the air, creating a nostalgic space that feels like stepping back in time. The inn is run by Kieko Asanuma, affectionately known as Kiiko Obaa. She is a familiar figure locally and has appeared in TV programs and magazines, with her warm and friendly personality loved by many guests.With the wish to be “everyone’s mother of Japan,” she runs the inn with heartfelt hospitality. Staying here feels like returning to a countryside family home, offering comfort, warmth, and a sense of everyday life from the past.

Dinner&Breakfast 

Dinner at Honke Ogiya is a special experience, enjoyed around a traditional irori hearth.
The meal features local Aizu home-style dishes, carefully prepared by the landlady with the hope that guests can enjoy flavors found only here. Dinner includes more than ten dishes, using plenty of local ingredients such as wild mountain vegetables, homegrown produce, and Aizu-grown rice.

One of the highlights is salt-grilled char (iwana), slowly cooked over charcoal for about two hours until it becomes tender and flavorful. Another popular dish is Aizu-style horse sashimi, known for its clean taste and softness. Many guests are surprised by how mild it is, saying it has no strong smell and tastes fresh and delicate. Other traditional dishes include kozuyu, a light soup made with dried scallop broth; ika-ninjin, marinated dried squid with carrots; and herring pickled with Japanese pepper. A local specialty not to miss is takenoko manju, made from grated bamboo shoots and mountain yam mixed with minced meat and topped with a smooth, savory sauce. Although the dinner is filling, every dish is carefully handmade, and many guests find themselves enjoying every bite.

Sharing this meal around the irori with other guests and the landlady creates a warm and memorable moment. After dinner, the landlady may guide guests to a nearby shrine to see fireflies, a beautiful and rare sight for visitors from the city.

Breakfast is a simple and healthy Japanese meal. Freshly cooked Aizu Koshihikari rice is served generously, along with vegetable-based side dishes and miso soup. It is not fancy, but comforting and gentle—perfect for starting the day. While enjoying breakfast, guests can chat with the landlady and experience the warmth of a traditional home-style meal that leaves both body and heart feeling refreshed. 

Rooms

Honke Ogiya has only six guest rooms, all in traditional Japanese tatami style. The rooms are located in a thatched-roof farmhouse and a renovated storehouse, creating a space full of history and character. Room sizes range from 6 to 14.5 tatami mats, and guests sleep on futons laid out on the floor. 

Inside the storehouse, there are guest rooms on both the first and second floors. From the second-floor rooms, guests can look out over the streets of Ouchi-juku. Since most buildings in Ouchi-juku are single-story, this elevated view is a rare and special experience, unique to this inn. From above, you can admire the beautiful rows of Edo-period thatched roofs.

The rooms do not have modern entertainment such as televisions. Sliding paper doors and simple wooden interiors give the rooms a quiet, traditional feel. Spending time without TV allows guests to enjoy a calm, peaceful stay—something many travelers find refreshing.

Setting up and folding away the futon is self-service, but all bedding, yukata robes, and towels are provided. Although the building is old, it is well cleaned and maintained, offering a nostalgic atmosphere that reminds many guests of a grandparents’ home from the Showa era.

With only a small number of rooms, guests often feel close to one another and to the hosts, creating a warm and friendly environment unique to a traditional minshuku. Relaxing in this classic Japanese space, surrounded by the faint scent of the irori embers at night, is a comforting way to unwind and gently ease the fatigue of travel.

Onsen (Hot Spring)

Honke Ogiya does not have a large public bath or a natural hot spring. Instead, it offers a private family-style bath. Although the inn itself is over 300 years old, the bathroom area has been renovated and is clean, modern, and comfortable.

The bath is used one group at a time, so guests can relax without worrying about others. Bathing is available both at night and in the morning. Many guests especially enjoy the morning bath, soaking in warm water while soft sunlight comes through the large window. The water is not hot spring water, but many guests say it feels like taking a bath at a countryside grandmother’s home—simple, calm, and deeply relaxing. It is more than comfortable enough to wash away the fatigue of travel.

For those who would like to enjoy a natural hot spring, Yunokami Onsen is located about 15–20 minutes by car from Honke Ogiya. There, visitors can enjoy real hot springs and foot baths. Combining a stay at Honke Ogiya with a visit to Yunokami Onsen makes for a well-balanced and relaxing travel plan.

What Makes Honke Ogiya Special

The greatest appeal of staying at Honke Ogiya is the chance to experience daily life and culture in Ouchi-juku firsthand. During the day, Ouchi-juku is lively, welcoming nearly one million visitors each year. However, after 5:00 p.m., when day-trippers leave, the village suddenly becomes quiet. The only sound around the inn is the gentle flow of water running beneath the thatched roofs. In this calm and almost magical silence, it feels as if you have stepped back into an Edo-period post town as night slowly falls.

On clear nights, the sky fills with countless stars, offering a beautiful view unique to this rural mountain village. In the early morning, guests are encouraged to take a walk through the village. Before tourists arrive, you can hear only the sounds of local life, catching a glimpse of the true, everyday Ouchi-juku that has continued since the Edo period. Walking through the empty streets creates a powerful feeling of time travel. For those interested, the landlady may also offer a guided tour inside the inn, sharing stories about the history of the old farmhouse and storehouse. Guests can learn about the structure of thatched roofs and the origins of the kura-style rooms, making the stay not only relaxing but also deeply enriching.

Above all, the most memorable part of staying at Honke Ogiya is meeting its warm-hearted Okami(landlady), Kieko. Bright, cheerful, and full of energy, Kieko often says that she loves people and feels happiest when guests smile and say, “This is delicious.” Her wish is to run an inn that guests can think of as their own family home—somewhere they want to return to again and again. True to her words, she welcomes each traveler like a member of her own family. At dinner, Kieko often sits by the irori hearth with the guests, filling the room with laughter through her humorous stories spoken in the local Aizu dialect. Sharing local sake named after Aizu expressions—such as Koderanni, Najossuppe, and Sasukene—guests soon find themselves laughing together, saying “Koderanni!” meaning “This is amazing! Before you realize it, conversations flow easily, and guests who arrived as strangers find themselves chatting and laughing together.

Depending on the season, Kieko may also guide guests to a nearby shrine to see fireflies or to enjoy a local festival, offering experiences that go far beyond an ordinary stay. Through these casual conversations and heartfelt moments with the landlady, guests can truly feel the culture, warmth, and spirit of the region—an experience unique to Honke Ogiya.

When it is time to leave, Kieko always sends guests off with a smile, saying, “Please come back again.” By then, many travelers find themselves already missing the inn and the village of Ouchi-juku. We invite you to experience a journey filled with history, human warmth, and unforgettable connections.

Plan List

This service operates on a reservation request basis. We first check room availability with the accommodation and then propose the most suitable room and plan for you. Once availability is confirmed, we will send the details via LINE. Your reservation will be finalized after payment is completed.

Access

Address
36 Ouchi-Yamamoto, Shimogo Town, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima 969-5207, Japan

By Car

From Tokyo:
Take the Tohoku Expressway from Tokyo to Shirakawa IC, then continue via National Route 289 toward Shimogo Town.

From Sendai:
Take the Tohoku Expressway from Sendai to Sukagawa IC, then continue via National Route 118 toward Shimogo Town.

By Train

From Tokyo:
From Asakusa Station, take the Tobu Railway Limited Express Liberty Aizu to Aizu-Kogen Oze-Guchi Station.
Transfer to the Aizu Railway (Relay 101) and get off at Yunokami-Onsen Station.

From Sendai:
From Sendai Station, take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Koriyama Station,
then the JR Banetsu West Line to Aizuwakamatsu Station.
Transfer to the Aizu Railway via Aizu-Tajima Station, then take Relay 101 to Yunokami-Onsen Station.

Nearest Station

From Yunokami-Onsen Station, it is about 10 minutes by taxi to the inn.

Basic Information

Frequently Asked Questions