• New Ryokans of Nagano Podcast is Live!

    2nd episode of my new Ryokans of Nagano podcast is live! Special thanks to Miyuki-san and Akinori Tsuji for sharing your story about running the lovely Tsuji Ryokan in mystical Togakushi. I hope everyone gets a chance to listen to this latest episode — I think it’s extra special, and will give you some insight into what it’s like being a ryokan proprietress as well as why Togakushi is famous for its spirituality, soba and … Togakure-Ryu.

    October 14, 2022

  • The Owner of an Unique Inn with a Japanese Archery Range

    written by Tyler     Miyasaka-san, the owner of Uotoshi Ryokan in Shibu-Yudanaka Onsen, showing off his collection of antique arrows. His inn features a ‘kyudo’ (Japanese archery) range. See more

    April 16, 2017

  • The Chairman of NINJA Project : Tyler Lynch

    The Chairman of NINJA Project : Tyler Lynch written by Junko Terasawa It must make your travel deep to visit Tyler in Nagano. He is now running a traditional Onsen Ryokan called KAMESEI(亀清旅館); means pure turtle; in Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen Town(戸倉上山田温泉) in Chikuma City. When I first met him in 2008, I was surprised because of two reasons. One was that he was really tall, about two-hundred centimeters!?  The other was because he spoke, read and wrote very well. He deeply understood Japanese culture and tried to settle down as a local Japanese resident at that time. He graduated from the University of Washington with a major in International Studies and moved to Ueda City in Nagano to improve Japanese, and worked for a language school as a teacher for a while. Then he met a beautiful Japanese woman who is a daughter of a traditional Onsen Ryokan …

    March 8, 2017