Hello! I’m Aya, the host of Oyado Chiyosato, a whole-house rental in Sakuho, Nagano.
If you’ve found this page, you’re probably the one in your group who got handed the job of finding a place to stay — for a three-generation family trip, a reunion with old friends, or a company or club retreat. Let’s be honest: finding accommodation for a big group is hard work.
I’ve spent years turning this 183㎡ traditional Japanese house into a home where a large gathering never feels hectic. So today, from one trip-planner to another, here’s what really matters when choosing a place for a big group — and how this house answers each point.
The three headaches of booking for a big group
After welcoming many groups here, I’ve noticed the same three problems come up every time.
First, per-person pricing gets complicated — and expensive. When a place charges “X per person,” you can’t know the total until everyone confirms, and the organizer ends up chasing payments and recalculating.
Second, bathroom traffic jams. With more than ten people, it’s not unusual for the whole evening to disappear into waiting for the bath and the sink.
Third, worrying about the neighbors. In a hotel or ryokan, you spend the night shushing the kids and lowering your voices, and the gathering never quite relaxes.
Oyado Chiyosato was designed from the start to solve all three.
One flat rate, whether you’re 4 or 12
At Oyado Chiyosato, the price for the whole house is the same for up to 12 guests.
If someone’s still a “maybe,” your total doesn’t change. You simply split the cost once the headcount is final — one calculation, done. And since the per-person price drops as the group grows, it’s easy to say “let’s invite two more.”
Weekdays are noticeably cheaper than weekends, and we offer discounts for consecutive nights. If your group’s dates are flexible, weekdays are the smart choice.
Designed so there’s never a queue for the bath
This house was built around one priority: a big gathering should never feel rushed.
- A full bathroom plus a separate shower room — two people can bathe at once, so no lines form
- Four washbasins — morning routines and toothbrushing without the traffic jam
- A dishwasher — dishes for twelve get done while you keep chatting
- Two dryers — laundry from a ski day or a long stay, dry the same evening
With 183㎡ of space, the adults’ room and the kids’ play space can be separate, and the early sleepers and the night owls naturally find their own corners.
What kinds of groups love this house?
Thinking back on the guests we’ve welcomed, these gatherings seem to enjoy it most.
Three-generation family trips. Grandparents get their own room, the grandkids get theirs, and everyone comes together around the big dining table. That “together, but comfortably apart” is hard to pull off with hotel room assignments.
Reunions of old friends. Once marriage and babies enter the picture, getting everyone in one place gets harder — but “one house, one flat rate” makes it much easier to say yes.
Company and club retreats. A big table, Wi-Fi, and a sky full of stars at night. Ideas come out here that never would in a meeting room.
One request: the house sits in a quiet little village, so we ask guests to keep things calm after 9 p.m., and loud drinking parties are not permitted. I believe our 5.0-star reviews come precisely because this is a house for warm, relaxed gatherings.
Dinner: hot pot around the big table is our specialty
The other big job when traveling as a group is planning the meals. Here’s how we help.
- Local restaurant recommendations — the places locals actually go
- Food truck arrangements — we can invite a food truck right to the garden for a lively outdoor dinner. Availability depends on the date, so please ask early
- Shopping guidance — we’ll point you to the local supermarket, the neighborhood butcher and fish shop, and the best local ingredients for each season
The kitchen is fully equipped to cook for twelve. BBQ in the warm months, steaming hot pot (nabe) when it gets cold — watching guests enjoy this house season by season is my favorite part of hosting. Feel free to ask us anything when you book.
Where we are: 50 minutes from Karuizawa, 2 minutes from the expressway
Oyado Chiyosato is in Sakuho, Nagano. We’re about 2 minutes by car from the Sakuho IC exit, so even a multi-car group won’t get lost. Karuizawa is about 50 minutes away — many groups add it to the start or end of their trip.
A few seasonal highlights:
- Autumn (late Sep – mid Oct): Shirakoma Pond — often called Japan’s most beautiful autumn lake — and its magical moss forest are at their peak, about 40 minutes by car
- Winter: Yachiho Kogen Ski Resort is about 20 minutes away — family-friendly slopes with almost no lift lines
- All year round: at this altitude, the night sky over Sakuho is filled with stars. Just step into the garden and look up
If your group loves a good soak, the Yahho-no-yu hot spring is 13 minutes by car.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Is the price really the same for any group size?
A. Yes — whether you’re 4 or 12, the whole house costs the same. The maximum is 12 guests.
Q. Are children welcome?
A. Absolutely. Many of our guests are three-generation families. Just let us know your futon needs when you book.
Q. Where can we shop for food and drinks?
A. We’ll guide you to the nearby supermarkets — and happily recommend the best local ingredients for hot pot.
Q. Does the host live on site?
A. I greet every group at check-in and show you around. After that, it’s up to you: if you’d like help preparing a hot pot, I’ll gladly join; if you’d rather have the house entirely to yourselves, I’ll quietly disappear. English is OK — message us anytime.
In closing: a house where gathering is the whole point
Oyado Chiyosato doesn’t want to be “a place to sleep near the sights.” We want to be a house where getting together is itself the reason for the trip.
A hot pot steaming on the big table, a sky full of stars over Sakuho — and the trip organizer, finally free of calculations and logistics, having the most fun of anyone. That’s the gathering we’d love to help you have.
For availability, rates and booking:
▶ [Insert link to the Airbnb listing here]
Questions before booking are always welcome — English OK! We’ll be waiting for you at the big table.
Aya, host of Oyado Chiyosato
