Mitsuba House by onsen, Karuizawa 35 min, Max 16

Entire villa in Annaka, Japan

  1. 16+ guests
  2. 3 bedrooms
  3. 15 beds
  4. 2 baths
Rated 4.79 out of 5 stars.141 reviews
Hosted by Renée
  1. 9 years hosting

Listing highlights

Mountain and valley views

Soak up the views during your stay.

Park for free

This is one of the few places in the area with free parking.
Some info has been automatically translated.
Welcome to Mitsuba House, an elegant Japanese vacation home near Isobe Onsen, Mt Myogi & Karuizawa, an area known for spas, scenic drives, mountain shrines & family recreation.
Renovated for comfort and vacationers' enjoyment while maintaining the original exquisite woodwork.
Our home offers:
○ Spacious tatami rooms and a western master bedroom
○ Family-friendly amenities, WiFi, parking
○ Kitchen & dining room for take out & hot pot "nabe" dinners
○ Terrace with mountain views for grilling

The space
Our guests have 100% private use of the entire home and property, with daily housekeeping offered by us, the owners and hosts, Motoyasu & Renee Sawazaki, for guests who stay multiple nights.

<Guests & Fees>
■ Maximum 16 guests
■ ¥8,250 per guest, including infants and children, for 6-16 guests. Please check "Children 2-12" for any 0-1 year olds. We will ask the exact age in our pre-arrival questionnaire and set up the age-appropriate amenities

Here are some details about our home and its area:
▪️ Mitsuba House (みつ葉邸) was built in 1977 as a luxury vacation home in the historical resort town of Isobe Onsen, along the Nakasendo.

▪️ We completely remodeled it in 2016 while retaining the original marble, woodwork, roof tile and stucco walls.

▪️ Rooms
Spacious 144m² interior (1550ft²). Modern kitchen, bath and 2 toilets.

▪️ Amenities
Full of all the comforts and amenities guests could want during their vacation, with special attention to the needs of families with infants, children and elderly.

▪️ Eating at Mitsuba House
Enjoy meals or socializing at the terrace with mountain views or in the dining and living rooms.
Gas BBQs for grilling rain or shine. Year-round enjoyment with outdoor heater for chilly-weather grilling. Indoor nabe dinner setting available. Appliances for reheating take out. Lots of dish and silverware. No cooking besides BBQ and nabe.

▪️ Sleeping arrangements
○ Double-padded futons in 2 tatami rooms, a king-sized bed and futon in a bedroom, semi-double sofa bed with futon in the living dining room. Set up according to guest preferences prior to arrival.

▪️ Entertainment
○ TV, Free WiFi
○ Board & card games, indoor and outdoor toys.

▪️ Heating / Cooling
○ Winter
・4 electric wall heating units. 2 portable electric heaters.
・3 heated tables (Kotatsu)
○ Summer
・4 electric wall air conditioning units
・2 portable fans

▪️ Rooms & furnishing
○ 10 rooms/spaces
○ Dining/Living room: Table for 8, high chair, sofa, TV, coffee table, buffet
○ 2 tatami rooms & sunrooms
○ Spacious entry & living room
○ Western bedroom: Large room with hardwood flooring: Wardrobe, king-size bed and adjacent toilet.
○ Bath, shower area, amenities and bath toys. Nearby Isobe Hot Springs (4 min drive) and other local spas
○ Two separate toilet rooms
○ Yard / Parking area: 370m². Room for parking for cars, vans, mini-bus, etc. in front and side of house.
○ Terrace: Covered gazebo, tables and chairs. Grass and parasols. View of mountains and Japanese gardens.

▪️ The neighborhood & local sightseeing
○ Leisure, recreation and sightseeing within a short drive/taxi ride.
○ 1h Shinkansen to Tokyo. Car rental & free parking at station (20min)
○ Isobe Hot Springs (1.5km): Free onsen foot bath. Hot springs & sand spa. Restaurants. River.
○ Day trips by car in Gunma & Nagano: Karuizawa Prince ski & mall (40min); Hiking & Myogi Shrine (10min); Lake Usui; Train & nature museums (15min); Safari Park

Guest access
You will have private use of the entire house and yard with breathtaking views of the famous Mt. Miyogi and Mt. Asama from inside and outside the house.

We hope you enjoy our home during your stay!!

Our most kind regards,

Motoyasu & Renée Sawazaki

Other things to note
【Check-in】
In compliance with Japanese private lodging regulations, we have to make a guest list including the name, address, occupation of each guest. For non-Japanese who reside abroad, we need to make a photocopy of your passport. We will keep this information in a secure file and use it only to provide to the related Japanese government agency if required. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

【Meals】
❑ Appliances for heating take out and plenty of glasses and dishes for eating in.

❑ Gas BBQ grills and "nabe" hot pots for convenient group meals available upon request. Please understand that no other cookware or cooking is available.

❑ There is a very good local restaurant that delivers large meals for a very reasonable fee (no delivery charge or tip necessary). We recommend using their services or eating at the local hot springs or restaurants.

❑ Local produce markets and supermarkets. Gunma has the lowest cost of living of all the prefectures in Japan and offers fresh fruits, vegetables and locally-sourced meats. Please enjoy!

Most importantly .... Enjoy your stay!

Registration Details
M100001920

Where you’ll sleep

1 of 2 pages

What this place offers

Garden view
Mountain view
Wifi
Free parking on premises
TV

Accessibility features

This info was provided by the Host and reviewed by Airbnb.

Select check-in date

Add your travel dates for exact pricing

4.79 out of 5 stars from 141 reviews

0 of 0 items showing

Overall rating

  1. 5 stars, 84% of reviews
  2. 4 stars, 11% of reviews
  3. 3 stars, 4% of reviews
  4. 2 stars, 0% of reviews
  5. 1 stars, 1% of reviews

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for cleanliness

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for accuracy

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for check-in

Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars for communication

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for location

Rated 4.6 out of 5 stars for value

Where you’ll be

Annaka, Gunma-ken, Japan

【Isobe Onsen Village】
Easy to find! Along a street that leads right into the hot spring village of Isobe 1.6 km walk along country roads with scenic views of farmland and Mt. Miyogi.

Even during the pandemic, you can socially distance and relax your tired feet in a free outdoor hot spring mineral bath.

Isobe Onsen is known for yummy cookie-like "Isobe Sembei" made from its mineral waters. You can buy them at one of the multitude of gift shops and enjoy them as you stroll along the river.

Isobe's Megumi No Yu hot spring hosts an indoor spa sand bath and mineral spring spa, restaurant and gift shop. We recommend spending a half day treating your travel-tired body to this 36-mineral sand bath and post spa experience (3000 yen). Reservations should be made well in advance as only 4 guests are allowed per hour (coed). We can help you with reservations if you like.

Just a 10-minute drive away and you find yourself at the Imperial mountain shrine of Mt. Miyogi. World-class hiking with a range of difficulties. Even a beginner can enjoy the 1h hike up ancient stone steps from Nakanodake Shrine to the stone archs with amazing views of the valley.

Enjoy a super-scenic 30-min drive along historic road through Mt. Miyogi (past Tetsudo-mura train museum, Lake Usui, Megane Bashi bridge, Toge no Yu Hot Springs) to the Karuizawa Prince Outlet Mall and Ski Resort.

If you do not have a car, you can enjoy a walk towards Mt Miyogi, passing a shrine and going through a nice, traditional Japanese neighborhood.

There is soooo much in terms of scenic and hands-on cultural, nature and shopping activities in this historic area. Here's a list of some. If you prefer, just contact us and let us know your interests. We're happy to make some suggestions.

【Cultural sites】
Great for adults and families, but a car is most convenient.
Nationally renowned sites within a 45-minute drive in all directions.
Scenic drive through Mt. Miyogi to Japan’s #1 resort village, Karuizawa: Huge outlet mall with a lake in the middle and mountain views, IMAX theatre, Prince Ski Resort with play area/sledding for kids. Mt Miyogi area (about 15-min drive): Hiking and sightseeing at Mt. Miyogi and Miyogi shrine (the top imperial shrine), Japan's largest God of Fortune statue and Kukai-built Nakanodake shrine, Laku Usui with red-brick Japanese bridges and maple trees. Momiji-no-yu hot spring and restaurant, museum). Tomioka/Kanra area: Tomioka Silk Mill (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Museum of Natural History with moving dinosaurs & huge park, drive-through and walking Safari Park, Konyaku Park, Lake Oshio (great for walking and pedal boat rides), samurai town Kanra-machi and Rakusanen castle gardens with mountain views and tea ceremony option. Annaka. Takasaki: Byakui Daikannon (Statue of the Goddess of Mercy, Kuan Yin) and cave with statues and Japanese garden.
Make crafts that are easy to take home: Make Daruma at Daimonya & visit Shorinzan Shrine to see many daruma at the shrine and in a small museum (free). Ikaho area: Make Kokeshi traditional dolls, shop for traditional Japanese goods at Chikyu-ya, visit huge festival-atmosphere Mizusawa Kannon temple complex with museum, market and eat nationally renown Mizusawa udon at a nearby restaurant. Visit the mountain-top Lake Haruna pedal boating and Haruna Shrine: Not to be missed! Ancient shrine built into the mountain with a 700-meter walk lined with statues, quaint shops and view of a waterfall.

【Year-round beauty and fun within an hour】
Autumn: Rice harvesting and stunning fall foliage.
Winter: Crisp air, blue skies and sweet-smelling robai flowers. Karuizawa Prince Ski resort & gorgeous outlet mall / IMAX theatre (45-min by car. 20 min drive to shinkansen station (free parking!), 11-min ride. (Can rent ski equipment & apparel)
Ice skating
Spring: March plum blossom viewing and weekend festivals in Akima Bairin – rolling hillsides of plum blossoms.

Recreation: A list of key words to look up online. Gunma Tourism website has great information in English.
Tomioka Silk Mill (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Safari Park and Lake Oshio
Museum of Natural History and Momijidaira Park
National Railroad Museum (Tetsudo Mura)
Skiing, shopping, IMAX theater at Karuizawa’s Prince Outlet Mall
Shopping at Yamada Denki’s headquarters at Takasaki Station
Indoor pool & jaccuzzi with a view of Mt. Miyogi and rice fields.
Hike beautiful Mt. Miyogi and visit the national Miyogi Shrine with imperial wall and 400 year old cedars.
Walking in the international forest or around Lake Usui.
Toge no Yu Hot spring and walk along historic railroad track to the brick Megane Bridge
Daruma making at Daimonya and visit Shorinzan Temple
Haruna Shrine and pedal boating at Lake Haruna
Cycling
Ice skating
Kusatsu’s Forest Stage ropes course or Minakami’s canyoning or bunji jumping for the adventurous.

Meet your host

Host
231 reviews
4.74 out of 5 average rating
9 years of hosting
My work: M R S Gunma
Speaks English, French, and Japanese
Hi! We are Motoyasu & Renée Sawazaki, owners of two elegant and historical vacation homes about 2h north of Tokyo, Kiyomizu House and Mitsuba House. Gunma is the hidden gem of Japan, full of nature, history and arts. ​Stay at a breathtaking Japanese estate built by temple carpenters, eat healthy food, and enjoy traditional Japanese culture and mineral "onsen" baths. ​W​e look forward to hosting you here in the magnificent Japanese countryside ♡

Co-hosts

  • Motoyasu

Host details

Response rate: 100%
Responds within an hour
To help protect your payment, always use Airbnb to send money and communicate with hosts.

Things to know

Cancellation policy
House rules
Check-in: 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Checkout before 9:00 AM
No pets
Safety & property
Carbon monoxide alarm
Smoke alarm