Mash Cafe & Bed NAGANO

Clean bedding, 6 shower units with same-size change/wash room with lockable doors (although only 2 were made available on my floor due to low guest count), generous work space and lounging area at the back of café with a huge table (seating 8-10 with acrylic partitions and power outlets), 2 sets of cushioned chairs and a small round table, and two sofa + chaise + coffee table sets curtained-in at the far back for a little privacy. Free drinks for guests (one machine for a variety of coffee drinks, hot chocolate & hot water, another machine for coke, OJ, fizzy OJ, Oolong tea & water; various teas). Cafe at front with a nice bar. Very polite staff.

They could change this super budget hotel into an overall winner by spending just one day a month cleaning neglected but visible surfaces and corners since the location is bar none, common amenities are great and the bedding is so impeccable. You do notice dust buildups in the bathrooms and shoe prints on change room walls in the shower. When cafe closes at 10:00 pm, all the staff leave, meaning there’s no one to tend to the drink bar until 10 am next morning. When I stayed, the coffee machine couldn’t dispense any coffee at 7 am since the beans were all gone. The supply of clean cups and glasses is limited (they don’t use paper cups), so by midnight only a couple of them remain. “Free drinks” are really first-come first-serve drinks.

Our family of four stayed in one of the family rooms with private bathroom for two nights. The beds were larger than expected and super comfortable. The cafe/bar downstairs was fantastic and served a great selection of beer and wine as well as excellent wood-fired pizzas. We really liked the location which was very close to the station. I don't think you could beat this place for value-for-money.

We weren't able to store luggage at the property at all (we were actually asked to leave the cafe area soon after checking out, which wasn't great and took the edge off our visit).

Super convenient location with friendly staff! The bed was comfortable and there was ample space in the room to store my luggage. The showers were kept clean and I never had issues with them being busy.

The private (3rd floor) dining area was fine, but there was no cutlery or any kind of kitchenware available (like chopsticks), which was a little inconvenient at times. Sometimes the room light was switched onto full during the day and it was not clear if/how they could be dimmed down, and on the top bunk it was very bright and made it difficult to sleep.

Comfy and clean bed ’pod’ and shared bathroom facilities. Nice bar downstairs, the beers are really good though a bit pricey. The staff are super-nice and put up with my terrible Japanese 🤣 the location is perfect for Nagano station (10 mins walk max) and then it's a straight walk to the temples through the main shopping streets. I'd definitely stay again.

Only 1 toilet and 2 showers shared between a whole dormitory. Thankfully it wasn't busy when I stayed, but it could be an issue if it's busy. You're not allowed to eat your own food in the downstairs bar, but the shared kitchen space would only sit 6 people if you squeeze in, which isn't a lot between 4 dormitories of people. The free drinks only last as long as there are clean cups, which isn't very long. Perhaps they could provide each guest with their own mug or something?

Cute little hostel with a cafe/restaurant downstairs and rooms upstairs. Little seating area (two tables) with a fridge, microwave and kettle for guest use, which was super helpful. I liked that the shower rooms all had a sink and mirror so you could do your skincare and brush your teeth without having to go into the main area. The room was a really comfortable temperature (which is great because often capsules are very stuffy) and there was enough air flow. Staff were very lovely too!

Capsules had a curtain closure so not quite as light and soundproof as some others. I had earplugs and an eye mask so not a big issue! Be aware that towels aren’t included so you’ll have to pay for one if you don’t bring your own.

Good location!! Very close to the train station and Zenkoji temple, the main attraction of Nagano city. There is a big supermarket next to the hostel which runs 24 hours. The bathroom was super clean so it was very comfortable to use.

The hostel had ALMOST no space for guest to sit and eat food from outside store. The cafe space downstairs are available for staying guest only after 22:00 and before the cafe opens in the morning unless you order their food or drink. They have a very small room with kitchen on the guestroom floor, but it is very small and just for putting food into your mouth, not for relaxing with food. The space is just like small kitchen attached to the office, so it has no good atomosphere. I wish they had common space for guests to relax anytime during their stay.

The reception staff were helpful and gave me all the information I needed on arrival. The self contained bunk beds do give you a sense of privacy even though the dorm is quite large. However, it was still quiet in the room despite the hostel being quite busy. The location is great - very close to the rail and bus stations, and fairly good value for money. The seating area in the cafe is great, as is the free tea and coffee. One word of advice: if you are visiting the monkey park, I would advise getting the inclusive combination ticket from the Tourist Information office that's located in the train station. It only saves you about 100 yen but it does give you the choice of getting the train or the bus and it's nice to have the choice and, if you have time, you can stop off and pay a visit to an onsen, if you get the bus/train combo. The direct bus is fine but a bit dull.

Because the staff tend to stay in the cafe downstairs, there is no one to manage the hostel so it tends to get a bit neglected. For example, the microwave was filthy when I went to use it because the previous user couldn't be bothered to clean it, and there were no staff to do the same. Also any toilet rolls, paper towels etc... are left empty once they run out of stock. It's a shame because this could be a great hostel but the focus seems to be on the restaurant and the hostel seems a bit of an after thought, which may explain why the communal area in the hostel being a bit small. However, the cafe more than makes up for that.

I try not to stay in dorms with 6+ beds and booked this as a last resort, but it turned out to be fantastic. The dorm room is extremely spacious, so despite there being 40+ beds, you really don't feel it at all. Plenty of space for luggage and packing. The bed is extremely private and does an amazing job blocking out light. Location is fantastic within walking distance of the train station and also walkable to the temple and gondo. Found an incredible yakitori+ yakiton place just two blocks around the corner as well.

Nowhere as social as i thought it'd be with 40+ ppl. The rules about the first floor is confusing.

The place was very close to the station and easy to walk to. Cute little cafe/bar/pizzeria below. The room was simple, bed was freshly made and it was like sleeping in a tent/pod/room. I always bring an eye mask and earplugs when I stay in dorms/hostel and slept very well. Everything was straightforward and easy to navigate. Highly recommend if you are staying in Nagano.

The location, 5 min walk from the Nagano station, was ideal to us. Nagano is a really small city, so you are at a quick stroll from everywhere. Another good point is that the hostel offers free of charge soft drinks and coffee from 4PM to 10 AM. The facilities were clean and in good shape, the bunk beds were confortable and with privacy.

The mixed room had at +30 beds. We were relatively lucky that it is not high season, so the room was not fully packed. However, you still have plenty of chances of getting people snoring or simply needing to wake up and pack from 6AM onwards.