We stayed with the Moriyamas for 3 days and 2 nights during the middle of Japan's busy Golden Week in May 2026.
You will be staying at their lovely home with a cozy living room and dining area, it is exactly as the pictures show. They have rooms with tatami and futon (sleeping on the floor) or individual beds, suitable for all types of guests; solo travellers, couples and families. Although the toilet and bathroom is a shared space, everything is comfortable and impeccably clean.
Dinner is an AMAZING home-cooked spread by Mrs Moriyama, featuring over 20 small dishes made with local produce and self-grown vegetables from their garden. As we visited just in time for the annual rice-planting season, Mr Moriyama took us to experience riding on a tractor and to see how the famous Niigata Koshihikari rice grains are grown.
Personally, this was the perfect way to experience the authentic Japanese way of life and to appreciate the peaceful, slower-paced charms of living in the countryside. Just to be aware, this place is not located in a central town, so it is best to have your own or a rented car for convenience. Placed we visited during our stay here include: Ishiji Beach/Yuunagi no Hashi (beautiful coastline) and Hoshitouge Rice Terraces. Additionally, it would be easiest if you can speak some basic Japanese or know how to use google translate as the elderly couple don't speak much English. They are very warm and kind. When making the reservation, you can use the messaging function to contact STAY JAPAN's customer service which will liaise with them directly. Dietary restrictions, special requests and arranging arrival times etc. can all be done through there and the process was seamless for us.
My final words are: just take a chance on this experience and you won't regret it!
