Matsumoto Jujo Hotel Review: A Book-and-Onsen Getaway in Asama Onsen, Nagano

This is our review of Matsumoto Jujo (Maps), visited in October 2026.

Matsumoto Jujo in Asama Onsen, Nagano Prefecture, is a one-of-a-kind book hotel where guests can read, soak in a private open-air onsen, and enjoy refined Shinshu cuisine—all within a beautifully restored historic ryokan. On this stay, I booked the one-night, two-meal plan with dinner and breakfast at the wood-fired dining restaurant 367 (Miroku Nana), staying in an Open-Air Bath Standard Twin room. If you are looking for a slow, screen-free escape near Matsumoto, this boutique hotel deserves a place at the top of your Japan itinerary.

A Small Village Built Around Books

Matsumoto Jujo is a mixed-use hospitality project created by Japanese lifestyle brand Jiyujin through the renovation of Koyanagi, a historic ryokan founded in 1686. Rather than simply converting the old inn into a modern hotel, the project preserves its heritage while adding a bookstore, restaurants, cafés, bakery, and guest rooms across the Asama Onsen neighborhood.

The result feels less like a single hotel and more like a small, walkable village devoted to curiosity. The core concept is “drowning in books” and “encountering rich knowledge.” Everywhere you turn, books invite you to pause, browse, and discover something unexpected.

Check-In at a Charming Café

One of Matsumoto Jujo’s most memorable touches is that check-in does not happen at the hotel entrance. Instead, guests walk about three minutes to Cafe Oyaki to, Coffee, a restored folk-house café that also serves as the reception.

There, you complete check-in while enjoying a welcome drink and freshly made oyaki, a beloved Nagano-style stuffed bun. The relaxed café setting immediately sets the tone for the stay: unhurried, local, and warmly personal.

After check-in, a tuk-tuk takes you back to the hotel, which is a fun and practical detail—especially if you are carrying luggage.

Open-Air Bath Standard Twin Room

I stayed in the Open-Air Bath Standard Twin, one of the room types at Matsumoto Jujo. Every guest room in the property comes with a private open-air hot-spring bath fed by naturally flowing onsen water, so you can bathe whenever you like without visiting a shared bath.

The room’s design is understated but striking. Exposed concrete walls, carefully chosen artwork, and minimalist furnishings create a contemporary atmosphere that still respects the building’s ryokan history. The room also includes an original tumbler that guests can take home as a keepsake.

There is no television in the room—a deliberate design choice that encourages guests to read, rest, and disconnect. Instead, each room has a small bookshelf with around ten curated books, along with a two-level “cocoon study” nook. This cozy built-in reading space feels like a private hideaway, perfect for reading before bed or enjoying a quiet morning with coffee.

The private open-air bath was the highlight of the room. After a day of exploring Matsumoto or reading in the bookstore, slipping into the steaming onsen under the night sky was pure luxury.

A Bookstore Inside a Former Bathhouse

The heart of Matsumoto Jujo is Matsumoto Honbako, its bookstore and reading library. It holds approximately 10,000 books, spanning novels, business titles, illustrated references, manga, award-winning contemporary fiction, and carefully selected niche subjects.

What makes it extraordinary is the setting: the bookstore occupies a former communal bathhouse. Original tiles, washing areas, and washbasins remain visible, creating a surreal yet beautiful blend of old onsen architecture and modern book culture.

The reading spaces are just as inventive:

• Otona Honbako: a semi-private, outlet-equipped reading room for focused reading or work.
• Book Bus: a playful lounge space with Yogibo bean-bag cushions, designed for curling up with a book.
• Guest-room cocoon study: a two-tier nook inside select rooms for private reading.

Hotel guests can use the bookstore around the clock, making late-night reading sessions one of the best reasons to stay overnight rather than visit for the day.

Evening Drinks and Snacks

From 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., the bookstore offers complimentary drinks including apple juice, plum wine, and amazake. It is a lovely ritual: choose a book, pour a drink, and settle into one of the unusual reading spaces.

There is also a free self-service area along the corridor, sometimes called the “okatte bar,” where guests can help themselves to ice cream, snacks, and soft drinks. It adds a casual, home-like warmth to the stay and is perfect for a small nighttime treat after an onsen soak.

Dinner at Wood-Fired Restaurant 367

Dinner was served at 367 (Miroku Nana), the property’s wood-fired dining restaurant. The dining room centers on a large hearth, and the menu showcases local Shinshu ingredients cooked over open flame.

One of the most charming details is that the menu lists ingredients rather than dish names. This turns dinner into a small guessing game: you read words like carp, Azumino free-range pork, local vegetables, or heritage-grain soba, then wait to see how the kitchen transforms them.

Highlights included crisp carp tempura, tender Azumino free-range pork, seasonal local vegetables, and soba made from traditional grain varieties. The cuisine feels rooted in Nagano’s food culture while remaining creative and contemporary.

The portion size is elegant rather than abundant, so hearty eaters—particularly men—may find the course slightly light. That said, the quality, presentation, and storytelling behind each course make it a memorable dining experience.

Breakfast and Late Check-Out

Breakfast is also served at 367, offering a calmer, brighter counterpart to the previous evening’s wood-fired dinner. It is a relaxed way to begin the day before browsing the bookstore one last time or exploring Asama Onsen.

Standard check-out is 11:00 a.m., but guests can extend until 12:00 noon for an additional ¥2,000 per room. If you want one final soak in your private onsen or a last hour with a book, the late check-out option is well worth considering.

Things to Know Before Booking

While the experience is excellent, a few practical points are worth noting:

• Books from the bookstore cannot be taken into guest rooms unless purchased. Each room does include around ten books on its own shelf.
• Food and drinks are not allowed in semi-private reading spaces such as Otona Honbako, so long reading sessions with a beverage require stepping out occasionally.
• Many of the complimentary drinks contain caffeine, and caffeine-free options are relatively limited.
• The dinner course may feel modest in portion size for larger appetites.
• Many restaurants around Asama Onsen close on Tuesdays, so check opening hours in advance if you plan to dine outside the hotel.

Final Verdict

Matsumoto Jujo is ideal for travelers who want more than a conventional hotel stay. It combines the comfort of a private open-air onsen, the charm of a historic ryokan renovation, the pleasure of browsing 10,000 books, and the flavor of Shinshu’s local food culture.

Whether you are a devoted reader, an onsen lover, or simply someone seeking a quiet digital detox near Matsumoto, this book hotel delivers a rare kind of restorative getaway. I would happily return in another season to see how the property—and its ever-changing shelves—feel at a different time of year.