Date: Nov/2025
United Kingdom (Female, age 30-39)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 5, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Annex Building, Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Beautiful house
The house is beautiful and very traditional and the staff is really nice. But if you are a light sleeper and you get the room next to the kitchen you will struggle. The walls are made of paper, literally, so if someone turns on the lights in the kitchen and makes dinner at 10:30PM, you will hear everything and your room will be very bright. It basically as if I was sleeping in the kitchen. I would suggest installing curtain and creating a curfew for using the kitchen. The staff reacted very quickly when I pointed out the noise in the kitchen and asked the people to finish with their dinner.
Date: May/2025
United States (Female, age 20-29)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 5, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Annex Building, Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Great place to stay in Tanabe City
This place was centrally located, had a very comfortable Japanese-style room, and served us delicious chiffon cake for breakfast. Great place to stay before heading out to the Kumano Kodo trail!
Date: May/2025
United States (Male, age 50-59)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 4, Meals -, Location 4, Reception & Service 4
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Apr/2025
Malaysia (Female, age 50-59)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 3, Meals 3, Location 3, Reception & Service 4
Plan:
Annex Building, Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Mar/2025
Germany (Male, age 40-49)
Individual:
Guestroom 3, Baths 2, Meals -, Location 3, Reception & Service 4
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Mar/2025
China (Female, age 20-29)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 5, Meals 5, Location 4, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Dec/2024
China (Female, age 30-39)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 5, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Definitely recommend to stay here if you want to experience a true Japanese home
The host Mayumi is a very adorable and super amiable person, my brother and I are very thankful to her for she helped us filled in the luggage delivery slips in Japanese. Her house is well-kept and super clean, it was fun to sleep on the tatami and we got to experience the traditional shower/bath in her house too. Oh, and the chiffon cakes are very delicious, I love the matcha flavor. We definitely would want to come again!
民宿超赞，推荐入住！
Date: Oct/2024
Italy (Female, age 30-39)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 5, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Wonderful place!
Wonderful place to stay for your first night before starting Kumano Kodo! Maiumi very very kind person, perfect location!
Date: Oct/2024
Sweden (Female, age 60-69)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 4, Meals 3, Location 4, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Nice and genuin
Nice owner, very original old building, comfortable beds.
Date: Sep/2024
Belgium (Female, age **)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 4, Meals 3, Location 4, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Extremely nice and helpful reception. Thank you!
Date: Sep/2024
Australia (Female, age 30-39)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 5, Meals -, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Had a wonderful stay at the Ichie Cafe and Guesthouse. My parents and I stayed here before starting our Kumano Kodo hike and found the place cosy and comfortable, perfect to rest and prepare for the days ahead! Our host was so lovely, she even offered to keep our larger luggage whilst we hiked. Her Chiffon cakes were lovely and we made sure to stop in and have coffee when the shop was open. Highly recommend this lovely place.
Date: Aug/2024
Italy (Male, age 30-39)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 4, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Jun/2024
New Zealand (Female, age 60-69)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 4, Meals -, Location 5, Reception & Service 4
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: May/2024
United States (Female, age **)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 3, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Japanese Room, Warm Host and Chifffon Cake!
We loved staying at ICHIE Cafe and Guesthouse. This was the first traditional Japanese room we slept in. It was quite spacious and we slept very well. There are two adjacent rooms, a shared bathroom, and the casual and inviting cafe in the front which was closed while we were there. Mayumi greeted us warmly and explained everything clearly. And left us her amazing chifffon cakes for breakfast. The whole experience was novel and charming. (If you have time, visit the beach - it’s really nice.)
Date: May/2024
Ireland (Male, age 20-29)
Individual:
Guestroom 3, Baths 4, Meals -, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: May/2024
Germany (Male, age 40-49)
Individual:
Guestroom 3, Baths 1, Meals 1, Location 4, Reception & Service 4
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Nice place to stay if you have low expectations
The staff is very lovely and they took enough time for check in, so there was plenty of time to get all information you need. Furthermore they provide you with an area map so you can discover Tanabe on your own. The rooms are quite simple and the bathroom is let's say more than simple, at least you have warm water. So don't expect to much. If you are looking for a real minshuku experience this is not the place you should go. For breakfast they will provide you with two slices of chiffon cake per person. The cake is tasteful but if you intend to hike for hours on the trek this is not a breakfast you will have and you should get some food in the stores in Tanabe before start hiking. I would not stay there again.
Date: Apr/2024
United Kingdom (Male, age 20-29)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 4, Meals 4, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Nov/2023
France (Female, age 70-79)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 4, Meals -, Location 4, Reception & Service 4
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Sep/2023
Czech Republic (Male, age 40-49)
Individual:
Guestroom 3, Baths 3, Meals 3, Location 3, Reception & Service 4
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Sep/2023
Hong Kong (Male, age 30-39)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 4, Meals 3, Location 4, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Jul/2023
Italy (Male, age 30-39)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 3, Meals 4, Location 3, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Ichie cafe
It was great to stay at ichie cafe, chiffon cake was absolutely delicious, clean traditional House with great private zen garden. We received a very warm welcome, it have Been an overall good Experience!
The only downside was a bit of smell in the toilet
Date: May/2023
Australia (Female, age 20-29)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 4, Meals -, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Mar/2023
United States (Female, age 50-59)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 5, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Wonderful place
We loved staying at ICHIE. The location was perfect (close to both the train station and the beach), the owner (who speaks above average English) was extremely friendly and welcoming, the chiffon cake for breakfast was incredible (I was dubious about cake for breakfast, but it’s not too sweet), the cafe was really cute. We felt like we were staying in an old Japanese house (which was true) but with all the modern amenities. Nothing or luxurious, and it was a little cold (not the room, which had a heater, but the hallway to the bathroom). But overall wonderful! Would definitely stay there again.
Date: Dec/2022
United States (Female, age 60-69)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths -, Meals -, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Wonderful owner! Not good for light sleepers
Wonderful guesthouse owner! She helped me arrange a luggage transfer pickup with kumano travel! The room is nice and the setting is nice. The problem is that there is another room with paper screen so you can hear everything. Unfortunately the guests in the other room were extremely loud after the 10:00 curfew "quiet "time and the owner lives elsewhere and both nights I had to ask them to be quiet so I could sleep. One night they were not quiet until 1:30 am and the next night until 11 PM....The owner was great and said if I stayed there again in the future, she wouldn't rent the other room.
Date: Dec/2021
Japan (Male, age **)
Individual:
Guestroom 3, Baths 3, Meals 5, Location 4, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Dec/2021
Japan (Male, age **)
Individual:
Guestroom 3, Baths 3, Meals 5, Location 4, Reception & Service 4
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Nov/2019
Canada (Male, age 30-39)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 5, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Oct/2019
United Kingdom (Male, age 30-39)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 4, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Lovely traditional guesthouse
The rooms were just what we needed and not too far from the beach or the station. Great breakfast too!
Date: Oct/2019
Australia (Female, age 50-59)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 3, Meals 2, Location 3, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
- No subject -
Date: Sep/2019
Spain (Female, age 40-49)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 4, Meals 5, Location 4, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Nice place
Date: Jul/2019
Australia (Male, age 40-49)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 3, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffon cake!)
Warm welcome
Thank you to Mayumi for a warm welcome and lovely cakes!
Date: Jun/2019
Singapore (Male, age 30-39)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 4, Meals -, Location 3, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffron cake!)
- No subject -
Date: May/2019
Germany (Female, age 20-29)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 4, Meals 4, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffron cake!)
Perfect first stay in Japan
The ICHIE café was my first accommodation in Japan and the perfect start to the Kumano Kodō. Mayumi was most helpful and very easy to communicate with. She told me all those special details that non-Japanese people might get confused with: the bath, the toilet, Japanese sliding doors... All that helped me later on and I didn't feel as confused at my other accommodations as I probably would have without her kind explanations.
And her chiffron cake was delicious!!
Date: Mar/2019
United States (Female, age 20-29)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 4, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffron cake!)
Wonderful Stay!
Our stay at Ichie was wonderful. The hosts really made sure to take care of us and were extremely helpful and nice. We felt as though we were staying with family. The house is a 70 year old restored traditional home so we really enjoyed the architecture and feeling of nature of the house. I would highly recommend this as a restful place to stop in Tanabe before beginning the Kumano Kodo hike.
Date: Dec/2018
Canada (Male, age **)
Individual:
Guestroom 4, Baths 2, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffron cake!)
Well located
Very friendly owner. Her English helps a lot to share stories and to have fun. Perfectly located close to the beach and the park. The chiffon cake are like cloud, it's unbelievable how many of them we could eat.
Date: Nov/2018
Australia (Female, age 20-29)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 4, Meals 4, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffron cake!)
- No subject -
This is a charming little cafe with neat little guest rooms. It was perfect for our overnight stop in Tanabe and the host gave us wonderful recommendations for dinnner out of the tourist area. After having a warm and welcoming stay we would definitely recommend this accommodation!
Date: Jun/2018
Spain (Male, age 40-49)
Individual:
Guestroom 5, Baths 5, Meals 5, Location 5, Reception & Service 5
Plan:
Breakfast (chiffron cake!)
Nice cosy place for a first night in Kumano Kodo
Mayumi is a fantastic host, she really made us feel at home at her nice cosy guesthouse. She helped us get around in the small town of Tanabe (where we could order our lunch boxes for the next day, where we could have some nice dinner, etc.), she even gave us a couple of umbrellas the next day, which proved very handy for our whole Kumano Kodo hike.
Breakfast was simple but very nice. The cake is really good. We were served a full plate of it, which looked like way too much for only two people, but it was so light and nice that we actually ate it all!
Would definitely recommend it, excellent bang for the buck.
Central Tanabe