Kominka-yado Loof (古民家宿るうふ) is a brand that restores traditional Japanese farmhouses (kominka) built 40 to 150 years ago into whole-house rentals. As of September 2026 it operates 14 houses in total: 9 in Yamanashi and 5 in Chiba. Every house is rented to a single group per night, and all of them share the same core experiences — dinner cooked over an irori sunken hearth and an evening bonfire — while each house has its own theme, such as “tea,” “wine,” “sauna,” or “dogs.” In other words, choosing which Loof house to book is not about room grade; the right answer depends on who you are traveling with and what you want to do. This article compares all 14 houses side by side, then covers how to choose by travel scenario and how to read the pricing.
- — All 14 houses (9 in Yamanashi, 5 in Chiba) are whole-house rentals for one group per night. Choose by who you are going with and what you want to do, not by room grade.
- — Accommodation fees run ¥11,000–¥18,000 per person per night (lowest published rates, as of September 2026). A separate service charge varies with group size and season, so compare the total price for your actual party size and dates.
- — 4 houses accept dogs (Shonoie, Okanoie, Sannoie, Naminoie) and 5 houses have a sauna (Shikinoie, Iwainoie, Seinoie, Yunoie, Yuraginoie).
- — For large groups, look at Seinoie, which sleeps 2–10 guests; for families with babies, Sakanoie (baby gear available) or Yuraginoie (infant bathtub) are the leading options.
All 14 Houses at a Glance: 9 in Yamanashi, 5 in Chiba (as of September 2026)
The table below compiles figures checked on each house’s page on the official website on September 10, 2026 (N=14 houses). Prices are the lowest published “accommodation fee (per person per night, from),” and every house charges a separate service fee that varies with the number of guests and the season.
| House | Location | Concept / Features | Capacity (guide) | Price guide (per person per night, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyounoie (漂之家) | Nanbu Town, Yamanashi | A mountain inn filled with the aroma of tea. “Sky bath” and garden BBQ (April–September) | 2–6 guests | From ¥11,000 (tax incl.) |
| Sawanoie (澤之家) | Fuefuki, Yamanashi | An inn of stone walls and a babbling stream. Goemon-buro (iron cauldron bath); approx. 120 years old | 2–6 guests | From ¥11,000 (tax incl.) |
| Sakanoie (坂之家) | Fuefuki, Yamanashi | A retro experience of river sounds and vinyl records. Suited to families with babies; approx. 50 years old | 2–6 guests | From ¥12,760 (4 guests, room only; tax incl.) |
| Shonoie (書之家) | Minobu Town, Yamanashi | An inn to spend time with your dog. Hinoki cypress bath in a storehouse, calligraphy experience, three stories | 2–8 guests | From ¥11,000 (tax incl.) |
| Okanoie (丘之家) | Yamanashi City, Yamanashi | An inn to enjoy wine with your dog. Natural plant-dyeing experience; approx. 110 years old | 2–8 guests | From ¥13,200 (tax incl.) |
| Kyonoie (峡之家) | Hokuto, Yamanashi | A spring-water inn in a scenic valley. Open-air hinoki bath, starry skies; approx. 140 years old | 2–8 guests | From ¥13,200 (tax incl.) |
| Shikinoie (織之家) | Otsuki, Yamanashi | A grown-up inn of sauna and local sake. Finnish sauna; approx. 110 years old | 2–8 guests | From ¥11,000 (tax incl.) |
| Tsutanoie (蔦之家) | Koshu, Yamanashi | A classic Western-style house. Open-air bath, wine; approx. 70 years old | 2–8 guests | From ¥13,200 (tax incl.) |
| Iwainoie (祝之家) | Chuo, Yamanashi | A festive inn for celebrating special occasions. Cedar sauna, hinoki bath; approx. 133 years old | 2–8 guests | From ¥11,000 (tax excl.) |
| Seinoie (清之家) | Minamiboso, Chiba | A deep-forest inn to relax in the sauna. Finnish sauna, open-air bath; approx. 150 years old | 2–10 guests | From ¥18,000 (tax incl.) |
| Yunoie (遊之家) | Yachiyo, Chiba | A dreamlike inn made for dress-up play. Barrel sauna, open-air bath with artificial hot spring water; approx. 130 years old | 2–8 guests | From ¥18,000 (tax excl.) |
| Sannoie (杉之家) | Sammu, Chiba | An inn with a spacious dog run surrounded by rice paddies. Approx. 130 years old | 2–8 guests | From ¥13,200 (tax incl.) |
| Yuraginoie (揺之家) | Futtsu, Chiba | An Uchibo (inner Boso) inn designed for a child’s first trip. Infant bathtub, cedar sauna; approx. 40 years old | 2–7 guests | From ¥18,000 (tax excl.) |
| Naminoie (波之家) | Isumi, Chiba | Seaside and countryside bounty, veranda play with your dog. Garden BBQ | 2–8 guests | From ¥11,000 (tax incl.) |
Source: HotelBank Editorial Team research based on the official website (as of September 10, 2026; N=14 houses). Tax-inclusive/exclusive labels follow the official notation. Locations are given to the municipality level; building ages are approximations based on the official construction-year notes. Capacity guides are based on each house’s guest-number information; many houses accept groups above the listed capacity on request.
The same operator also runs “The ONE -Fujiyoshida-” in Fujiyoshida and the corporate-retreat facility “Chikata Kenkyujo (地かた研究所)” (both in Yamanashi), “Bettei Kamogawa 919 (別邸 鴨川919)” in Chiba, and the “Akagi-juku (赤城宿)” series in Gunma, but the kominka inns bearing the “-noie” (◯之家) name are the 14 listed above. Whole-house rentals are also one of the main stories among Japan’s new openings in 2026; for a look at narrowing down candidates by self-catering convenience and suitability for longer stays, see Vacation Rentals Lead Japan’s 2026 Hotel Supply — 48.2% of 758 New Openings.
How to Choose by Travel Scenario: Families, Groups, Celebrations, Dogs
| Travel scenario | Candidate houses | Deciding factor |
|---|---|---|
| Babies and small children | Sakanoie (Yamanashi) / Yuraginoie (Chiba) | Baby gear rental (Sakanoie); infant bathtub (Yuraginoie) |
| Traveling with a dog | Shonoie, Okanoie (Yamanashi) / Sannoie, Naminoie (Chiba) | Dog run at Sannoie, wine at Okanoie, garden BBQ at Naminoie |
| Friend groups / sauna | Shikinoie, Iwainoie (Yamanashi) / Seinoie, Yunoie, Yuraginoie (Chiba) | For large groups, Seinoie (2–10 guests) |
| Anniversaries / celebrations | Iwainoie, Tsutanoie (Yamanashi) | Festive inn (Iwainoie); classic Western-style house (Tsutanoie) |
| Quiet time in nature | Kyonoie, Hyounoie, Sawanoie (Yamanashi) | Open-air hinoki bath and starry skies, sky bath, goemon-buro |
Babies and Small Children
For families with babies or small children, the two leading candidates are Sakanoie (Yamanashi), which the official site explicitly promotes for families with babies, and Yuraginoie (Chiba, Uchibo area), which has a baby bath and is built around the concept of “a child’s first trip.” Yuraginoie sleeps 2–7 guests and stands on the Uchibo coast, known for its beautiful sunsets. The Uchibo area is also a region where whole-house rental options have been increasing in recent years (Japanese), making it easy to combine with a seaside stay.
Staying with Your Dog
If you want to stay with your dog, there are four houses. Shonoie and Okanoie in Yamanashi and Sannoie and Naminoie in Chiba officially accept dogs; Sannoie in particular stands out for its large dog run surrounded by rice paddies. Beyond the dog-friendly aspect, you can choose between them by other attractions: wine at Okanoie, or a seaside location and garden BBQ at Naminoie. Dog-friendly inns differ in the facilities and house rules they use to accommodate pets, so it is worth checking each house’s conditions before booking.
Friend Groups and Sauna Trips
For friend groups or sauna-focused trips, choose from the five houses with a sauna. Finnish saunas are at Shikinoie (Yamanashi) and Seinoie (Chiba), cedar saunas at Iwainoie (Yamanashi) and Yuraginoie (Chiba), and a barrel sauna at Yunoie (Chiba). Shikinoie’s theme is local sake, while Yunoie’s is a dress-up experience and a semi-open-air bath. For larger parties, Seinoie is the one to consider: with a capacity guide of 2–10 guests, it accommodates the most people of all 14 houses.
Celebrations and Quiet Stays
For anniversaries and celebrations, Iwainoie — whose very name and concept revolve around special occasions (hinoki bath, sauna, garden) — and Tsutanoie, with the distinctive atmosphere of a Western-style house, are good fits. For a quiet stay close to nature, the Yamanashi houses are the candidates: Kyonoie with its open-air hinoki bath and starry skies, Hyounoie with its sky bath, and Sawanoie with its goemon-buro. Kyonoie sits in a valley in Hokuto, and Hyounoie opened in October 2025.
Reading the Prices: Compare Whole-House Rentals by “Total Cost per Person”
Loof’s pricing is not a “room rate of ¥X per night” but a structure of accommodation fee per person per night plus a service charge, and the service charge varies with the number of guests and the season. Even at the same house, the amount each person pays changes depending on whether two people use it or a group near full capacity, so the reliable way to compare is to check the “total for that party size on that date” in the official booking calendar.
Based on the lowest rates in the table, the per-person, per-night accommodation fee falls within a range of ¥11,000 to ¥18,000 (as of September 2026; service charge not included). Yamanashi houses are mostly in the ¥11,000–¥13,200 range, while in Chiba some houses — mainly those with extensive sauna and bathing facilities — start from ¥18,000. Meals vary by house, with plans such as an irori kaiseki course, irori skewer grilling, or hot pot, and some houses also offer room-only plans, so whether you include meals also makes a big difference to the total. Long weekends and regular weekends fill up quickly, so rather than fixing your dates first, you will have more options if you plan your trip around the available dates at the house you want.
How to Book: Start from the Official Booking Calendar
Bookings are generally made through the booking calendar on each house’s page on the official website, where you can also check the total price by party size and date. Some houses are also listed on OTAs, so you can pick a booking channel that matches the loyalty points you collect. Stays with more guests than the listed capacity can be discussed in advance, so large groups should inquire first before fixing their dates. Cancellation policies for whole-house rentals may start earlier than at a typical hotel, so it is a good idea to note the policy deadlines when you book.
Further Reading
For a deeper comparison of whole-house rentals, the following articles (in Japanese) go into more detail.
Covering the same Boso area as Loof’s five Chiba houses, this article compares five whole-house rentals on the Uchibo coast — including Hota Beach in Hota and the 5LDK Links Seaside Resort that sleeps up to 10 — on a map showing the bearing from which Mt. Fuji is visible and an approximate price per house. All five accept dogs.
An article on choosing family inns around the “bonfire” experience that all Loof houses share. It covers three properties, including Yatsugatake Hotel Fuka in Kobuchizawa, Yamanashi, and EN RESORT Grandeco HOTEL in Urabandai, with specifics on when the fire is lit and how to spend the time with children.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many houses does Kominka-yado Loof have in total?
As of September 2026 there are 14 kominka inns bearing the “-noie” name (9 in Yamanashi, 5 in Chiba). This count excludes properties run by the same operator such as “The ONE -Fujiyoshida-,” “Chikata Kenkyujo,” “Bettei Kamogawa 919,” and the “Akagi-juku” series in Gunma.
Q. How much does a whole house cost?
The official price is shown not as a per-house rate but as an “accommodation fee per person per night,” with lowest rates ranging from ¥11,000 to ¥18,000 (tax-inclusive or tax-exclusive notation differs by house). A service charge that varies with the number of guests and the season is added on top, so enter your party size and dates in the official booking calendar to check the total.
Q. Which houses can I stay at with my dog?
Four houses officially accept dogs: Shonoie and Okanoie (Yamanashi) and Sannoie and Naminoie (Chiba). Okanoie and Sannoie have conditions such as a maximum of two dogs, a combined weight of 20 kg or less, and dogs aged four months or older; proof of vaccination is required, and some breeds are restricted.
Q. Which houses have a sauna?
Five houses. Finnish saunas are at Shikinoie and Seinoie, cedar saunas at Iwainoie and Yuraginoie, and a barrel sauna at Yunoie. The tent sauna previously available at Naminoie was discontinued on January 16, 2026.
Q. Which houses are best for families with babies?
Sakanoie (Yamanashi; 2–6 guests), which provides baby gear such as high chairs and baby baths, and Yuraginoie (Chiba; 2–7 guests), which has an infant bathtub and is built around the concept of “a child’s first trip.”
Q. What are the check-in and check-out times?
Check-out is 11:00 at all 14 houses according to the official information. Check-in is listed as 15:00 at houses including Hyounoie, Sawanoie, Shonoie and Kyonoie. Times may differ by plan, so please confirm when booking.
Methodology and Sources
■ Data Sources
The number of houses, locations, concepts, capacities, accommodation fees, facilities and building ages are based on the property list and individual house pages on the official Kominka-yado Loof website (checked by the HotelBank Editorial Team on September 10, 2026; N=14 houses).
■ Assumptions
Prices are the lowest “accommodation fee (per person per night, from)” published on each house’s page and exclude service charges, meals and options. Tax-inclusive and tax-exclusive figures are shown as officially stated and have not been converted to a common basis. Only Sakanoie’s official price carries a condition (“4 guests, room only”). Building ages are approximations from the official construction-year or building-age notes, and capacity guides follow the official guest-number information.
■ Limitations
Accommodation fees, service charges, facilities and available plans change by season and period. The lowest rates in the table are examples under the cheapest conditions; the actual amount paid per person varies greatly by party size, date and meal plan. Cancellation policies differ by plan, so check each plan’s policy when booking. The content of this article reflects officially published information as of September 10, 2026.
■ References
- Kominka-yado Loof official website (property list)
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Hyounoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Sawanoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Sakanoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Shonoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Okanoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Kyonoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Shikinoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Tsutanoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Iwainoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Seinoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Yunoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Sannoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Yuraginoie
- Kominka-yado Loof official website: Naminoie