Kominka-yado Loof Sakanoie (古民家宿るうふ 坂之家) — listed on booking sites as “古民家宿LOOF坂之家” — is a whole-house rental set in a restored traditional farmhouse in Nakaashigawa, Ashigawa-cho, Fuefuki City, Yamanashi. The roughly 100-year-old house has been reworked around a “Showa-era mood” theme and takes one group per day. When the HotelBank Editorial Team measured its OTA listed prices, the whole house for 2 guests started at ¥53,140 including tax (the lowest listed price for October 2026–February 2027), and Saturday averages ran from about ¥96,000 to ¥118,000. Guest reviews are strong at 190 reviews with an overall score of 4.71 (as of September 2026), with the highest marks going to the rooms and the meals. This article covers the measured prices, how to book, what guests praise, and where Sakanoie sits within the Loof series.

What Is Sakanoie? A Whole-House Kominka Rental Built Around Showa-Era Fun

Sakanoie opened on April 15, 2022, and is run by Loof Co., Ltd. (株式会社るうふ) as a whole-house rental in a traditional farmhouse. It sits in Ashigawa-cho, Fuefuki City, in a valley of the Misaka Mountains where the Ashigawa River runs through. The Showa-era house faces a sloping village lane and has been turned into a “Showa modern” space that mixes vintage materials and design. The irori (sunken hearth) dining area and a tiled kitchen have been kept, and the house is stocked for “experiences of time”: about 50 Showa-era kayōkyoku LP records, retro video games, hanafuda cards and board games. At night guests watch the flames of a pellet stove (the “fire experience”); by day they walk along the Ashigawa River. The core idea is a stay spent mostly indoors, playing.

Source: Loof official website, “Sakanoie” page (loof-inn.com, checked September 17, 2026)

Measured Prices: From ¥53,140 for 2 Guests; Saturdays Average ¥96,000–¥118,000

The HotelBank Editorial Team measured OTA listed prices as of September 17, 2026. For stays from September 18, 2026 to February 28, 2027, we checked all 47 Wednesdays and Saturdays. The 44 dates with prices available averaged ¥93,409, with a low of ¥50,820 and a high of ¥174,350 (all for the whole house [1 unit], 2 guests, tax included). A listed price here means the price shown on booking sites, not the amount actually paid. Monthly averages were as follows.

Source: HotelBank Editorial Team research (OTA public data, as of September 17, 2026). Average of all listed plans for the whole house (1 unit), 2 guests, tax included. N=44 dates (47 Wednesdays and Saturdays checked).

The pattern is simple: Saturdays in November, during the foliage season, are the most expensive, while weekdays (Wednesdays) hold steady at roughly ¥71,000–¥86,000 in every month. The Saturday–Wednesday gap is ¥19,000–¥31,000 per month, or 1.23–1.36x, widest in November (¥31,247) and narrowest in February (¥19,624). From December onward, Wednesdays stay flat at ¥84,479, so groups that can move their dates to a weekday pay noticeably less per person. Because this is a whole-house rental for up to 6, adding guests raises the total but tends to lower the cost per person. Of the 47 dates checked, 3 were already sold out (September 19, September 23 and October 24, 2026), so autumn weekends call for booking early. For how Yamanashi lodging fills up overall, by property type, see our analysis Yamanashi Obon: Ryokan Gain Only +1.1pt, Business Hotels +7.9pt.

Bookings are accepted on the Loof official website and on major booking sites. At the time of checking there were 9–16 plans listed per day, split into price tiers by meal and perk combinations, so the same date can vary by tens of thousands of yen between plans. The table above averages all plans; if you are hunting for the lowest price, use each day’s lowest listed price (from ¥53,140) as your benchmark.

190 Reviews, 4.71 Overall: Rooms (4.50) and Meals (4.35) Lead

The guest reviews compiled by the HotelBank Editorial Team total 190, with an overall score of 4.71 (cumulative as of September 2026). By category, rooms at 4.50 (N=58) and meals at 4.35 (N=51) lead on both mention count and score. What drives satisfaction here is the space itself — the irori hearth and vintage furniture — together with the experience of staying in and eating well: a charcoal-grilled skewer course for dinner and a seiro-steamed Japanese breakfast. Service at 4.33 (N=39) is also high for a whole-house rental with contactless check-in.

Lower-Rated Areas: Bathroom 3.55, Cleanliness 4.06

On the other hand, the same data puts the bathroom at 3.55 (N=20) and cleanliness at 4.06 (N=31); the bathroom and other plumbing areas do not score as well as the rooms and meals (both cumulative as of September 2026). It is fairest to read this as a restored farmhouse of about 100 years — not a place you book for new facilities. If modern bathrooms or a large communal bath are your top priority, you will likely be happier with a different type of property in the same price range.

A 4.18 for Location Reflects Quiet, Not Inconvenience

The location score of 4.18 (N=39) is better read as a strength for a lone house in the mountains. With no shops nearby, what you get is quiet — only the sound of the river and insects — and at about 30 minutes by car from Kawaguchiko IC, it fits easily into the return leg of a Fuji Five Lakes trip. For background on why the charcoal fire of an irori hearth suits mountain cooking, the yadolist essay 囲炉裏の自在鉤という支度 — 炉端の炭火が、なぜ山の膳の主役を焼いてきたか (in Japanese) explains it in detail.

Sakanoie Among the 14 Loof Houses: The “Showa Retro” House

Loof operates 14 kominka (traditional farmhouse) inns across Yamanashi and Chiba (9 in Yamanashi, 5 in Chiba), each with its own concept. Sakanoie’s theme is “Showa nostalgia.” Rather than selling thatched roofs or the weight of a centuries-old building, it plays on memory with Showa-era toys: records, melon soda and retro games. Its layout — up to 6 guests in 2 bedrooms — suits a short trip for two families or a group of friends.

Source: HotelBank Editorial Team research (OTA public data, as of September 17, 2026). Dates checked: October 21 and 24, November 18 and 21, and December 16 and 19, 2026 (3 Wednesdays and 3 Saturdays). N=14 houses. Prices for Hyonoie were available on only 5 of the 6 dates. Capacity, layout and meals differ by house, so price gaps do not directly reflect differences in facilities or satisfaction.

Lining up the 14 houses on the same 6 dates, Sakanoie averages ¥96,314 and ranks 13th, or 87% of the 14-house average of ¥110,544. Only Hyonoie (¥85,113) is cheaper, and the gap to the most expensive house, Seinoie (¥127,350, Chiba), is ¥31,000 on the 6-date average. By location, the 9 Yamanashi houses average ¥108,389 and the 5 Chiba houses ¥114,424, so Chiba runs slightly higher. Sakanoie is the second-cheapest, and its 190 reviews are the most among the 6 houses for which our team could compile reviews (Sawanoie is next with 68). That position is why it often comes up as the first house to try when sampling Loof.

If you want to compare the houses by concept, Loof’s official website introduces each house and its theme.

Further Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a night at Kominka-yado Loof Sakanoie cost?

From ¥53,140 for the whole house (1 unit) with 2 guests, tax included. We checked 47 Wednesdays and Saturdays between September 18, 2026 and February 28, 2027 on September 17, 2026; the 44 dates with prices available averaged ¥93,409. As a guide, expect about ¥96,000–¥118,000 on Saturdays and ¥71,000–¥86,000 on Wednesdays. Listed prices are what booking sites display, not the amount actually paid.

When is it cheapest to stay?

Within the same month, Wednesdays were ¥19,000–¥31,000 cheaper than Saturdays, a 1.23–1.36x gap. By month, November 2026, during the foliage season, was the most expensive (Saturday average ¥117,521), and February 2027 the calmest (Saturday average ¥104,103, Wednesday average ¥84,479). The more your group can shift dates to weekdays, the lower the total.

Is it more or less expensive than the other Loof houses?

Less expensive. Comparing the 14 houses on the same 6 dates (October 21 and 24, November 18 and 21, December 16 and 19, 2026), Sakanoie averaged ¥96,314, ranking 13th and equal to 87% of the 14-house average of ¥110,544. Only Hyonoie (¥85,113) was cheaper.

How many guests can stay, and what group size suits it best?

According to the official website, the house takes 2 to 6 guests. It has 2 bedrooms (2 double beds each), plus 2 futon sets prepared according to group size, so it suits a short trip for two families or a group of friends. Because the price is per house, the total rises with more guests, but the cost per person tends to fall.

Are there any areas that reviews rate poorly?

Yes. Across 190 guest reviews with an overall score of 4.71 (cumulative as of September 2026), rooms (4.50, N=58) and meals (4.35, N=51) score high, while the bathroom (3.55, N=20) and cleanliness (4.06, N=31) score relatively lower, reflecting the plumbing areas. This is a restored farmhouse of about 100 years and is not the right fit for a stay where modern facilities come first.

Where can I book, and what should I do if it is sold out?

Bookings are accepted on the Loof official website and on major booking sites. There are 9–16 plans listed per day, and depending on meals and perks, prices on the same date can differ by tens of thousands of yen. Of the 47 dates checked, 3 (September 19, September 23 and October 24, 2026) were already sold out. If weekends are full, the practical options are to shift to a weekday such as Wednesday or to look at another Loof house.

Methodology and Sources

■ Data Sources

Listed prices are our own aggregation of the public listed prices on booking sites collected by the HotelBank Editorial Team. On September 17, 2026, we checked 47 Wednesdays and Saturdays for stays from September 18, 2026 to February 28, 2027, and aggregated the 44 dates with prices available. All prices are for the whole house (1 unit), 2 guests, per night, tax included. The comparison of the 14 Loof houses followed the same procedure for 6 dates (3 Wednesdays and 3 Saturdays): October 21 and 24, November 18 and 21, and December 16 and 19, 2026. Reviews are 190 guest reviews compiled by the same team (cumulative as of September 2026); category scores use only reviews that rated each category as their base. Address, capacity, bedroom layout, check-in time, meals and access come from the Loof official website’s “Sakanoie” page (loof-inn.com, checked September 17, 2026).

■ Calculation Assumptions

Monthly Saturday and Wednesday averages are simple averages of the listed prices for each date checked in that month. The “Sat − Wed gap” and multiple are the difference and ratio of those two averages. The 6-date, 3-Saturday and 3-Wednesday averages in the 14-house comparison are also simple averages. Capacity, layout, meals and location differ by house, so price gaps cannot be read directly as differences in facilities or satisfaction. The lowest listed price is the price of the cheapest plan observed during the period.

■ Limitations

Listed prices are the prices displayed on booking sites, not the amounts actually paid. For sold-out dates, the last listed price was used. Prices could not be obtained for 3 of the 47 dates (December 26 and 30, 2026, and January 2, 2027), which were excluded. In the 14-house comparison, prices for Hyonoie were available on only 5 of the 6 dates. The actual amount paid will vary with added guests, meals and plan choice. Figures reflect the time of observation and can change for the same dates depending on when you book and how remaining plans move. Category review scores have different response counts (N) by category, so categories with a small N fluctuate more.

■ References

For booking timing across Yamanashi, this article draws on “Yamanashi Obon: Ryokan Gain Only +1.1pt, Business Hotels +7.9pt” (HotelBank).