One of my favorite stays during my trip, in most part thanks to the staff, who are super friendly and welcoming. Unlike a lot of hostels which are just places to crash after a long day, the 1166 gives you the social aspect too. I spent at least one hour in the evening chatting with the staff and other travelers, with a cup of oolong tea and some snacks. That social experience made all the difference for me, and I warmly recommend this place to anyone who would like to mingle with locals/travelers. Also, the location is within reasonable walking distance from the train station (I did leave my big suitcase in a coin locker though), and very close to Zenkoji

There are no big lockers, only small ones for valuables. Also, and this is none of the hostel's fault, but one of the attractions of Zenkoji is seeing the monks assemble and pray in the early morning (around 5-6am), so you might hear some alarms from other guests go off very early. This can happen in any hostel, but maybe even more likely here due to the location

Easily the best hostel I've stayed in, all of the staff are incredibly friendly and great to chat to. They speak very good English and seem very motivated to learn more. It was a very safe environment so despite not having main lockers I was not concerned about my belongings at all. they do have smaller lockers for valuables which I didn't end up using but they should fit an average size laptop + other things easily. The staff recommended some very good places to visit and they have lots of booklets and folders with very useful information on surrounding areas, restaurants and activities. It made my outings a lot easier to plan so I was very grateful for that. There was only one shower and 2 toilets ( one western one squat) but I was never waiting for either , they have a sheet on the door of the shower where you can reserve a time in either the evening or morning but it is no required. Whilst I was there they organised a breakfast potluck which was very fun to take part in. I made a lot of friends here and I feel like it was a turning point in my trip for sure. I cannot recommend this place enough. Beds were also incredibly comfy. I will definitely be coming back again!

There's nothing that I can really think of that I didn't like. I was hesitant to book a stay here originally due to the overwhelmingly positive reviews and cheap price (I was worried that they might be fake) but it really is just that good here 😁

Extremely welcoming and friendly . Sakura-san who welcomed us really gave amazing recommendations for local food places and things to see around. Perfect place if you want to talk japanese( while english was absolutely fine too), explore and learn about the local culture . We both loved it and would have love staying longer! They actually allowed us to leave our luggage there while we spent the last day exploring the environments and gave us an amazing recommendation for a beautiful breakfast place. The other guests were friendly too we had a private room which was perfect for us. Despite loving familiarity, we both love a bit more privacy. Room: The room had everything needed and was quite big. It was old , but very clean with tatami floor and you make your own bed .It was like living in a room in a old and creaky(in a charming way) japanese house. You can hear other peoples voices in other room. But honestly we had some of our best sleep here in our stay. We both loved it. Facillities: Everything you would expect in a normal familly house was there. Kitchen, 2 toilets,shower,washing rooms,,comfy living room reception, you just share everything with your fellow travellers. Everything is clean and organised. Surrounding: We walked everywhere and connection to the main station is easy .But we took the bus to the station. It's perfect if you want a more familiar, comfortable and a unique stay.

Extremely helpful and caring staff that offers assistance and hospitality right at the moment you step in the beautiful apartment. The host, Orie San, brew coffee from local roaster for guests. Each of the staff we encountered, including Etsuko san, Ikoi san, and Chacha san are tremendously friendly. Ikoi san literally saved our journey by delivering the forgotten souvenirs to the train station for us! The apartment is historical but homey and the standard room is very comfortable. Events such as the potluck breakfast allow guests to interact with delicacies and language. We are almost ashamed to enjoy such services at the price we paid.

This is the place to stay in Nagano! Orie has curated a staff that are knowledgeable, welcoming, and so so very kind. We have nothing but good things to say about our stay here. If you’re in Nagano, I couldn’t recommend this place enough! If they offer a breakfast (it was a holiday so they were offering a breakfast sando) definitely get one! This is probably going to be the highlight of our trip ❤️

It was great! They recommend taking the bus, but we walked with our big suitcases from Nagano Station and it was only 17-20mins on main street!

The hosts are so extremely nice, made me feel like I just went to a friend's house, thank you so much for that. The fact that we could leave our luggage there outside of the checkin checkout period was extremely helpful since we traveled a lot between cities and walked a lot. They were also very helpful when it came to questions about the travel spots and responded quickly each time. The place itself is cozy, there is a lounge area and even a working area. The bathroom is shared, but there were no problems with that. And it was clean and had enough ammentities. If you are not a fan of smaller towels, maybe bring your own, and pajamas as well. The dormitory was enough for moving around freely, even if we were 5 people inside, and the bunk beds have their own curtains and plugs. There are heaters in the house, and we didn't have any problems with feeling cold in January. It is very close to the zenkoji temple, and has a bus stop 2 min away, as well as a nagaden train station 10 minutes away. The area itself is an older part of the town, and it's a pleasure to walk around the streets. 10/10 recommended 👌 🥰

the staff was very flexible, friendly, and helpful in giving advice for the city and arranging transport if needed. they have a few merchandise items that are really nice as well and the dining area was great. I cherished being able to talk to fellow guests and employees around the table while drinking tea.

Only one outlet in the three bed private room? maybe we just couldn’t find the other one but it wasn’t a real issue, just would’ve been nice to have another so we don’t have to split time using it.

A hostel managed by aspiring folks (so far I met Shige and Hiroko, apologise if I mispell) with positive vibes. I like the lounge where the guests may just hang around and congregate for jovial chats before going to bed. Everything looked well maintained in satisfactory clealiness. This is small hostel, but it has the large pool of good guides for travels and food around or side trip from Nagano. Thanks to Hiroko for her recommendation about Hakuba and I really got excited over the snow-capped peaks.

Only one western toilet. The seat cover was not in good condition and seemed to fall off anytime.

Such a cosy and cute hostel with amazing staff. They have loads of information of what to do in and around Nagano including timetables and routes etc. They all speak great English and are very friendly and accommodating. The beds themselves are comfortable and clean and the location is right by the main strip, near Zenkoji temple and bus stop. Very accessible and convenient. I ended up extending my stay from 4N-6N because I enjoyed it so much. Thank you all :)

Friendly and very very helpful staff. Comfy bed space.

Had to share a fan in the room and people were constantly turning it on or off all evening. It’s a bit annoying that you can’t check in until 4 and have to check out at 10 am. What is going on with all of that time between guests and why can’t you get beds ready early for those arriving earlier to check in before 4 pm? Also annoying when hostels want you to put sheets and pillow cases on your bed. Oh well. Still a great stay!