We would definitely recommend this place to anyone and everyone, mainly because of Ken's enthusiasm (we had fun thank you!!!) and his very warm and kind hospitality. He goes out of his way to help you and guide you through your stay. We recommend this place for it's beautiful location (close to the river, easy access from Tokyo, (2 hours by train)). The rooms were Tatami-style overlooking the river. There are different sized rooms available based on the number of people. All rooms are river-facing and it was very calming to hear the water at such close quarters. There's a beautiful spot for barbecue in the premises, on the pebbled banks of the river. There are many beautiful hikes such as Mt.Benten, Mt. Jouyama and Mt. Shiroyama as well as the river-side walking course within 15 minutes driving distance. The Hosawa waterfalls is spectacular and is just a 15 mins drive from here. If you don't have a car of your own, Ken does provide transport service which was great for us! We thoroughly enjoyed some traditional Japanese desserts as well as original blend coffee's from Mube Coffee house, just a minute's walk from Otsu Nature Garden. There's a lovely soba place run by a family just 5 minutes walk from the inn. There are a lot of fun activities to do around Musashi-Masuko station as well. Do check out the bee-farm, the soy-sauce factory and the Tofu making unit, if you have time left. Overall, we had a fun family time at Otsu Nature Garden and Ken is definitely a SUPER-HOST!!! Thank you once again for your warm welcome! We would love to come back again for fall colors and spring blossoms!!! :)