Benton Guesthouse, Private Nostalgic Showa-era House, former Akiya

It was an adorable restored home in a quiet community just off the main cycling route. The hosts were super kind and helpful with finding and booking dinner and with making our stay very comfortable.

Fabulous host - great communication and made excellent dinner reservations for us too.

Nothing- it was perfect!

We stayed at Benton Guesthouse with another family. We rode the Shimanami Kaido and chose this beautifully restored traditional "Akiya" to stay at. Dani and Evan were the most wonderful hosts, messaging before our stay to make sure when we arrived we were able to grab dinner locally (as being an island there are not many options). We ate at Takibi, a wood fired pizza restaurant and it was wonderful. Dani greeted us on arrival and gave us a tour of the home with a little history thrown in. The thoughtfulness and detail that Dani and Evan put into their guesthouse is above and beyond and feels like a warm hug. The little touches like frozen beer mugs (after a long day cycling this was like pure gold), the family computer with old school computer games which the kids loved.

I can't really fault this stay apart from perhaps another bathroom (which I believe is being added soon) and maybe another western bed option.

Incredible atmosphere, decoration was top-tier, and lots of games to keep us entertained in an otherwise quiet little part of town. Lots of little touches like manga and a Famicom and CRT TV give the air of a time-shifted, comfy home. The Japanese decorations tell a breathtaking story, too. The tour was a treat, too, turning the stay into one part museum, and another part biography of the former owner. I can't wait to stay there again.

Staying at Benton Guesthouse was one of the highlights of our trip! The house was beautiful and the location was perfect for our stopover on the Shimanami Kaido cycling route. Dani was very attentive and flexible, even helping us with dinner reservations at a local restaurant. We would highly recommend a stay here for anyone cycling the Shimanami Kaido or exploring the Seto Inland Sea islands.

Where should I start....wow this is such a cool and very clean house. The owners are very helpful and friendly. The house is full of history and tradition. If you would like to say you stayed at a real Japanese House, I guess you can't find a better place. It is not a Japanese style room in a hotel somewhere downtown. It is a real Japanese House in a small village. Your neighbors are not tourists but people living in this village. The house has great sleeping rooms and a nice and well equipped kitchen. Also a historical phone and original lamps...don't miss the chance to stay there...

Absolutely nothing

I don't leave a lot of reviews, but this place was so special that it merits one! We stayed here for a quick one-night stop while biking the Shimanami Kaido. The care put into rehabbing this once-abandoned home while keeping the spirit and integrity of it intact is awesome! I really enjoyed playing the functioning Family Com game system and just exploring all the subtle touches that gave the home it's traditional aesthetic while incorporating modern amenities. I would recommend this stay to anyone!

Hele fijne host, authentiek, fijne locatie voor het fietsen en leuk voor vintage liefhebbers.

Een prachtig authentiek Japans huis met veel ruimte, drie slaapkamers, ingerichte keuken. De host informeerde ons over de restaurants en regelde een diner in (een op die dag gesloten) restaurant met heerlijk eten.

Niets op aan te merken.

Great spot to spend a night on the Shimanami Kaido. Full run of the house and lots of space with an area for our bikes. The owner arranged a dinner booking for us which was super helpful. The kids loved the working famikon! Its surrounded by fields and other houses, super authentic Japanese village vibe.