Book Now!

Welcome. 

We're tucked between the mountains of Myoko and the seaside castle town of Joetsu, in a corner of Niigata where the snow falls deep in winter, the rice fields turn a startling green in summer, and the hot springs run all year. Whether you've come to ski, hike, catch the cherry blossoms at Takada Castle, or just slow down for a few days, you'll have a comfortable base and a warm welcome waiting at the end of the day. Our host speaks both English and Japanese, so please ask us anything — where to find the best local ramen, which onsen to soak in, how to reach the trailhead. We're glad you're here.

Days here move at their own pace. Mornings might mean fresh powder on the Myoko slopes or a walk through the quiet backstreets of Takada, with its old arcaded sidewalks built for heavy snow. Afternoons are for the onsen. Evenings are for good Niigata rice, local sake, and the kind of long conversation that happens when nobody's in a hurry to be anywhere.

Myoko sits under one of the heaviest snowfalls on earth. Moisture blows in off the Sea of Japan, hits the mountains, and drops 13 to 16 metres of snow on the area in an average winter — the reason people fly halfway around the world to ski here. Nine resorts are spread around the mountain, close enough that you can ride a different one each day. Akakura Onsen and Akakura Kanko share a lift pass, giving you the most connected terrain, with wide groomers low down and steep trees above. Suginohara has the highest chairlift in Myoko and a run of 8.5 kilometres from top to bottom. Seki Onsen is tiny, old-fashioned, and adored by anyone who values deep snow over fast lifts. The season generally runs from mid-December into late March. Enjoy the day and have somewhere warm waiting when you come back.

Once the snow goes, the same mountains turn into some of the most pleasant golfing in Japan. Myoko is home to nine courses, most laid out at altitude near the foot of Mt. Myoko — cool air and long views on the days when Tokyo is unbearable. Myoko Kogen Golf Club is a highland resort course with views of both Mt. Myoko and Mt. Kurohime as you play. Myoko Country Club dates to 1964 and is a parkland layout sitting at around 700 metres, with all the sloping lies that terrain implies. APA Resort Joetsu-Myoko, about twenty minutes from Myoko Kogen station, is the more strategic test — and has wonderful baths to sink into afterwards. Most courses open in April and close by early to mid-November, snow depending.