Minakami accommodation, Japan
| country: | Japan |
| departures: | This lodge is open year round |
| price: | From Yen 4000 (approx £17) per person per night (dormitory) - Yen 5000 (approx £21) per person per night (private rooms - 2, 4 or 6 people) |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Our lodge is situated in the mountain township of Minakami, one of Japan's premiere hot spring and ski resorts in the North of Gunma Prefecture. The lodge is primely located in the Yubiso area (valley of the hidden hot springs), which lies in the centre of Minakami's 10 ski fields, with the closest field just 200 metres from the back door!
Minakami and surrounding areas have a huge variety of different activities that can be enjoyed thoughout the year that cater for all ages. From families to adrenaline junkies there is something for everyone and there are a number of local companies that provide quality outdoor adventures.
Winter activities: Snowshoeing (rental snowshoes & tours), skiing & snowboarding (lessons, off piste tours, discounted lift passes), caving.
Summer activities: Hiking (maps available), cycling & mountain biking (tours available), canyoning, white water rafting, caving
If adventure is not your calling, there are many other attractions such as hot springs or a Japanese art and craft village (Takumino Sato). Every weekend there will be various music and outdoor events ranging from acoustic live to DJ's and bands.
Facilities
We have dormitory rooms (sleep 6) and private rooms (2, 4 or 6 persons) with spacious cedar bunks. All rooms have woolen quilts and are kept warm by an electric convection heater. There are shower facilities, Western toilets, a free washer & dryer, drying room and fully equipped communal kitchen.
Other facilities include: bar/cafe, dining room, lounge (satellite TV, DVD & VHS player), club/movie theatre, 3300 sq m wood bbq deck, giant baths (mens, womens, mixed), pool table, free Internet and wireless Internet.
We have a ski demo centre & equipment shop on site.
Family friendly: We have a family movie every evening, children's menu & play area and the baths are available for families to book privately.
Disabled access: Wheel chair access is being installed in Summer 2007.
How to find us
We can give you directions by car & train. Please see map for location within Japan (Minakami mountains, Gunma Prefecture).
By train: Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo or Ueno Stn. to JomoKogen Station (approx 75 mins)and relay bus to Minakami Station (approx 20 min). Or Takasaki Line from Ueno to Takasaki Stn., then change to Joetsu Line to Minakami (approx 3 hrs).
By road: From Tokyo take the Kanetsu Expressway to Minakami I.C. (approx 2hrs). From Niigata take the Kanetsu Expressway to Minakami I.C. (approx 2 hrs)
Minakami and surrounding areas have a huge variety of different activities that can be enjoyed thoughout the year that cater for all ages. From families to adrenaline junkies there is something for everyone and there are a number of local companies that provide quality outdoor adventures.
Winter activities: Snowshoeing (rental snowshoes & tours), skiing & snowboarding (lessons, off piste tours, discounted lift passes), caving.
Summer activities: Hiking (maps available), cycling & mountain biking (tours available), canyoning, white water rafting, caving
If adventure is not your calling, there are many other attractions such as hot springs or a Japanese art and craft village (Takumino Sato). Every weekend there will be various music and outdoor events ranging from acoustic live to DJ's and bands.
Facilities
We have dormitory rooms (sleep 6) and private rooms (2, 4 or 6 persons) with spacious cedar bunks. All rooms have woolen quilts and are kept warm by an electric convection heater. There are shower facilities, Western toilets, a free washer & dryer, drying room and fully equipped communal kitchen.Other facilities include: bar/cafe, dining room, lounge (satellite TV, DVD & VHS player), club/movie theatre, 3300 sq m wood bbq deck, giant baths (mens, womens, mixed), pool table, free Internet and wireless Internet.
We have a ski demo centre & equipment shop on site. Family friendly: We have a family movie every evening, children's menu & play area and the baths are available for families to book privately.
Disabled access: Wheel chair access is being installed in Summer 2007.
How to find us
We can give you directions by car & train. Please see map for location within Japan (Minakami mountains, Gunma Prefecture).
By train: Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo or Ueno Stn. to JomoKogen Station (approx 75 mins)and relay bus to Minakami Station (approx 20 min). Or Takasaki Line from Ueno to Takasaki Stn., then change to Joetsu Line to Minakami (approx 3 hrs).
By road: From Tokyo take the Kanetsu Expressway to Minakami I.C. (approx 2hrs). From Niigata take the Kanetsu Expressway to Minakami I.C. (approx 2 hrs)
how this holiday makes a difference
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In the creation of the lodge we used recycled and sustainable materials such as recycled plastic decking and cedar from our own forest which we replant ourselves. We are also in the process of installing a thermal heating system that runs off hot spring water. The lodge uses a recycling system run by the local government. All waste is seperated into 6 different categories and sent to a recycling centre and organic waste is added to our garden compost, which we use to make herbs for the restaurant. All cleaning products are non chemical citrus based.
 We have made a tourist map of the area with all of the local hot springs, restaurants and ski areas and offer special deals for using local establishments. We also put on events that include other local businesses. The lodge has become a cultural centre and multi use facility that the local community is putting to good use for various events, such as the shinnenkai (opening of the year), bonnenkai (closing of the year) and other local festivals. The locals are also using it to display local art and craft and we have had some locals perform traditional music (wadaiko) and dance. We currently employ five locals full and part time to help with the running of the lodge and restaurant and have plans to employ two more for the summer season.All food is purchased locally at the closest markets and only local produce is used where possible. All alcohol is also purchased at the local liquor shop. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |