Pension Pilatus

I think the son of the owner back then was about my age, and I spent a little time hanging out with him. I wonder what he’s doing now. I was there around 1981, and I remember there hadn’t been enough snow for Tateshina Ski Resort, so we went all the way to Kurumayama Ski Resort instead. In the main hall, Terao Akira was singing "Ruby no Yubiwa" on TV, and the food was unbelievably good. But was that the same Pilatus I visited? The building has a similar feel...

We stayed over Golden Week with two friends I’ve known since childhood. Pilatus Hill has a lot of memories for me, since I often visited on trips as a toddler. The area seems a little more deserted than I remember, but this time we stayed at a Nordic-style inn on a hill, where a lovely couple welcomed us. The private baths are both hot spring rock baths. They were a bit hot, but felt authentic. Food is one of the best parts of traveling, and the meals here were an elegant set course, served in the restaurant. It was a different experience from the usual delicious home cooking at pensions, and we enjoyed it. The meal was great, and alcohol was all-you-can-drink. Since we went during the holidays, I’d like to return on a weekday.

The dinner course was delicious, and the atmosphere was lovely, surrounded by nature. It did take a while to find the place, tucked deep in the mountains. I was disappointed that amenities cost extra and there was no air conditioning.

We were warmly welcomed by the owner’s family, and we definitely want to return. The private rock bath was great, and in summer the weather means you don’t need air conditioning. The food was incredible, especially the full French course, which was very satisfying. Even elementary school kids can have the course with slightly smaller portions, and the toddler meals were excellent too.