Onsen Pension Hanasakiyama

The owners were incredibly friendly, and the food and interior were lovely. It's a quiet house, and the whole stay felt worthwhile. You do need a car to get there, and Japanese is necessary, but I'd still say it's well worth visiting.

The spring water is colorless and has no smell, yet it left my hair silky and my skin feeling smooth. There are two private hot spring rooms, and you can have one to yourself. They’re open all day, so visiting at a quieter hour should help if they’re busy. The food was delicious and carefully made, especially for the price. Finding the place can be tricky on your first visit, particularly after dark. I followed the navigation while wondering if I was on the right road, but did get there in the end. One thing to keep in mind: the toilet and bathtub are outside the room, up some stairs, which may be hard for anyone with mobility issues.

The couple who run Hanasakiyama were the highlight for me. They were so lovely, and I’d be glad to see them again. They even told me how they got the guesthouse started. I stayed May 27-28, 2023, after taking part in Tomaru's retreat. The place brought back memories of the guesthouses we used to visit on childhood ski trips. Dinner was great, especially the rice, which I ate far too much of. The hot spring bath was relaxing and open 24 hours, so I went again in the morning. Waking up to running water and birdsong made for a really pleasant start to the day.

The owners were warm and welcoming, and their dog was lovely to have around. The food they made was delicious, and the private hot spring bath worked well for the whole family. We came in March during a warm winter. There wasn’t much snow left at Fujiwara Ski Resort, though the inn is fairly high up and tucked deep in the mountains, so it still seemed like a decent area for snow. The entrance can be hard to spot, so watch for it.