Kutsurogian

We wanted a quiet weekend away from Tokyo and chose somewhere new, Minamiuonuma in Niigata prefecture. Since snow season hadn’t started, things were quiet. We enjoyed visiting the local Hakkeisan brewery district and Koji factory, and there’s plenty more you can reach on a day trip. A hire car would be useful for exploring, though it isn’t essential because the staff helped with rides during the day. Kutsurogian itself is a beautiful building in a lovely setting, with amazing views from the rooms. What stood out most was the staff. They were excellent, made the stay relaxing and fun, and went out of their way to help us get around, including pickup and drop-off at the Shinkansen stations. The meals were magnificent, with generous breakfasts and dinners, quality ingredients, and lovely service. You can sit Western-style or Japanese-style in the dining rooms, and there’s also an irori, a traditional hearth, which was a real treat. The onsen has two areas, each with indoor and outdoor baths. In the evening, you can reserve one by room, so you can bathe with your partner. I can only imagine how lovely it must be when it’s snowing. Those three nights in such a magical place are hard to forget.