Kyukamura Iwate-Amiharionsen

The dinners and breakfasts were both excellent, with lots of high-quality choices. Even though the place looks dated, it's kept very clean and bright. We noticed thoughtful updates too: the rooms still use keys, but check-in and check-out are recorded digitally with a QR tag, and the ski resort has moved to IC cards for lift tickets. Our room was spacious, and it was only a five-minute walk to the slopes. There are five onsens, including a foot bath. Two are in the hotel; the other two are a short walk away, with a shuttle available. We skipped those two because we were skiing. The resort itself has only a few pistes and slow lifts, but it was quiet, mostly with local visitors. Some foreigners come for snowshoeing and backcountry or sidecountry skiing. Staff were very hospitable and even drove us to a nearby resort for skiing and snowboarding. We agree with the foreign website that led us here: this is a lovely little hidden gem.

The buffet had more variety than I expected, and the food tasted good. Staff were friendly and helpful too. We had a great ski trip.

The view from beside the hotel was incredible, and it’s also a great place to look at the stars. Our room felt a bit cramped for four people sleeping on futons, so we asked for an extra room even though nothing was wrong with the one we had. The staff were very helpful about it. The food was pretty good, and the facilities were nice. There are several onsens to choose from. The one we used was about what I expected, but it was well maintained and a decent size.

The staff seemed courteous and helpful, and they were careful about guests' safety and Corona. Views depend on where you're staying: one side looks out across the area toward Morioka city, while the other faces only trees. Wi-Fi was weak or absent by the east-facing window, but worked normally in the west wing. The indoor bath was a good size, and the outdoor rotenburo was nice. Guests can also use another hot spring for free, about a five-minute walk over a suspension bridge. It has an outdoor rotenburo in the woods too, but watch out for horseflies in summer. There are plenty of fly swatters around. The water there was hotter. At the main bath, the showers are push-button with no temperature control.