Mikurigaike-Onsen

I was there at the end of May. There was still snow, the scenery was extraordinary, and the sunset was lovely. There’s an onsen here too.

I came for a day trip from Nagano on 16th November. It’s a lovely place to stop for lunch, with an incredible view, and there’s a pleasant walk along an alpine route marked with bamboo poles. The area is surprisingly easy to reach given the altitude. The paths were packed with snow, so waterproof boots and sunglasses are a must. You can rent an onsen experience for $1000 yen. If your shoes need more grip, the shop sells mini crampons for 2200 yen, and you can get sunglasses at Mikurigaike Onsen for 1000 yen to make walking around safer.

We stayed for 4d3n in July 2025 in a western-style room with two beds. The room was basic, just the beds, but the service and meals made up for that. Getting to Mikurigaike Onsen was easy on foot from Murodo Terminal, with signs along the way. At the entrance, Mikuri Cafe and the friendly counter staff greeted us. The half-board plan meant we didn’t have to think about finding food. Dinner had a surprising amount of variety and was really filling. The staff thoughtfully offered different options each evening so we wouldn’t repeat a meal. I noticed our dishes differed from those at other tables, including meals we’d already had on our first night. It’s a good place to rest between days of exploring and a handy base for hikes. We enjoyed our stay while hiking Mt Oyama, and hope to return to explore Murodo and the other mountains. I’d recommend it to fellow hikers. Thanks for the hospitality, staff from Mikuri Onsen!

The dorm-style setup was comfortable, the staff were nice, and the food was decent. I didn’t get to try the onsen because I had my period. The hallway kind of gave me The Shining vibes, haha.