Kanbayashi Hotel Senjukaku

The hotel's location right beside Snow Monkey Park is hard to beat. They rent crampons and trekking poles for winter visits, and if you're skiing at Shiga Kogen, it's only a 20-minute drive to the slopes. Staying here and driving there made for a much more relaxing experience than the rundown hotels up the mountain. We had a spacious Japanese-style room with its own onsen, just big enough for two. The sleeping mats weren't quite thick enough for us, though, so we wouldn't have wanted to stay more than a couple of nights. We also missed having a refrigerator, and ice was difficult to find. We prepaid for dinners, which were served in a private room. The local Japanese dishes were plentiful. The hotel also has one of the prettiest public onsens we saw on our trip.

The food was beautiful and delicious, with both Western and Japanese options, and the room was clean and spacious. The private onsen was amazing and easy to reserve, while the main onsen stayed open all night, which was great for jet lag. Extra amenities were very affordable, and the hotel even rented ice shoe spikes cheaply, much appreciated since people were slipping everywhere. Every staff member was friendly and kind, and plenty spoke enough English to answer questions. The hotel is right next to snow monkey park. This was the best hotel experience I've had, and I'd recommend it to everyone!

The outdoor onsen before sunrise, with snow falling, was wonderful. I spent two nights at Senjukaku and ended up staying at the hotel most of the time, apart from one visit to see the monkeys. I had planned to spend a few hours in Shibu Onsen, but watching the snowy views from the lounge or my room was enough for me. The monkey park trail starts a short stroll away, and Senjukaku is the closest hotel to it. From pickup through drop-off at Yudanaka railway station, the staff's hospitality was amazing. They showed me to my room, explained its features, and asked what time I'd like dinner and breakfast. They also explained the onsen hours. Both meals were included for both nights. The changing area for the public bath could use a refresh, perhaps fresh varnish around the washbasin or a new vanity top, but that didn't detract from the stay. In true Japanese hospitality, they waved goodbye as I left.

Watanabe Kazu-san made the meal especially memorable. He explained each dish clearly, answered our questions with care, and was attentive and accommodating throughout. His friendly, chatty manner was respectful and never intrusive, and we felt very comfortable and well looked after. His patient, genuinely warm Japanese hospitality lifted the whole experience. Thank you, Watanabe Kazu-san, for such memorable service.