Sunshine Naeba

I like the roomy, relaxing rooms, even though there are a few inconveniences. It feels like a homey base for skiing at Naeba Ski Resort. The food includes homemade vegetables and miso; the portions are a little small, but it's fun to pick up snacks and alcohol and enjoy them in your room. The old black dog was adorable. The current rescue dog is a bit wary, but comes over asking for more when you feed him. I want to see him again!

We'd visited Naeba Ski Resort many times and only wish we'd found Sunshine sooner. The owner was kind enough to store my luggage after checkout and give us a ride, and the owner's friends also help out, so the place has a genuinely family-like feel. We were lucky to see fireworks from Naeba Ski Resort, though it sounds like poor visibility can make them hard to see. Lift tickets are discounted when bought at the hotel. If driving, there's a 20-metre concrete switchback slope from the national highway up to the parking lot, so snow tires or chains may be useful. The owner clears snow daily, and I managed the climb at check-in with regular front-wheel-drive tires. They can also let you park one car on a nearly flat spot off the national highway. The living room is about 30 tatami mats in size, with a wood stove, a table for six, low swivel chairs and a TV. Coffee and tea are self-serve, and a well-behaved short-haired dog is there to greet guests. The room was very clean. Breakfast and dinner are buffets. There isn't a huge selection, but I found the food mild and satisfying, and could have as much as I liked of what appealed to me. The 180-centimetre-high windows by the dining area look especially beautiful in the snow, and I could gaze out over coffee for ages. Our room had a kotatsu, a kerosene fan heater and a ceiling-mounted electric fan heater, so it was very warm. The sink was like one in a typical apartment, and the toilet was shared. There are three free, fully automatic washing machines with a 7 kg capacity. The bath was clean and large enough for about five adults; I liked the shower's slightly strong water pressure and somewhat high temperature. The drying room is in the basement, which is on the first floor and opens directly outside. Wi-Fi worked normally for me, though my kids said it cut out a few times during busy periods while they were playing online games. The owner kindly provides transportation. The shuttle was an 11-passenger Toyota Hiace Grand Cabin. My family and I had a meaningful stay in a very homey atmosphere. The owner-grown vegetables are pesticide-free, and the miso soup, lightly pickled Chinese cabbage and pickled radish were mild and salty, and went really well with rice. Thank you so much. I'd like to stay here again.

They even drove us to the ski resort, and the food was delicious, especially the homemade kimchi and pickles. It was a shame that the toilet's washlet wasn't working.

It's an older building, but the homey feel suits it. Naeba Ski Resort is nearby, and the inn's shuttle means you can check in and change before heading over, which is very convenient. The food uses homegrown vegetables, so I feel comfortable giving it to children. There seemed to be lots of families, though young people also appear to enjoy the place. They make their own miso, and you can buy some to take home.