Asahidake Onsen Youth Hostel

Asahidake Onsen is a small cluster of hotels and spas at the end of the road to Asahidake. It is in a national park, so there is no town per se. Each hotel offers breakfast and dinner to their paying guests, but there are no restaurants or other source of nightlife. Not that it matters, as we are totally beat and in bed by 9 each night.

We are staying at the youth hostel here, and it is very,very nice. Shoes must be removed at the front door, and they provide slippers to wear inside.  It is absolutely spotless, and very warm and welcoming.  There are two Japanes women running the hostel, and only one speaks English.  However, they are both very kind and helpful, and we haven't had any trouble communicating.

 We have a Japanes style room, with tatami mats on the floor and futon mattresses to pull out of the closet and sleep on at night.

Downstairs is a ski repair, ski storage, and drying room. It has its own entrance so you can enter with your ski boots on and leave all your wet gear downstairs to dry.


There is an onsen, or Japanes hot spring bath also. It is gender segregated, and consists of a changing room and then a bathing room. There are several hand held shower nozzles along one wall, with small plastic stools to sit on. The procedure is to shower well before entering the Onsen bath. The one here is indoors and tiled, like a big rectangular hot tub. One of the other onsens we visited had rock lined outdoor tubs as well. We have an outdoor tub here, which is just a part of the creek running nearby with a small amount of hot spring water diverted to it. Way too small amount of hot water for me. It is more of a cold plunge after soaking in the hot tub. They provide robes for you to relax in afterwards. It is a great way to relax after a long day on the slopes.

Our meals here are absolutely amazing. If you count the optional, serve yourself, all you can eat rice bowl, each dinner is six or seven courses. Breakfast is four or five. The food is not only delicious, it is artfully presented in Japanese style. If you ask in advance, they will prepare a lunch for you to take with you also.  It is onigiri, two rice balls with different fillings wrapped in nori.  It travels well and is very filling.

The hostel is quite empty this week, with only about four rooms full on any night.  About half are Japanese skiers and mountaineers, and the other half foreigners such as ourselves. One of our table mates was an older couple and their adult son. The parents must have been in their late 70's or early 80's, and were up high on the mountain hiking with their snowshoes and ice axes in high winds, freezing temperatures, and blowing snow. Very impressively!

All in all, it is a perfect place to spend a few days while exploring the skiing and mountaineering nearby. We highly recommend it if you are coming this way.