On the day of the group booking for Hakuba-kan, I couldn’t get through at all, and just when I thought my dream of taking six friends to that stunning hot spring had been dashed, I checked the website again two or three days later—hoping a cancellation might have come up—and to my surprise, there were still openings! ❗️ That’s how this trip to Yari Onsen began! It was also a lot of fun planning our gear—making sure everyone had lightweight crampons, earplugs, bear bells, and whistles. My friends gave me lots of heartwarming feedback, like “I want to go back!” and “I want to climb other mountains, too.” One of my friends, who took a bath after 9 p.m. in pitch darkness, told me, “I’ll never forget bathing under the stars—even if the sky wasn’t completely clear!” It almost brought tears to my eyes! Deciding on our plan by asking everyone on the second day—whether to head out early for Mt. Yari and Hanabata or go to the ski jump—was also a great memory. Since the next time the whole group will be together won’t be until October or November, I don’t think we’ll be able to come back this season, but it looks like this will be a mountain we’ll want to visit again next year. By the way, it was my first time at Yarigatake Onsen in over 40 years 🤗

I stayed here in a tent. My rating for the “room” reflects my rating of the campground. The campground strictly allocates space for the exact number of reservations. All sites are flat. Each site is assigned a number. This time, I was free to choose any site I liked, but during busy periods, specific sites may be assigned. The baths are fantastic. The indoor bath is women-only, but it becomes men-only from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The water is milky white and has a different mineral composition. If you’re a hot spring enthusiast visiting here, I recommend trying both. Below are some comments for the site administrator. It was mandatory to enter all information for my traveling companion, including their address. The instructions stated to enter only their name, age, and phone number, so that’s all I entered, but it turned out the address was also required. I think it would be best to update the instructions.

One of our group members got injured, and you were all so kind to us. Thanks to your prompt and efficient care, we were able to rest easy and look forward to the next day. The bath was very warming, and you can really tell it’s a high-quality hot spring. If I had to mention one thing, I did notice that the mattress and cover felt a bit damp. The meals were delicious.

The staff were very kind and explained everything to me during check-in. I was able to take several baths, which was wonderful. It warmed me up and helped me sleep soundly, so I woke up the next day feeling completely refreshed and ready for my hike—it was truly great! Thank you for your hospitality. I’d love to visit again.

The open-air bath was amazing.

I was so relaxed that I found myself thinking, “Just soaking in the bath can be this soothing?!” It’s fascinating how the color of the water differs between the women’s bath and the mixed-gender bath. I prefer the women’s bath! Even in the mixed-gender bath, I was able to bathe in a calm, soothing atmosphere, so I was completely satisfied. Sleeping in a tent, lulled by the sound of flowing water, I drifted off to a comfortable sleep in the blink of an eye. I’m going to try to “spread the word” to my friends, too! Please keep up the great work and definitely keep this going!

I stayed there on a room-only basis. It was a shame that the self-catering area was right in front of the smoking area. Couldn’t the smoking area be moved to somewhere like in front of the restrooms on the lower level? Someone else accidentally used my bed, but the staff at the cabin handled the situation smoothly.

Thank you so much for everything. After the trek, I was exhausted, but soaking in the hot springs allowed me to relax both my body and mind, which was such a relief. The meals were delicious, and I was thoroughly satisfied. I hope to stay with you again if the opportunity arises. Thank you very much.

This is a wonderful mountain lodge with its own hot spring. You can have as many refills of rice and soup as you like at breakfast and dinner—both the food and the accommodations are truly satisfying! However, the shared rooms have that typical mountain lodge vibe.