Kogakuro Ryokan, Akakura Onsen
Notes from an early March ski trip to Myoko Kogen — part review, part field guide for next time
The Place
Kogakuro is a large, traditional ryokan in Akakura Onsen village, Myoko Kogen. It feels like a throwback to the late 20th century in the best possible way. The room has a quaint landline telephone decoratively covered in textile. No low-flow flushes. A robust heating system that actually works when you come in soaked from the slopes. Things that function haven’t been replaced by things that are newer.
Rooms are available with western beds or traditional tatami mats — I had Room 215 with western beds, which turned out to be a good pick: the laundry is opposite Room 315, one floor up, so I could do laundry without the noise. Speaking of which: 200 yen for a wash, 100 yen for the dryer. Unbelievable.
Layout
The building is big, but the layout is thoughtful. The social spaces are all on what they call the “basement” — really more like the ground floor. Facing the entrance, the dining hall is at the far right (breakfast is served here). The bar is in the middle, under a double-height ceiling, so you can look down into it from the entrance level. Nice touch.
The onsen is on the entrance floor. Hours are 3:00 PM to 9:00 AM — closed during the day, presumably for cleaning. The water has visible dark mineral deposits; the proprietor says it’s health minerals and even some coral blooms. Characteristic of the local hot spring water. The baths have been running here for generations.
There’s a traditional genkan where you store your outside shoes. But there’s also a separate ski boot room, right next to it, with its own entrance and exit. Smart design — keeps the genkan clean and means you’re not wrestling with ski boots in the same space as everyone else. Skis and boards are stored in a heated outdoor shed, so gear doesn’t ice up overnight.
Food
Dinner rotates on a weekly schedule. Saturdays are a traditional kaiseki meal. Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays are Japanese snacky meals — gyoza, ramen, that sort of thing. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are pasta and pizza. Worth planning around if kaiseki is what you’re after.
Breakfast is a robust spread of western and Japanese staples: miso soup, grilled mackerel, eggs, pancakes. The smoothie is genuinely delicious. Coffee is basic drip — functional, not a selling point, which fits the character of the place. They’re not trying to be a boutique hotel with single-origin pour-overs.
The sign says breakfast is 7:00–9:00. The proprietor told me 7:00–8:30. In practice, you can still eat at 8:45 but they’re clearing. Show up by 8:30 to be safe, or go at 8:45 if you want a quiet breakfast.
Getting to the Slopes
Kogakuro runs a free shuttle to and from Myoko Kogen — coordinate with Mieko at the front desk, WhatsApp works too. They also offer discount lift tickets for nearby resorts and rental discounts at Joey’s and Aoyama.
From Kogakuro, the accessible skiing is essentially Akakura Onsen and Akakura Kanko, which are connected and function as one area. These are solid for intermediates and have decent tree skiing, though nothing extreme for advanced skiers.
To reach Suginohara (Japan’s longest run at 8.5 km, with genuine expert terrain at the top), you take a shuttle from the Akakura Onsen ski area — about a 5–8 minute walk with skis and boots along the main street. The shuttle ride is roughly 30 minutes. It supposedly runs every half hour during peak times, but they switched to hourly from March 2nd. Miss one and you’re stuck for an hour. Plan accordingly.
The shuttle to Kanto resort is much easier — just outside at the intersection.
Lotte Arai’s shuttle was already suspended by my early March trip. So as the season winds down, the logistics of reaching the more challenging resorts get trickier. Kogakuro is a great base for the experience — onsen, food, atmosphere — but if you’re primarily chasing hard terrain, know that your options narrow late in the season.
The Village
Two hidden restaurants worth knowing about, tucked in a dark alleyway just a block toward the mountain from Kogakuro. Hideout Izakaya is like eating a great home-cooked meal. Avaya Ramen was fully booked — I couldn’t get a reservation even four days out, in early March. If it’s that popular when the season is winding down, reserve on arrival day.
The Character
The staff are attentive in the way good ryokans are. I left my Setsugekka souvenirs in the ski boot room overnight. Not only were they kept safe, but they identified me as the most likely owner. Big building, small-inn feel.
This is true of Japan generally, but especially noticeable at Kogakuro: the culture is so meticulous and respectful of other people’s belongings that it’s literally a moral hazard on your own vigilance. I’m more forgetful here because the safety net is so reliable. When the environment is this trustworthy, you stop being careful.