Whole building rental with high-speed wifi throughout. Perfect for groups of families and friends to get together! Great for remote working, small conferences and retreats too. The lodge is located on a ski course of Togari Onsen Snow Resort so no need to get in the car in the morning, just strap on your bindings and go! With 7 guest rooms, the building is 400 square metres so up to 24 guests can stay comfortably together. Due to coronavirus countermeasures we can only host up to 19 guests at the moment, but we can make special arrangements for schools and other groups that are traveling together. Please send an enquiry. Three traditional Japanese tatami mat rooms with futons and four western-style rooms with beds are on the second floor. A cot for a baby is available on request. Large recreation hall on the first floor, with table tennis, sofas, TV, beer vending machine, board games, kids play area and musical instruments (piano & guitar). Well-equipped second floor dining/kitchen/bar with a wood pellet burning stove. In summer, guests can use the patio area with covered seating, outdoor kitchen and BBQ (May-October). Why not bring your tents and camp in our large grassy field? You can always change your mind and sleep inside if the weather changes!
Children and extra beds
Up to 6 guests are included in the whole-house rate. From the 7th guest a rate of ¥5000(inc tax) per person will be charged. Children from 3 years old to 17 years old who will sleep in their own bed ¥5000(inc tax). Children up to and including 3 years old stay for free. A crib is available on request. Please bring your own sheets/bedding for the crib. Guest access Please note, that due to enhanced cleaning protocols to prevent the spread of COVID 19, we now only allow access to room 7 to groups of 13 or more. If you have a smaller group and wish to use room 7 please ask us in advance.
Pets
Up to 2 pets are allowed free of charge. Dogs must be in a pet carrier to enter guest rooms but otherwise may roam freely inside the house.
Please check manners and rules for traveling with dogs according to the "Stay With Dog" website https://living-with-dogs.jp/stay
Accepted credit cards
American Express, Visa, Euro/Mastercard, Discover We allow guests to pay online with their preferred payment method.
Check-in time
After 4 PM
Check-out time
Until 10AM
Availability
We are sorry, this accommodation is not available to book at the moment
Men’s and women’s showers and changing rooms. Total of 7 private shower booths and two large baths. 8 toilets are not en-suite. Ski and snowboard equipment room. Free clothes washer and coin-operated dryer.
Parking
Parking for up to five cars. Tell us how many cars and when you will arrive because we must clear the snow. ****IF DRIVING PLEASE READ**** In winter, guests that bring 4 Wheel Drive cars will be able to access our parking lot and have the best experience. If you have the option for 4WD from your car rental, it is well worth paying the extra for the freedom to come and go as you please and visit the many different ski areas nearby.
Access
By Car Nearest IC: Toyoda-iiyama Guests that come by car have the best experience at Hunters Gate, with the freedom to visit all the nearby attractions and ski resorts. If you have the option for 4WD from your car rental, it is well worth paying the extra in the winter months (Dec-Feb). Public transport Our nearest train station is JR Togari-Nozawaonsen station (戸狩野沢), which is three stops on the local line from iiyama Shinkansen Station. There are also buses to Togari Ski Resort. We are happy to help you arrange transportation to and from the lodge at the beginning and end of your stay. Please let us know where you are coming from and we can advise. You can check train schedules at the Hyperdia website. Shuttle bus service For groups using public transport we provide one free pick up and drop off per group per day to either Togari-Nozawa Station or Togari Ski Resort bus stop. Please ask for details of the shuttle bus timetable on making your reservation
Togari Onsen Ski Resort
Togari Onsen is on the outskirts of Iiyama City in Nagano Prefecture, located in the centre of one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan, and possibly even the world! It is just across the Chikuma River from the world famous Nozawa Onsen Village, but even people who are familiar with Nozawa will say, “Togari Onsen? I've kind of heard of that place, but where is it?!” It is fair to say that Togari is a well-kept secret! Lines for the lifts are rare here, and its a great place for an authentic Japanese ski town experience.
Togari is a pretty village with lots of old traditional temples and shrines. The buildings are less crowded together than other ski resorts, and are mostly family-owned small hotels attached to a farm, giving it a wide-open and welcoming feel. Locals may self-effacingly call Togari "small" but actually the village center has everything you need, and it’s just the right size. Not as crowded as Nozawa Onsen, and more convenient than Madarao, with easy road access, through the Chikuma River valley, without having to drive any scary mountain passes. That is why so many people return over and over again to this small ski resort.
At Togari Onsen, rich in nature, you can enjoy camping, trekking, canoeing, and many other outdoor activities, but what what we are really interested in is the snow sports! This page provides information on skiing in Togari, the slopes, restaurants, and a little about the culture and history of the village.
Togari Onsen Ski Resort has a total of 15 courses with a total run length of 2.4 km. There are 7 lifts, 4 of which are high-speed quads. There are two sides to the mountain, “Pegasus" and “Orion,” but in 2022 the lifts on Orion Slope are not in operation to keep running costs down until tourism hopefully returns after the pandemic. Although the lifts that side are not in operation, the runs are accessible from the top of the the Tondaira Pair lift, turning this whole area into a huge playground for all kinds of snow games called “Ski Vacation Village”.
The ski resort may not be the biggest in Japan, but it is not really small either. Like Togari Onsen Village, it is just the right size. There are a wide variety of courses including tree runs, wide and well-maintained groomers, and the “Jet” and “Rabbit” Courses, which are steep, ungroomed runs perfect for powder days.
Togari Onsen Ski Resort also has the SAJ certificated Togari Onsen Ski School. This ski school has many excellent instructors and offers lessons for beginners as well as advanced students, and prizes for those who want to become even better. The experienced instructors are a big hit with the kids, and parents can leave their kids to learn to ski with peace of mind. English lessons are available through a collaboration with MTN Holidays.
{The first of its kind in Japan, or even the world!]
Introducing the Yuki-Chari Tour: a 2km-long snow bike course! Riding a wide-tired bike designed for snow, known as a "fat bike," you can cycle down the mountain while enjoying some spectacular snowy views. There are strider kids bikes available too. Great way to take a day off from skiing!
Nightlife info
There are about 12 restaurants in Togari. All of them are within walking distance of the village center, making it very convenient to get around. It might not be as many restaurants as other ski towns, but there are always tables available, so this is another example of the "just right" balance that Togari always affords. Like any ski resort, there are a few restaurants on the slopes. From good old-fashioned ski resort restaurants, serving the ever-popular katsu-curry and ramen, to a few very good examples of newer-style resort restaurants, featuring for example, Vietnamese cuisine.
Walking through the village, you will find that all the restaurants you visit are delicious. Options include soba noodles, baked curry, French, Italian, seafood, izakaya and more. The variety is very rich and of high quality. There is also a bar right by the slopes for that all-important apres ski.
Check out our Restaurant Guide! LINK
Culture and history info
The hot springs of Togari Onsen are a must-do, with their traditional wooden buildings and stone floors. Surprisingly, despite their traditional charm, these hot springs were only drilled in 1991! The baths here are also “just right”: not too hot and not too cold. Many of the locals never even use the bath in their own homes, preferring instead to end the day soaking in the onsen and chatting with their friends. The onsen water is called “bijin-no-yu, or beautiful-woman-spring, because it leaves your skin feeling soft and silky-smooth.
Togari is a little-known haven for fireflies in early summer. The heavy snowfall in the region is leads to an abundance of sparklingly fresh water in the mountain streams. Fireflies love it! On the subject of delicious water, don’t forget the locally brewed sake, "Hokko Masamune," is also excellent.
There are some beautiful old temples and shrines, which make for great pictures whatever season you visit, whether it be the deep snows of winter, the vibrant blues of early summer hydrangeas, or the beautiful reds and oranges of autumn. Kogenin is known to locals as The Hydrangea Temple for its hundreds of thousands of stunning blooms in June. Nearby Takeminakatatomiinochihikogamibetsu Shrine has the longest name of any shrine in Japan! Visiting there feels like stepping into a Ghibli anime.
The Autumn Festivals in the fall are very unique. Each neighbourhood celebrates in a different way, with elaborate lion dances, naginata displays, fire festivals, stage performances, and fireworks. They all take place on the second or third weekend of September, so it’s possible to visit two or three on the same night, and the locals may even welcome you to join them and drink and eat delicious food late into the night!
Guest reviews are written by our customers after their stay at Hunters Gate.
Cleanliness
10
Comfort
10
Location
10
Staff
10
Guest reviews
Envato 2021-06-14
Cozy house, great location. The owners are warm and welcoming ! They also try to be environmentally friendly (limited use of plastic, recycled pellets for the stove, ...).
