When are you open?
We open for the Japanese winter ski season which is usually mid-late December through to mid-March, depending on snow conditions. See our bookings page for dates and availability.
How far is Juniya Myoko lodge from the nearest ski lift?
The lodge is at the base of the Akakura Onsen ski area, with the nearest lift being just around the corner, about 100m away.
The mountain
What is the snow like? In a word, powdery. Akakura is made up on two resorts—Akakura Onsen and Akakura Kanko. If you look at the trail map, Onsen is on the right hand side of the map when you are looking at it, and Kanko the left. Akakura Onsen consists of 50% beginner runs, 30% intermediate, and 20% advanced. Akakura Kanko consists of 40% beginner runs, 30% intermediate, and 30% advanced. The snow can be variable year-to-year, but if you want to check out data from past seasons, the Akakura Kanko snow history can be found here, and Akakura Onsen snow history can be found here
Ski or snowboard hire?
There are several places to hire gear on the mountain, and they also take advance bookings online. Being in the heart of Akakura Village, Juniya Myoko is close to all of these rental places: Aoyama Sports, Joey's Myoko, and Myoko Snowsports.
Getting here:
From Haneda Airport: Catching the monorail into Tokyo Station is fairly straightforward, even though it involves a transfer at Hamamatsucho Station (to either the Keihin-Tōhoku Line or the Yamanote Line) before continuing onward to Tokyo Station. Purchase tickets at the monorail ticket machine at the airport and select the 'transfer' button to Hamamatsucho. Alternatively, you can catch a taxi directly. The travel time either way is about 30 minutes (depending on traffic if you catch a taxi). Once you arrive at Tokyo Station, catch a Shinkansen (bullet train) to Nagano. There will be several routes offered, but the Hokuriku Line is the fastest. Your carriage, car and seat number will be listed on your ticket. Purchasing Shinkansen tickets from the automatic ticket booths is made easier by the English language option, or you can prebook here. Your carriage, car and seat number will be listed on your ticket.
From Narita Airport: Catch the Express Train to Ueno Keisei Station (approximately 1 hour) walk across the road to Ueno Station then board a Shinkansen to Nagano. There will be several routes offered, but the Hokuriku Line is the fastest. Purchasing Shinkansen tickets from the automatic ticket booths is made easier by the English language option, or you can prebook here. Your carriage, car and seat number will be listed on your ticket.
Once at Nagano Station, you will need to purchase a new ticket for the local line and catch a train to Myoko (Myoko Kogen). This can't be pre-booked. The trip takes approximately 45 minutes and by prior arrangement we will collect you from the train station when you arrive. Send us a message when you leave Nagano and we will be waiting for you. Please note that depending on how many guests are arriving at the same time as you, there may be a short wait.
One travel tip that we use to great advantage is Google Maps — type in your departure and destination, and details of train/bus lines, platforms, and departure times will be displayed. Japan’s electronic transport signage is also English-language friendly, and the train station staff are always happy to help.
Nagano Snow Shuttle offers a direct bus from Haneda or Narita Airport to Myoko Kogen if you prefer this option.
Luggage:
If you don’t want to drag your luggage around, consider sending it directly from the airport to Juniya Myoko, or wherever you are staying in Tokyo. Pack what you need in a small backpack and have Black Cat (Yamato Transport) do the rest. Black Cat can also arrange for your luggage to be collected at the lodge and sent to the airport for your return trip.
Onsen and bathrooms:
Juniya Myoko lodge has four rooms with private bathrooms, and all the other rooms use shared bathroom facilities. We have traditional male and female Japanese bathing onsen areas, each of which have a large separate change room and multiple open-showering stations in the main hot-bath area. You can download a Japanese onsen etiquette guide here. In a separate area we have cubicle showers and toilets for additional privacy.
Do you have laundry facilities?
We have a small in-house guest laundry with three washing machines and three dryers.
Can I use credit card or smart payments when in Akakura?
We recommend you bring cash, because a lot of places in Japan only accept physical currency. However, more and more places are accepting contactless forms of payment and we will keep this space updated as we know more. Akakura Village Post Office has an ATM but it is accessible only during opening hours.