Kumanoyu Hotel

This is a historic hotel, about 100 years old. It's super convenient, just a 3-minute walk to the ski slopes. Both breakfast and dinner were good, and the hot springs were very relaxing. Thumbs up!

Legend has it that injured bears from the Shiga Kogen region would bathe in this emerald-green hot spring, hence the name "Kuma no Yu" (Bear's Bath). Kuma no Yu is the oldest hot spring in the Shiga Kogen region, a rare emerald-green hot spring in Japan; apart from Kunimi Onsen in Iwate Prefecture, you won't find another hot spring this green. The Kuma no Yu Hotel was established in 1927, located behind the Kuma no Yu Ski Resort. During the Showa era, the young Emperor returned here for winter skiing and hot spring bathing. The hotel has been passed down through generations, and the windows display old ski equipment and pictures, indicating the owner is also a skiing enthusiast. This 100% free-flowing, unpaved hot spring is known as the "Yu no Hana" (Flower of the Bath) for its skin-beautifying properties. Today, many hot spring hotels have been built in the surrounding area. Incidentally, other hot spring hotels use hot spring water piped from outside the mountains. Only Kuma no Yu boasts a 100% free-flowing, emerald-green source! During our two-night stay, the hotel service was warm and attentive, always responsive to our needs. Most of the guests were middle-aged or elderly Japanese who had driven themselves; we, from mainland China, were quite a unique case! The hotel itself has historical and cultural significance, is very quiet, and perfect for relaxing! The hotel's open-air Emerald Onsen bath was absolutely stunning; it was almost deserted during the day, and we enjoyed the first bath twice. There were no restaurants near the hotel, so we booked a room and two meals. They thoughtfully arranged for a Chinese-speaking staff member to serve seasonal local dishes, which were more than enough for us. We ordered the best [Shiga Kogen no Chishu Enki] 100% pure rice sake, which was delicious! The Japanese gentleman at the front desk patiently answered all our questions; a special thank you to Ms. Chen at the front desk for her meticulous assistance, even helping us find the best bus route from the hotel to Matsumoto and accompanying us to Nagano Station. We visited Kumanoyu in late autumn in Shiga Kogen and witnessed the first snowfall—so beautiful! In just half a month, it will become a ski resort. If I have the chance to visit Shiga Kogen again, I will definitely choose [Kuma no Yu Hotel].

The highly acclaimed jade-green hot springs were excellent. I accidentally booked a plan without dinner, but they were happy to accommodate me and were very helpful. I would definitely use them again.

We came here specifically for the hotel's green hot spring. There are buses from Yudanaka, which is quite convenient. The hotel mainly provides services for skiers. The rooms are large, dinner is a set meal, and breakfast is a buffet. The meals are pretty good. The hotel has a waiter who can speak Chinese. When we checked out the next day, the girl left a note in Chinese for us who don’t speak English or Japanese. It was really touching!

The Kumanoyu Ski Resort is a treasure. There was heavy snow every day during the few days I was here. The ski slopes are quite suitable for intermediate practice, and it is very close to Yokote Mountain nearby (but it is recommended not to take their connecting road, it is very painful on heavy snow days). The hotel's hot springs are very good, and the food is first-class. Especially the dinner, which is different every day but delicious. I hope to come again in the future.

Xiongzhiyu is really recommended. It is convenient for skiing and there are few people at the ski resort. You can soak in the Emerald Pool during the day. There are almost no people. Your skin will feel slippery after soaking. It is recommended to stay for two days if you can. The open-air pool is for men and women to exchange every other day. The scenery is great! Avoiding the peak of the New Year, there are not many people in the hotel, it is unusually quiet, the breakfast is very rich, and there is also a Japanese grandfather with a doctor for dinner. Both meals are very satisfactory. The room is also very large, clean, and the heating is sufficient. You can also borrow Japanese chess pieces and humidifiers. There are waiters who speak Chinese at the front desk of the hotel!