Ishiuchi Ski Center

This is my second review for Ishiuchi ski center. The first stay was 1-3 Feb 2024. After 3 nights I have grown to like the hotel even more, getting into routine, having a bath at 7 AM to be ready for breakfast at 7:30. And prepare for the slope. From the hotel there are several ways to get to the top of Sunrise Express. And from there the mountain is your. The easier one is to ski down about 50m to the first lift on the left and it will take you up to the top. Or ski down about 2 KM to the base center. There are 3 courses to go all the way down: Dynamic course, sportsman course and Devil course, I never took this one, un-groom, vertical drop. The dynamic course is a dark green, enough challenge for intermediate, speed, manageable fear. The skiers. All the guess is skier. Sometime there are young group belong to ski club and it is a pleasure to watch them calming gravity with beauty of their parallel turn. Sometimes there are a large group of international students in a short one night stay. It is very popular with family with young children. Of course there are individual like me who is happy to involve with a few cad game of UNO or just seat back sampling long list of Niigata sake watching night skier dancing the high beam golden lighting and listening Nina Simone in the back ground music.

Incredible Family own and run property: parents, young daughter, who is also a mother of two girls, one and three years old, the husband, and very dedicated 4 young staffs. Initially I booked 2 nights but after some more researches I booked additional 5 nights. Because I feel something is very special about this property. And it is. The first night was beyond my expectation. Watching Japanese family at work. The food is very good delivered with Japanese punctuality wand calmness. I feel part of the family not just a guess. The young mother is looking after the guess with the youngest baby on her chest and the older one dragging her toy following her every footstep. I am very privilege to witness a culture that I heard so much about. The dinning table has a view to the ski slope. It is a resonance slope and very popular one half way between the top of Sunrise Express and the base station. The restaurent back ground music is Jazz. Nina Simone came now and then with her Feeling Cool while we are watching a group of skier racing the slope in front of us. I feel this is Aspen without the Hollywood stars. Just me, a group of skier, and the Japanese family who found us the new dawn. Thank you.

The accomodation serves breakfast and dinner, which is quite major point. The hotel is located in the middle of the slope, perfect for those who wanted to jump into ski straightaway. The host and staff was very very friendly and I appreciate their mochi making event held during one on the night.

Nothing, except maybe the access is limited by ropeway. But, in all cases, the host was very responsive and quickly send snow mobile to dispatch guest to and from ski lift. being on a snowmobile is also quite an experience for me!

Location is very convenient for my daughter and I. We feels like in the a family house, very warm ambiance,comfortable, friendly, very helpfull and I trust to leave my daughter with them while mom is having 3 rounds of snowboarding slides ! ❤️

Room was on higher floor, but still manageable and not complaining about it.

The staff were really helpful. Nice, traditional rooms with futon bedding, air conditioning and wifi. Bathrooms, sinks, shower rooms and kettle/fridge shared on each floor but works really well. Enjoyed the Japanese style breakfast. We were there in summer. Stunning backdrop of hills and trees. Best thing though was the staff. Super helpful.

It is difficult to find if you don’t have Japanese but we got a taxi there late at night after Fuji rock so completely do-able.

The service staff is very good.

true ski in ski out ryokan in the middle of the slopes, very special experience.

need to time the checkin and checkout time with the gondola/ ski lift schedule.