Matsunoyama, Niigata. Located right in the heart of Matsunoyama Onsen—one of Japan’s Three Great Medicinal Hot Springs—this Showa-era mansion is available for exclusive use by just one group per day. You can rent the entire property for up to 11 people without encountering anyone else.

■ An Experience You Can Only Have Here — Hot Springs Welling Up from a Sea That Existed 12 Million Years Ago

Arima, Hyogo, Matsunoyama Onsen, one of the “Three Great Medicinal Hot Springs of Japan” alongside Arima in Hyogo and Kusatsu in Gunma. This is a “geopressure-type” fossil seawater hot spring—a rarity in Japan—where seawater from approximately 12 million years ago is trapped within geological strata and bubbles to the surface. The mixed spring water temperature is 88.7°C (spontaneous flow: approx. 90°C). The salinity is so high that the water tastes bitter when licked; it is a hypertonic hot spring containing over 15 times the standard concentration of minerals required for therapeutic springs. Its boric acid content is the highest in Japan at 349.5 mg/L. It is said to be effective for cuts, burns, sensitivity to cold, and fatigue recovery. This unique spring warms the body to the core with just one soak, and the warmth lingers for a long time. A legend dating back over 700 years tells of a wounded hawk that was healed by these waters.

Within a 4-minute drive from the inn, there are four different hot springs, each with its own therapeutic benefits:

・Ikoi no Yu (2-minute drive / 10-minute walk) — A hidden gem among locals. A hot spring known only to those in the know, where you’ll likely have the place almost to yourself.
・Taka no Yu (4-minute drive, 23-minute walk) — The flagship of the Matsunoyama Onsen Center’s “Three Great Medicinal Springs.” Spring No. 2 (drilled to 264 m, source temperature approx. 95°C) is the main spring; there is also an open-air bath
・Ryokan Myojo Day-Use Bath (2 min by car, 13 min on foot) — Enjoy the inn’s natural spring water flowing directly from the source during quiet hours between guest stays
・Naste View Yuyama (4 min by car, 35 min on foot) — Located on a hilltop with a great view; the water is milder than that of Taka no Yu. With a restaurant and gift shop on-site, you can spend half a day here

■ One group per day, up to 11 people. No compromises on space or exclusivity

Of the three-story building—a mixed wood and reinforced concrete structure with a total floor area of 286 ㎡—the second floor (119.24 ㎡) (3 guest rooms, a 10-tatami-mat living room, a 12-tatami-mat kitchen, a bathroom, a washroom, a toilet, an entrance hall, and a hallway)—all exclusively for your group. You will never run into other guests.

・Guest Room 1: 6-tatami mat Japanese-style room (approx. 9.93 m²; capacity: 2 people) — Located in the northeast corner, featuring a work desk with an HDMI-compatible monitor—ideal for remote work
・Guest Room 2: 8-tatami-mat Japanese-style room (approx. 13.25 ㎡, capacity: 3 guests) — Traditional layout preserving the tokonoma and kamidana; views of the village from the shoin-style windows
・Guest Room 3: 8-tatami Japanese-style room (approx. 13.25 ㎡・Capacity: 3 guests) — Located near the entrance hall with the shortest route to the bathroom facilities; ideal for families and older guests
・Living Room: 10-tatami-mat room (approx. 16.56 m²・Sleeps 3) — Features a sunken kotatsu and a 75-inch TV; serves as a living room during the day and a bedroom at night with three sets of futons

Ideal for multigenerational families, large groups of friends, and family gatherings. It’s spacious enough to truly make “11 people in one cabin” a reality.

■ Snow depths exceeding 4 meters. Windows that reveal a completely different season

One of Japan’s heaviest snowfall areas, with over 4 m of snow accumulation. The view from the same window changes completely four times a year. Open year-round.

・Spring (April–May): Young rice seedlings in terraced fields filled with snowmelt; the season for wild mountain vegetables
・Summer (June–August): Lush, verdant terraced rice fields; cool mountain breezes
・Fall (September–November): Golden rice ears ripening; rice harvesting; mountainsides turning color
・Winter (December–March): A vast silver landscape, snowy vistas viewed through snow-viewing shoji screens, villages buried in snow, as the blue glow of the snow fades at night and the snowfields sparkle in the morning sun—PGJyPg—PGJyPg—A 5-minute drive to the Rusuhara Terraced Rice Fields, selected as one of “Japan’s Top 100 Terraced Rice Fields.” A 10-minute drive to “The Last Classroom,” a permanent installation of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale (an installation by Christian Boltanski and Jean Kalman utilizing the entire former Higashikawa Elementary School). An 11-minute drive to “Bijin-bayashi,” a primeval beech forest. A 3-minute drive to the Matsunoyama Onsen Ski Resort.

■ Traveling with Your Dog

Up to two dogs are allowed. Dogs are allowed only in the entrance hall (please refrain from bringing them into the tatami-mat and sliding-door Japanese-style rooms—as this is an older wooden house, claws, fur, and odors tend to linger). Bringing a cage or crate your dog is accustomed to will help them feel more at ease. Rabies and combination vaccines must have been administered within the past year.

■ Amenities

・ 75-inch large TV: VOD only (Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, etc.). Terrestrial, BS, and CS channels cannot be viewed. A Windows 11 PC is already connected (use at your own risk); you can connect your own laptop via the HDMI input.
・ Bluetooth-enabled tube amplifier: A warm, rich tone that modern digital amplifiers lack. Jazz, classical, and vocal music resonate even more richly in the living room overlooking the terraced rice fields
・ 12-tatami-mat Kitchen & Dining Area: 1-burner induction cooktop + 1-burner portable gas stove + hot plate. There are no city gas or propane lines. Separate refrigerator and freezer provided. Suitable for long-term stays
・Bathroom: For hygiene reasons, there is no reheating function; hot water is supplied by a water heater. When there are many guests, it’s best to stagger your bath times slightly for everyone’s comfort
・Futons: Please feel free to take them out of the closet and lay them out as needed for your group size
・ 4 parking spaces on the first floor (free), free Wi-Fi, self-check-in

To preserve the authentic Showa-era atmosphere, we have deliberately avoided major renovations and instead carefully maintain the period features—such as tatami mats, shoin-style windows, a kamidana (shrine), an exterior corridor, and yukimi shoji (snow-viewing sliding screens)—in a clean and well-maintained state to welcome you.

■ House Rules

・ The 3rd floor is not covered by the Residential Accommodation Business Act and is therefore not available for use.
・Smoking is prohibited throughout the building (Smoking is permitted only in designated outdoor areas)
・Please take all trash—both combustible and non-combustible—with you when you leave. Trash generated by short-term rentals is legally classified as “commercial waste” and is not eligible for collection as general household waste. We provide sorted trash bags for you to take home
・The kitchen is equipped with 1 induction cooktop burner, 1 portable gas stove burner, and a hot plate (no city gas or propane lines)
・ Only one group per day — You will not be sharing the property with other guests
・Check-in: 4:00 PM or later (times are negotiable) / Check-out: 12:00 PM