A Traditional Japanese Home with a Private Garden in Myoko

Yuki Niwa is a spacious traditional house in Aota, a quiet village in Myoko, Niigata, surrounded by mountain scenery and open countryside. Tatami rooms, shoji screens, low tables and warm wood detailing have all been kept as they were, alongside the things that make a long stay comfortable: an updated kitchen with refrigerator and stovetop, a modern toilet, air conditioning, and good bedding. The whole house is yours for the length of your stay.

The Garden

The garden is what people remember. Stone lanterns, large natural rocks, carefully pruned trees, a pond, and planting that changes with the season — all of it enclosed and entirely private, so you can sit out with a coffee at seven in the morning and see nobody.

Large windows throughout the house pull in soft light and views of the garden. The bedrooms get the best of it: you wake up looking out over the trees, the rooftops of the village, and the hills beyond.

Who It Suits

Yuki Niwa works best for families, small groups, skiers, hikers, and anyone who would rather have space and quiet than a hotel corridor. We strongly recommend hiring a car. The house sits in a peaceful residential area, and the region rewards being able to drive — the ski hills, the onsen villages, and the coast are all easy days out with a vehicle and awkward without one.

Winter: Skiing and Snowboarding

Myoko is one of the snowiest places on earth, and the powder is the reason most winter guests come. Akakura Onsen, Akakura Kanko, Ikenotaira Onsen, Myoko Suginohara, Seki Onsen, Lotte Arai, Madarao Kogen and Tangram Ski Circus are all within driving distance, which means you can ride somewhere different every day of a week-long stay and still not run out. The season generally runs from mid-December into late March.

Spring Through Autumn

Outside the ski season the same landscape turns to hiking, hot springs, golf, and long drives through the rice country. Naena Falls and Mount Myoko are close by, as are the onsen villages scattered around the mountain. Summer here is cool and green in a way that surprises people who only know Myoko for snow.

Day Trips to Joetsu and the Coast

Joetsu is an easy drive: Takada Castle Park, the temple district, seafood on the Sea of Japan coast, and Niigata's rice and sake country. In spring, Takada Castle Park is one of Japan's best-known cherry blossom sites, and the evening illuminations during the festival are worth planning a trip around.

Yuki Niwa is a countryside base for people who want a slower pace and beautiful surroundings, with skiing, hot springs, and local culture all within reach.