Daisen Family Hotels: A Highland Retreat with Kid-Focused Pensions

Mount Daisen towers over western Tottori Prefecture as the highest peak in the Chugoku region, and its handsome, symmetrical shape has earned it the nickname "Hoki Fuji." Its foothills, part of Daisen-Oki National Park, spread out into beech forests and highland pastures, making it a family-friendly highland resort that changes character with the seasons — a cool summer retreat and nature playground, and a winter destination for snow play and skiing.

The foothills are dotted with spots kids will enjoy. There's Daisen Makiba Milk no Sato, known for its soft-serve ice cream from the ranch, and Daisen Mori no Kuni, a vast outdoor obstacle course — both places where kids can run around and play — and in winter, skiing and snow play at Daisen White Resort are a classic choice. Venture a little further and you can combine your trip with other sightseeing spots in western Tottori, such as the flower theme park Tottori Hanakairo, or Sakaiminato, known for its Mizuki Shigeru Road.

A major feature of hotels in the Daisen area is its pension village. Among them, El Monte & Candy House is a pension specialized for families with children, with wooden toys and a play kitchen set up in every room. Its themed special rooms, like Jungle and Safari, come with bunk beds, a slide, and a climbing wall, and the property is packed with features that put kids in the spotlight, from an indoor obstacle course and outdoor playground to a kids' buffet.

Also in the same pension village is Pension Boomerang, a small property well known for its owner-made French-Italian course meals. It offers kids'-menu meals and a free private bath, and it also has a cottage with a kitchen, so families with babies or multi-generational groups can relax without worrying about other guests. It's a good fit for families who simply want to enjoy Daisen's nature — starry skies, river play, and the like.

Access is basically by car via the Yonago Expressway, heading from the San'in gateway city of Yonago up to the foothills. By air, Yonago Kitaro Airport is the base, and by rail, JR Yonago Station. You can choose the season to fit your purpose: spring through fall for playing in the green highlands, or winter for a child's first time in the snow.