Pension Siesta

A 6-room nature-experience pension slope-side at Kijimadaira Ski Resort

This small 6-room pension stands slope-side at Kijimadaira Ski Resort in Kijimadaira-mura, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano. The slopes are within a 5-minute walk and the lift is a short glide from the door. In winter it works as a base for skiing and snowboarding, and from spring through autumn as an inn for nature experiences surrounded by farmland scenery. The whole property is non-smoking, which suits families who want to take things slowly.

Loft rooms, each with its own toilet and washbasin

The 6 rooms are the popular loft type: 3 Western-style rooms and 3 Japanese-style tatami rooms. Every room has a toilet, a washbasin, a TV, air conditioning and a hair dryer. The Western-style rooms sleep 2 to 3 people in the loft and 4 to 5 people per room; of the Japanese-style tatami rooms, 2 have a loft and 1 does not, and they sleep 5 to 7 people per room. Only one of the Western-style rooms has a bath. For babies at the crawling stage, the tatami of a Japanese-style room is reassuring.

Two baths, large and small, both available for private-hire use

There are two baths, a large one and a small one; they are artificial hot springs rather than natural onsen. The large bath has 4 faucets in the washing area and a tub the size of 1.5 tatami mats, while the small bath has 2 faucets, so two people can wash at once. Both can be booked for private-hire bathing 24 hours a day by families, groups or couples, so parents with children can take their time without worrying about other guests.

Home-grown vegetables and handmade cooking

Dinner centers on Japanese food, handmade with home-grown vegetables and local ingredients. The rice is bought directly from farmers and is the low-pesticide, organically grown rice the village recommends, and the miso in the miso soup is made in-house from home-grown soybeans. Soba hand-cut by the owner is sometimes served as well. Breakfast alternates day by day between a Western-style meal of freshly baked homemade bread with homemade jam and juice, and a Japanese-style meal.

Winter skiing and nature through the four seasons

In winter you can make the most of the slope-side location for skiing and snowboarding, and rental skis and snowboards are available for a fee. From spring through autumn there are seasonal plans for nature, craft and farming experiences: walks among mizubasho (Asian skunk cabbage) and wild mountain plants, blueberry picking, firefly viewing and stargazing along the Milky Way, nature walks in old-growth beech forest, and soba-making.

Access and parking

About 15 km and 20 minutes from the Toyota-Iiyama IC on the Joshin-etsu Expressway. About 20 minutes by car from JR Iiyama Station; a shuttle is available with advance reservation, but not during the winter season, on consecutive holidays, during Golden Week or during the Obon period, nor before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. From Iiyama Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen it is about 15 minutes by car. Parking is free for 8 cars. Check-in is at 3 p.m. (latest midnight) and checkout is at 10 a.m.