Hotel, hostel or AirBnB? Kanazawa, Nagano, Yamanouchi or Toyama?
Which are the best places for onsen experience? Which had the best seafood or kaiseki options? Where to stay when hiking in that part of Japanese Alps? What are the budget options here?
And of course, which places you do not recommend.
This is the thread, where you should discuss all your recent Hokuriku Arch experiences or ask questions about upcoming trips.
*(This post is part of a discussion series set up by the moderators of /r/JapanTravel. Please stay civil, abide by the rules, keep it PG-13 rated, and focus on the actual topic when responding to this thread. Please note that general discussions/vague questions are not usually allowed per /r/JapanTravel’s rules, and threads in the similar style will be removed.*
*Remember that /r/JapanTravel’s rules relating to linking content, soliciting or promoting services, and requests for DMs will be enforced by the moderator team.)*
1 comment
In terms of the quality of mountain huts in Nagano, I would rank the regions as follows.
–Yatsugatake: A+ (Food standard incredibly high)
–Northern Alps: A (Solid huts in general)
–Central Alps: B (pretty basic)
–Mt. Kobushi: C (also pretty basic, forgettable)
–Southern Alps: C- (I’m looking at huts operated by the draconian Tokai Forest. Others are fine.)
Every hut in Yatsugatake offers something unique whether it’s grilled chicken, fried sweet bread, beef stew, or curry. Some of them are stylish, with a proper piano and a cozy fireplace.
And the deeper you go into the mountains, the more mature and chill the guests are. My favorite was the Suisho Hut where everyone looks like they could climb Mt. Everest and back. With some Japanese, you can hear stories of crazy adventures from these guests.
I would not recommend the Southern Alps around Hijiri and Akaishi for beginners. There’s a lot of beauracracy, a lot of planning, and a lot of money involved.