Kogakuro

Overall Rating

Kogakuro

Kogakuro4.5/52
Kogakuro4.5 out of 5 based on 2 reviews
  • Recommend
    100%
  • Would Revisit
    100%
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Kogakuro

Kogakuro

Kougakuro (also spelled Kogakuro) in Myoko Kogen is a Japanese-style ryokan offering traditional hot springs (onsen) and a Japanese-style experience, whilst also providing the convenience of having friendly English speaking staff who can assist with any queries. And unlike most Japanese inns, the hotel has a bar and common area to mingle after skiing or snowboarding, and it serves up the most amazing western buffet breakfasts.

Where is Kougakuro?

Kougakuro is in a very good location at the top of the Akakura Onsen village of Myoko Kogen. It’s just a few minutes walk to the no.8 lift of Akakura Onsen Ski Resort, and you can almost ski back to the hotel, whilst the restaurants of Akakura are just at the end of the driveway.

Kougakuro is about 10-15 minutes drive from the MyokoKogen train station, and the hotel can provide transport between the station and Kougakuro.

See the travel to Myoko Kogen page for information on the location of Myoko and how to get there.

Hotel Rooms

Kougakuro is a ryokan (Japanese inn) so the rooms are traditional Japanese style with tatami mat flooring, futons on the floor, and a table with seats on the floor. Each room has a TV if you want to watch Japanese game shows, and simple tea making facilities. The rooms have a washbasin and private toilet, and some rooms also have a shower, although you’ll more than likely have an onsen in the public bathhouse instead.

Facilities

The ryokan has a natural (100%) hot spring with segregated bathhouses for men and women. Each has a small indoor bath as well as an outdoor bath.

There is a cosy common area with a fireplace and bar that is great for mingling for après-ski sessions.

Other facilities and services:
  • wireless internet throughout the hotel
  • laundry facilities
  • ski and snowboard storage
  • drying room
  • lift ticket discount coupons for guests
  • train station pick-ups
  • small gift shop
  • non-smoking
  • advice on local transport and activities
  • vending machines (of course!)

Dining

Breakfast is a grand affair at Kougakuro. It’s buffet style and whilst there are some Japanese items, most of the fare is unabashedly western including cooked items, cereals, toast, juices, coffee, and a range of salad. Some of the hot items such as eggs, bacon and pikelets are cooked fresh.

Dinner is available with pre-booking (this is must do for at least one night of your stay!). They serve up set Japanese meals that vary each night from nabe to sushi to grand kaiseki.

In the bar it’s also possible to get simple meals such as ramen and pizza.

Why Stay at the Kougakuro?

Stay at Kougakuro for the value for money, the on-site onsen, the breakfasts, the Japanese experience (whilst having English speaking staff to seek advice from), the location, the great drying room, and the very helpful staff.

Kogakuro Rates & Availability

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Kogakuro Packages

This property currently has no lifts & lodging packages available.

Kogakuro Features, Amenities & Services

Property

  • Bar
  • Communal area(s)
  • Drying room
  • Hot springs/Onsen
  • Laundry facilities
  • Non-smoking property
  • Parking
  • Restaurant
  • Ski lockers
  • WiFi

Rooms

  • Breakfast available
  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Private bathroom
  • TV
  • WiFi

Services

  • English speaking staff
  • Lift tickets vendor

Kogakuro Location

Kogakuro Reviews

Excellent mix of Japanese and western

Liz Wells
06/01/2020
  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • Guest Type
    Family
  • Guest Age
    51-70
  • Admin Rating
    3

Excellent mix of Japanese and western

Liz Wells
06/01/2020
Husband and I stayed here with our two teenagers, so we booked two rooms. We arrived on Dec 21, before the snow, and Mieko and staff kindly drove us to Togakushi and back each day so we could ski before we left on Christmas Day. Kogakuro breakfasts are excellent, and the Japanese and Australian staff couldn't have been better. Rooms are lovely, and happy hour in the lounge, complete with tap beer, is not to be missed. Nor is the onsen. Great after a day on the slopes. Host Mieko is incredibly helpful and runs a very tight ship.
See our video here

A Lovely Japanese Experience with the Convenience of English

06/01/2017

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  • Recommend
  • Would Revisit
  • Guest Type
    Couple
  • Guest Age
    36-50
  • Admin Rating
    5

A Lovely Japanese Experience with the Convenience of English

06/01/2017
The hotel looks a little daggy on the outside especially if it hasn’t snowed in a while (it’s since had a major make-over), but it’s a bit of a surprise package inside. Sure it’s not modern and shiny, or glamorous, but it’s nice enough, particularly for a Japanese ryokan experience.

We stayed in one of the renovated rooms which was lovely. I love sleeping on the floor, but I’m not great at thin futons but thankfully they had extra futons in the cupboard to make the sleeping experience very comfortable.

Breakfasts were amazing, and even though we stayed there for 11 nights we didn’t get sick of the food because it was so varied. It’s nice to experience Japanese culture but dried fish for breakfast is one element that grows old very quickly, so it was nice that the breakfasts included lots of western food. Dinner was entirely a different matter and rather traditional Japanese (although thankfully we didn’t have to sit on the floor). Regrettably we only had dinner two nights at the hotel because it was fantastic and included multiple courses of all sorts of interesting treats. We even wore our yukata to dinner to get right into the Japanese experience.

I heard someone complain that they didn’t have a shower in their room, but it wouldn’t have bothered me (we had a shower in our room) because it was awesome to soak in the onsen each night. Both the indoor and outdoor baths were small, but they did the trick and were certainly great for the tired muscles.

Kougakuro is in a very convenient location to get to the restaurants and to Akakura Onsen Ski Resort, although it’s a 5+ minute walk to get to the bus stop to get to the other Myoko ski areas.

The legendary Mieko and her team went out of their way to make sure we had a great stay!
See our video here
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