구 키츠자와 초등학교 주변 × 평가가 높은 호텔·료칸

I joined this Hotel’s stargazing event. After dinner, starting at 8:00 PM in the main hall, the director of a nearby observatory gave a slideshow talk about the night sky. All guests received an observation-event brochure and, as a gift, a wonderful photo taken in front of the Hotel by a local photographer. For the outdoor observation session, the Hotel blocked light from its windows, so we could clearly see the Milky Way. It was an ideal time to watch the Perseid meteor shower, and thanks to clear skies we saw many shooting stars. With plenty of explanations from the director as well, it was a very enjoyable stay.

We stayed during the Obon holiday period. Perhaps due to the Accommodation’s location, there were relatively few other guests, making it comfortable and relaxing. There are three types of baths—an indoor bath, an outdoor bath, and a cave bath (mixed-gender; disposable bathing wear required). The water temperature is on the mild side, so it feels especially pleasant in summer. We enjoyed the irori-style dinner Plan, but we didn’t feel dishes like sashimi or tempura were necessary; an irori-only meal would be perfectly sufficient. As this area is known for having some of the most beautiful starry skies in Japan, we went outside at night to stargaze. We were lucky enough to see a shooting star as well—it was truly beautiful (though we were a bit worried about bears).