Overview

Stay in the highlands of Madarao, surrounded by mountain air, forest scenery, and some of northern Nagano’s best-known snow. Hotel Silk Inn Madarao places you around two minutes on foot from Madarao Kogen Ski Resort, so you can move easily between the slopes and the warmth of the hotel.

Winter brings deep natural snow and easy access to skiing and snowboarding. During the green season, you can explore trekking routes, mountain-bike trails, wetlands, and viewpoints across the plateau. After your time outdoors, return for seasonal food and a soak in the distinctive yellow-brown waters of Kuramoto Onsen.

Accommodation

You can choose from Japanese, Western, and Japanese-Western rooms. All 70 rooms are non-smoking, and each one includes a toilet, heating, a television, an empty refrigerator, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Private bathroom arrangements differ between room types, so some rooms use the shared bathing facilities.

The largest Japanese-Western rooms measure approximately 29 to 36 square metres. Twin beds sit beside a tatami area, giving you space to relax close to the floor during the day. Additional bedding uses a sofa bed or futon when required.

The 20-square-metre Japanese-Western rooms combine two beds with a 4.5-tatami sitting area. This layout gives you the ease of Western bedding and a traditional space for tea or quiet time.

Western Twin Rooms measure approximately 20 square metres and include two beds with sofas that can provide additional sleeping space. Smaller Western Twin Rooms are also available when you prefer a more compact layout.

Japanese Rooms come in eight-tatami and ten-tatami layouts. You can stretch out on the tatami during the day and sleep on futon bedding at night. The eight-tatami rooms do not include a private bath, while bathroom facilities differ across the other categories.

Towels, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap, and a hairdryer are provided. You can collect a toothbrush, yukata, razor, hairbrush, skincare products, and other items from the amenity corner near reception.

Dining

Your dining experience changes with the mountain seasons. From April to November, dinner takes the form of a Japanese kaiseki meal centred on seasonal ingredients. The standard menu features grilled abalone as its main dish, accompanied by courses that reflect the produce available at the time of your stay.

Breakfast during this period is normally served as a Japanese set meal. On selected dates, the format may change according to occupancy.

From December to March, both dinner and breakfast follow a buffet format. You can choose from Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes, making it easy to build a satisfying meal after a full day in the snow. The buffet may change to a set menu when required.

Onsen and Wellness

Kuramoto Onsen Kensei no Yu gives you separate shared indoor baths for men and women. The yellow-brown mineral water feels especially welcome after skiing, trekking, or travelling through the mountains.

The mineral spring is associated with relief from stiff shoulders, lower-back discomfort, and general fatigue. Its recognised properties also include support for long-term digestive conditions.

You can use the shared indoor baths throughout the day and night, except during cleaning from 10:00 AM to noon. This extended schedule lets you bathe after a late return or begin your morning with a quiet soak.

For more privacy, two cave-style open-air baths are available by reservation for 45-minute sessions. You select an available time when you check in. The playful stone setting creates the feeling of bathing inside a mountain cave, while the outdoor air connects you with the surrounding landscape. These baths stand separately from the indoor bathing area, and their showers cannot be used during winter because of freezing conditions.

There is no sauna and no room with a private hot spring bath.

Guests with Tattoos

You cannot use the shared indoor bath if you have tattoos. You can reserve one of the two private cave-style open-air baths instead, allowing you to bathe without sharing the space.

Facilities

You can relax in the lounge, dine in the restaurant, or collect the toiletries and skincare items you need from the amenity corner. Tea, electric kettles, paper cups, and padded winter jackets are available near the elevators.

Winter facilities include ski and snowboard rentals, a drying room, and a reception service for sending or receiving ski equipment by courier. The shop carries Shinshu souvenirs, snow accessories, and simple snacks, making it useful when you need something without leaving the hotel.

For indoor entertainment, you can use table-tennis facilities or spend time in the karaoke room, which includes a live stage, instruments, a mixer, and a soundproof practice area. You also have access to a bar, banquet rooms, a lounge, vending facilities, complimentary Wi-Fi, and on-site parking. All indoor areas are non-smoking.

Activities

Madarao Kogen Ski Resort sits directly in front of the hotel. The slope connects with the resort’s seventh parking area, around 100 metres away, and you can ski approximately 300 metres from there to the lift. Equipment and winter clothing are available to rent inside the hotel.

Madarao is known for natural powder snow, ungroomed terrain, and forest courses. You can also use the hotel as a base for visiting other ski areas across northern Nagano and neighbouring Niigata.

When the snow melts, explore the plateau on foot or by mountain bike. Kanoyama Terrace gives you views from an elevation of around 1,200 metres, including the Chikuma River, Iiyama, distant mountains, and, on especially clear days, the Sea of Japan.

You can also walk the mostly level paths through Numanohara Wetland, where spring flowers grow beside the boardwalks, or discover Madarao’s trail-running routes during autumn. Longer outings can take you to Jigokudani Monkey Park, the cedar-lined approach to Togakushi Shrine, or the temples and streets of Iiyama.

Additional Features

Check-in runs from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and check-out is by 10:00 AM. You can reach Madarao by bus from JR Iiyama Station. After arriving at the Madarao Kogen Hotel-mae bus stop, you can use the hotel’s pickup service.

Complimentary parking is available, including before check-in and after departure. When driving during winter, you need snow tyres, chains, or other suitable traction equipment because roads across the plateau may freeze.