In Japan, there’s a saying, “One mountain, one lake, world-class scenery”.
The mountain is Mount Fuji, and the lake is Lake Towada. For Lake Towada to be mentioned alongside Mount Fuji, it naturally is quite extraordinary.
Japan has a total of 34 national parks, and Lake Towada is one of them.
Lake Towada is a volcanic crater lake formed by eruptions, located on a mountain at an altitude of 400 meters on the border between Aomori and Akita Prefectures in the northeastern region of Japan. The lake’s water flows down through the Oirase Gorge into the Pacific Ocean.
The allure of Lake Towada lies in the Oirase Gorge.
The scenic spots of Oirase Gorge stretch from the outlet of Lake Towada to Yakeyama. The Oirase Gorge boasts a 14-kilometer hiking trail hidden within the forest.
Oirase Gorge offers beautiful scenery throughout all four seasons.
The only hotel in this area is the Hoshino Oirase Keiryu Hotel, part of the Hoshino Resorts Group, boasting unique natural conditions.
We recently featured this highly popular Hoshino staycation package, with the advantage of free cancellation even after the reservation.
In most cases, the hotels we heavily recommend or feature in individual articles are ones we’ve personally visited.
However, since this hotel is in Japan and we hadn’t had the chance to visit it when we first recommended it, I specially included the Hoshino Oirase Keiryu Hotel in my recent trip to Japan to provide a detailed report.
After visiting, I can responsibly say that when we first recommended it, we clearly understated the highlights of Hoshino Oirase Keiryu Hotel.
Here are the details I missed out on last time about the Hoshino Oirase Keiryu Hotel:
1) The entire hotel and all its rooms have been newly renovated.
Let me show you the rooms at the Oirase Keiryu Hotel. Pretty nice, right? I’ve stayed at many hotels under the Hoshino Resorts, and the rooms here are some of the newest.
A few rooms (like the one I stayed in) even have private hot spring baths, allowing you to enjoy a bath right in your room.
The same goes for all common areas, which have been completely refurbished.
Below is the West Wing lobby of the Oirase Keiryu Hotel, featuring the final work, “River God,” by the Japanese sculptor Taro Okamoto. Doesn’t this lobby feel super new too?
This issue lies with Ctrip; the webpage for Oirase Keiryu Hotel on Ctrip only shows the opening date but hasn’t updated the renovation date.
Second, all public areas have been completely renovated, as have all the rooms. Even the oldest rooms were renovated in 2018, and most were renovated after 2020.
2) The smallest room size at Hoshino Resorts Oirase Keiryu Hotel is 44㎡.
Although it was initially stated that the room assignment was random, the smallest room given to Chinese guests through the package is 44㎡.
Even the Japanese themselves know that offering a 26㎡ room would tarnish the “Hoshino” name, so the 26㎡ rooms are primarily assigned to group guests.
For this package, the smallest room given to Chinese guests is 44㎡. Hoshino’s room size statistics are honest and do not include the bathroom or balcony (if there is one).
3) The rooms are extremely family-friendly, with most rooms comfortably accommodating two adults and two children.
Western-style rooms have sofa beds. As you can see in the picture, the sofa beds at Hoshino are spacious enough.
Japanese-style rooms make it even easier, with tatami mats throughout and additional bedding as needed.
Furthermore, a 44㎡ room is genuinely spacious enough for two adults and two children.
4) The hotel is friendly to Chinese guests
Oirase Keiryu Hotel employs Chinese staff members, and there are more than one. Both at the front desk and in the restaurant. Even for someone like me, whose English is poor and Japanese is worse, I had a very comfortable experience at Oirase with no pressures throughout my stay.
5) Hoshino Oirase offers full executive privileges, with unlimited drinks during Happy Hour
As long as you stay at Oirase Keiryu Hotel, there’s a Happy Hour in the East Wing Lobby in the evening with unlimited drinks, coffee, and beverages.
I saw local Aomori sake, Rokka Hassen.
6) Open-air hot springs are available for nude bathing
Oirase Keiryu Hotel has two hot springs: Yaekujū no Yu and Stream Open-Air Bath. One offers a forest view, and the other a stream view.
The hotel’s hot springs are divided into male and female baths with no mixed bathing areas, allowing for nude bathing. Nude bathing is the true essence of Japanese hot springs.
Next, a report on Hoshino Oirase Keiryu Hotel.
First, let’s post a map showing the location of Hoshino Oirase.
The hotel is located within Towada Lake National Park. The nearest attractions include the Oirase Stream and Towada Lake, and a bit further away you can enjoy skiing at Mount Hakkoda or visit Towada City for shopping and exhibitions.
The hotel that pairs well with it includes Hoshino Resorts Aomoriya and Kai Tsugaru.
I traveled from Aomoriya to Oirase, and every morning at 9 AM, there is a shuttle bus from Aomoriya to Oirase, which takes about an hour and is free for hotel guests. In the afternoon, there is also a shuttle bus from Oirase back to Aomoriya.
On the return trip, Hoshino Oirase has a shuttle bus to Aomori Station and Shin-Aomori Station at 10:30 AM, which takes about 95 minutes and is also free for hotel guests.
Once you reach Shin-Aomori, you can directly take the Shinkansen.
This hotel is right at the entrance of Oirase Gorge, offering an unbelievably beautiful environment.
When I visited, it was early spring with the first signs of new greenery, not the most beautiful time. On the hotel’s photography wall, there are stunning seasonal photos of Oirase Gorge, showcasing its beauty in summer, fall, and winter.
Oirase Gorge Hotel mainly has two wings, East and West. I obtained a map from the reception.
The hotel features two lobbies, two hot springs, and two restaurants.
The best spots for sightseeing are the lobbies in the East and West wings.
Especially noteworthy is the West Wing lobby, with its floor-to-ceiling windows, “Forest Myth” fireplace, and spectacular views outside—it’s truly incredible.
The hotel incorporates a lot of green moss elements, making the public areas look fresh and lively.
Additionally, there are plenty of apple-themed features. The buffet restaurant is called Apple Kitchen, and the shop is named the Apple Store.
In the shop, you can find a variety of apple-based snacks, apple cider, apple drinks, and even apple-scented toiletries.
I highly recommend Hoshino Oirase’s apple-flavored chips—they are incredibly delicious, and I regret not buying more.
The Oirase Hotel has two restaurants. If your package includes breakfast or a half-board option, you’ll have the buffet at Apple Kitchen.
This restaurant is very aesthetically pleasing.
The buffet at Oirase is also apple-themed.
For example, during my visit, there were three types of apple juice. Let me tell you, Aomori’s apple juice is exceptionally good.
The chef also prepares apple pies on-site, and these are served with ice cream, combining hot and cold sensations for a thrilling taste experience.
There are also apple curry, apple stewed chicken, apple ham salad… It is said that this restaurant offers 100 ways to enjoy apples throughout the year.
Of course, the buffet is not just about apples; there are plenty of fresh items as well. Overall, the buffet here is quite considerate, and it’s recommended to choose the one-night-two-meals package.
Another restaurant offers French cuisine and is called Sonore.
Sonore, meaning “resonant” in French, likely implies that while enjoying French cuisine, you can hear the natural sounds of the Oirase stream nearby.
Sonore provides a set menu. The meal starts with welcome drinks and appetizers that you can enjoy by the riverside.
Sonore presents seasonal limited menus, combining Aomori’s seasonal ingredients with French cooking techniques.
If, like me, you are staying at Oirase for two nights, I recommend having one meal at the Apple Kitchen buffet and one at Sonore for French cuisine.
Now, let’s talk about the activities at the Oirase Keiryu Hotel.
This time, I’ve stayed at both Hoshino Aomoriya and Hoshino Oirase. Aomoriya offers an experience of Aomori’s cultural beauty, while Oirase provides an experience of Aomori’s natural beauty.
Staying at Oirase, you must go for a hike along the Oirase stream.
Here is a map of the Oirase stream.
Starting from the hotel, you can follow the Oirase stream all the way up to Lake Towada, covering a total distance of 14 kilometers. This is a very famous hiking route throughout Japan, taking over 4 hours to complete, and it includes streams, waterfalls, and jungles along the way.
If you don’t have much stamina or are short on time, you can take the Oirase Keiryu Hotel’s bus. It will take you directly to the best hiking areas along the Oirase stream, allowing you to walk the most scenic parts before bringing you back.
The bus service is free.
The Oirase stream bus route is as follows:
It’s not an exaggeration to say that hiking the essence and taking the bus for the rest is the best way to experience Oirase stream.
If you enjoy cycling, you can rent the hotel’s electric bicycles and ride to Lake Towada. The bicycles at Oirase are equipped with electric assistance, making the ride very easy.
Every evening, there are also lectures about the Oirase stream and Lake Towada, helping you gain a deeper understanding of this national park.
Another unique activity offered by Hoshino Oirase is making moss balls. There is an abundance of moss in this area.
The cute, fluffy moss balls are adorable, but be aware that moss balls are considered plants and cannot be taken out of the country.
Alright, wasn’t the Hoshino Resorts Oirase Keiryu Hotel just amazing? Actually, I visited when the scenery was at its worst. In the autumn, the banks of the Oirase Keiryu stream are said to boast a million different colors—absolutely stunning.
I recommend visiting Hoshino Resorts Oirase in July (since the summer vacation season in Japan starts in August, July is off-peak), during the National Day holiday in early October (which is not a holiday period in Japan), or during the Spring Festival holiday (also not a holiday period in Japan). The cost-effectiveness will be relatively higher during these times.
Lastly, I’ll share more pictures of Hoshino Resorts Oirase. I’ll write about Hoshino Resorts Aomoriya next time.
