I stayed overnight. I wasn't expecting much for the food, but my excitement went up from the appetizers! The salad was incredibly fresh and delicious. Morning and evening, staying overnight with a hot spring in a snowy landscape is the best value for money! The temperature was around minus 11 degrees Celsius? Haha

This summer vacation, I spent in Furano. I came from Fukuoka, so it was a short 2-night, 3-day trip, but I was able to admire the full bloom of lavender at my planned destination. I booked a stay at the "Shiirin" ryokan in Tokachidake Onsen. Dinner is available from either 6:00 PM or 8:00 PM. Most guests choose the 8:00 PM option during the summer. The ryokan is small and quiet, allowing you to enjoy a leisurely dinner. The dinner menu included: 1) Appetizer: Hokkaido vegetable salad, Camembert cheese, steamed Vannamei shrimp, smoked salmon, and prosciutto served on a large plate. The salad allows you to fully appreciate the taste and texture of the vegetables. It is quite filling. 2) Soup: A small portion of vegetable soup. 3) Fish dish: Kinmedai from the Sea of Okhotsk with spinach sauce. 4) Meat dish: Furano Wagyu ribeye. Tender, juicy, and enhanced by fried garlic. 5) Main course: Soramame and onion cheese risotto. 6) Dessert: Furano melon, incredibly sweet and melts in your mouth. The vegetables, meat, and fish are locally sourced from Hokkaido. Just knowing that they were grown by local producers makes them taste even better. The portion sizes are not large, so it won't leave you feeling overly full, making it perfect for those who prefer to enjoy a variety of delicious foods in small amounts. They also offered Hokkaido sake "Oyuki no Kura" with three varieties: Junmai Ginjo, Junmai, and Honjozo. I ordered the Junmai Ginjo, which cost 1,200 yen for a 300ml bottle. It had a sake meter value of +3, not too dry, but not overly fruity either. There is nothing around the ryokan, but on clear nights, you can enjoy a sky full of stars. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't great on the day of my visit, but I was satisfied with the delicious meal and hot spring.

I came across this hotel while looking for accommodations around the Shirogane Onsen area. It is located deep in the Daisetsuzan National Park, at an altitude of 1200m, beyond the Blue Pond in Biei. There are many cute foxes along the road. The hotel has a mountain hut-like appearance with no barrier-free access, both at the entrance and inside the building, which has stairs. At night, there are no streetlights, and the path from the parking lot to the hotel is pitch black. On clear nights, the stars are said to be beautiful due to the lack of light pollution (although it was raining on this day). We opted for a plan with breakfast only, as there was no dinner provided. Therefore, my review is based on the breakfast. We stayed in a Deluxe Superior Room. There are no vending machines or shops inside the hotel, but complimentary drinks are available 24 hours a day. The room had tea packs provided, and the minibar had mineral water. The room was simple but clean and comfortable. The view from the window only showed nearby mountains, which was not very impressive, but we did spot a fawn nearby, which was a nice bonus. The hot spring bath featured a milky hot spring water with a hint of iron scent, and it was a simple facility with one indoor bath and two small outdoor baths. There were four shower stalls. On clear nights, you can turn off the lights in the bath and enjoy the stars while soaking in the outdoor bath. The indoor bath was lukewarm and did not provide much warmth. It turns out that the hot spring water directly from the source flows into one of the outdoor baths, while the water for the indoor bath comes from there, which explains why it was not as hot. If you decide to soak, I highly recommend the outdoor bath on the right side, which has the hot spring water directly from the source (unfortunately, I did not get to try it). For breakfast, there were two seatings at 7 am and 9 am, featuring a Japanese-style breakfast prepared by the head chef, with a variety of side dishes and a buffet-style selection of drinks. The main dish was salmon. While there were no fancy or innovative dishes, everything was well-seasoned and delicious. The scrambled eggs, in particular, were creamy and very tasty. I did not have dinner here this time as I had other plans, but I would like to try their dinner next time. Thank you for the hospitality.