Beautiful Japanese Ryokan in Niigata That Is Surrounded by Nature ★ Apa Hotel Resort Joetsu Myoko (アパリゾート上越妙高)

APA Resort Joetsu-Myoko (アパリゾート上越妙高)

Apa Resort Joetsu Myoko is located in Myoko City, the southern part of Niigata Prefecture, which is most famous for the wild monkey park that has snow monkeys soaking in a hot spring. This highland resort is full of beautiful views, illuminations, and natural indoor and outdoor hot springs to make the most of a relaxing trip.

★APA Resort Joetsu-Myoko
Google Maps
📅Hotel operating period: April 5～November 15
(Closed during the winter due to heavy snow)
Bookings.com price & information (ENG)
💻Official website (JPN)

Access

① Hokuriku Shinkansen

The best way to get to Niigata is by taking the Hokuriku Shinkansen (bullet train). It is about 102 minutes to Joetsu Myoko Station where the hotel is located, and you can take a free shuttle bus to the hotel upon arrival at the station. (Approximately 45 minutes)

*Free shuttle bus service (JPN)

② Renting a Car from Nagano

If you plan on making a few extra trips, renting a car is always a good option. What we did was take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Nagano Station, which was only about 1 hour and 20 minutes. From there drove to the hotel for about 1 hour. Renting a car closer by say around Joetsu Myoko Station of course is another option, but by driving from Nagano Station allowed us to see a lot of beautiful mountains and scenery.

*Toyota Car Rental Nagano Station Google Maps

Within the Hotel

① Rooms

SPECIAL SUITE (スペシャルスイート)

This room is the only suite in the entire hotel. In addition to the bedroom, there is a full sized living room, a small kitchen, shower, and a bathroom with a separate sink. Mt. Myoko can be seen from both the living room and bedroom.

Massive beds, spacious, and a beautiful view.

Premiere (プレミア)

Premiere rooms are on the 11th and 12th floors, putting them at the top of the hotel building. Unlike the Special Suite rooms, these rooms are a one room structure like a typical hotel room but has (in our opinion) a better view due to it being on the top floors. There are a number of beds available which also is well recommended for those traveling in a group.

2 person room

4 person room

Basic amenities provided in all rooms.

② Hot Springs (Onsen)

The natural hot spring is a big appeal point for Apa Resort Joetsu Myoko. As mentioned before, it was remodeled in 2018, so the newly made natural hot spring is available until midnight. Above all, Mt. Myoko, nicknamed the second Mt.Fuji, is in clear view from the hot spring baths. It is particularly beautiful in the winter, being covered in snow.

Indoor sauna facilities are also available.

③ Dining

At Apa Resort Joetsu Myoko, you can enjoy a wide variety of dishes from their chefs. You can enjoy dishes made with fresh vegetables and seafood from the area, including Koshihikari rice which is grown in the Niigata area and considered some of the finest of Japanese rice. Also available are unique Niigata dishes and other Japanese and Western food. The food selection is more than most hotels.

Niigata soul food that is beyond delicious, "tarekatsu" (タレカツ).

Seasoning that is used in the Myoko area made with red pepper "kanzuri" (かんずり).

Plus a wide range of Japanese food like shabu shabu, fresh tempura, sushi, sashimi, soba, and a whole lot more!!

④ Other Facilities

Apa Resort Joetsu Myoko has on-site activities including cycling, jogging, and indoor tennis.

Apparently, this area was originally a golf course then a hotel was added on later. It is surrounded by forests, and there are two 18 hole courses. With courses for beginners and advanced, this is a very famous golf course in Japan even among celebrities.

You can buy souvenirs from Niigata Prefecture at the hotel store. Their senbei (rice crackers) made from Niigata Prefecture along with cookies with a motif of the hotel's illumination are popular.

Japan's Biggest Illumination Spot

Another pride of Apa Resort Joetsu Myoko is the illuminations. It is called "APALLISION", and is the largest scale of any light up in Japan. There are many different sections separated by theme, like the Milkey Way, Night Safari, even the largest aurora show in the country. If you happen to walk around the hotel grounds during the day, you will be amazed at what this place turns into at night.

Rainbow Road and Mt. Fuji

World's largest water surface projection mapping

Night Safari with 19 kinds of light animals

Other Things to Do and See around the Hotel

"Lover's Holy Land" with an observation deck looking over Mt. Myoko.

The mountains and area are probably the most beautiful during the fall.

Near the parking lot are also some food stands where you can pop out for a quick bite.

The food stalls offer a variety of foods such as karaage, hamburger, as well as representative foods of Japanese stalls such as okonomiyaki and takoyaki.

2019 APA Hotel Resort Joetsu Myoko Seasonal Information

2019 APALLISION

2019's APALLISION will be larger than last year. Combining lights, shadows, music, and lasers, you will see a breathtaking scene incorporating nature.

Time period: 6/15/2019～11/15/2019

New! Sunflower and Bassia Scoparia Kingdom

Due to the hotel covering a vast area of nearly 100,000 square meters (25 acres), this year they will launch a new project to build a "Sunflower and Bassia Scoparia Kingdom". During the summer the area will be filled with sunflowers, then come fall turn red with bassia scoparia.

Time period: from late July 2019～11/15/2019

Things to do in Niigata

Although Apa Resort Joetsu Myoko is in Niigata Prefecture, it is very close to Nagano Prefecture (長野県) as well, making it easy to stay in Niigata and see popular tourist spots in both prefectures. This time rather than traveling around Niigata, we went to check out some of Nagano's most popular tourist attractions such as Zenkoji Temple (善光寺), Togakushi Shrine (戸隠神社), eating Togakushi Soba (戸隠蕎麦), Kagami Pond (鏡池), and Nakamise Shopping Street (仲見世通り). Nagano is also known for hosting the 1998 Winter Olympics, so visiting Olympic venues such as Minami-Nagano Sports Park makes another nice stop.

Apa Resort Joetsu Myoko is a large-scale hotel resort that allows visitors to experience and recreate everything from hot springs, golf, illumination, and various outdoor activities. If you are considering staying at this hotel, we recommend doing it in the spring and fall in order to get the most of the wonderful nature that surrounds the hotel.

★APA Resort Joetsu-Myoko
Google Maps
📅Hotel operating period: April 5～November 15
(Closed during the winter due to heavy snow)
Bookings.com price & information (ENG)
💻Official website (JPN)

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