Tucked into the small hot spring village of Kanbayashi, a short forest walk from Japan's famous bathing macaques, Senjukaku was first established in 1928. A result of an unlikely encounter between a Japanese railway magnate and a Norwegian lieutenant, it was one of the first properties to fuse Western hotel comforts with traditional ryokan hospitality – and the Japanese Emperor himself was a regular visitor! The result is an elegant, unpretentious retreat, surrounded by pine forests and ancient cherry trees, and of course, a beautiful onsen. Add multi-course kaiseki dinners built around apple-fed Shinshu wagyu and mountain ingredients, and you've got a very compelling reason to visit.
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As you enter, the high-ceilinged lobby welcomes with views of the traditional Japanese garden, complete with koi-filled streams and pretty cherry trees. There's also a lounge, an art gallery showcasing Japanese paintings and calligraphy, and a restaurant overlooking the garden. An indoor heated pool is a pleasant surprise for a ryokan, and the communal onsen (indoor and outdoor) are fed by that glorious hot spring. For something more private, two baths – one in hinoki cypress, the other in granite – can be reserved.
Tatami-floored throughout, the rooms are simple and comfortable with that minimalist aesthetic that good ryokans do so well – low tables with cushions, sliding screens, and the evening ritual of staff laying out your futon while you're at dinner. Standard rooms offer mountain or garden views, whilst the superior corner rooms add a little extra breathing space. For a proper treat, the deluxe option comes with its own private outdoor and indoor onsen on the balcony with views of the Five Peaks of the Northern Alps. All rooms have air conditioning, a fridge and Wi-Fi, plus complimentary yukata robes for padding around the corridors.
The big draw is the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park – a 30-minute forest walk from the hotel's front door (the trail entrance is just three minutes away). Watching wild macaques soak in steaming hot springs, especially against a backdrop of falling snow, is incredible! Beyond that, Shiga Kogen, Japan's largest ski resort, is around 25 minutes' drive away, and the onsen town of Shibu is an easy stroll for an evening of hopping between the nine public bathhouses. In warmer months, the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park offers some serious hiking, and the nearby highland roads reveal some of Nagano's most spectacular scenery.
The sheer volume of hot spring water is staggering! It flows continuously so every soak feels like you're the first one in. In winter, bathing outdoors as snow settles on your head is utterly magical.
Dinner must be booked at least five days ahead, so don't leave it to chance – the kaiseki featuring local Shinshu beef and Golden Gamefowl chicken is the highlight of any stay, and well worth planning around.
It's a traditional ryokan, so beds are futons laid on tatami – cosy but firm, and not ideal if you struggle sleeping close to the floor. However, Western-style bedding can be arranged for some rooms.
Unlock a world of mysterious onsens and mountain pools where wild macaques soak, and truly get away from it all.
