Family-run Nagano inn that’s been in business for more than 50 years has a very modern, very cool amenity.
Located in the town of Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture, the Sachinoyu Hotel has a lot of the amenities you’d expect from a mountain inn, like guestrooms with traditional tatami reed flooring, a large communal Japanese bath, and meals made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. But they also have something no other hotel in Japan has.
That setup, which looks sort of like a super-ambitious arcade game, is a Sky TechSports Ski and Snowboard Simulator. It’s one of juts three units in Japan, and the only one installed at a hotel, with Sachinoyu’s inside the hotel’s attached gym
Because of the high altitude and mountainous terrain of Yamanouchi (which literally means “among the mountains”), Japanese Twitter user @IdoMonta, whose family runs the Sachinoyu Hotel, thinks the town makes for a great training venue for competitive alpine skiers, and the simulator allows them to condition while indoors and during the non-snowy season. Of course, ordinary guests of the hotel can use the simulator too, and the unique amenity gives the inn a special appeal.
As shown in the above video, the machine can simulate both skiing and snowboarding, and a display provides detailed biomechanical feedback by measuring data such as the angle of the skis/snowboard and the amount of weight the rider is placing on different points. By configuring parameters to simulate different qualities of snow and other conditions, the session can be adjusted to match the user’s skill level, making it a fun and educational experience for beginners and advanced skiers/snowboarders, as well as adults and kids alike.
▼ The simulator can be used by both hotel guests and non-guests, but there’s a discounted price for those staying at Sachinoyu.
Due to its location, the hotel also provides excellent access to the numerous outdoor activities of the Shigakogen highlands, which has numerous hiking trails and ski slopes. But even when you’re indoors, if you’re staying at the Sachinoyu, it doesn’t look like you’ll get bored.
Hotel information
Sachinoyu Hotel / 幸の湯
Address; Nagano-ken, Shimotakai-gun, Yamanouchi-machi, Shigakogen Hirao 7148
長野県下高井郡山ノ内町志賀高原平床7148
Website
Sources: Twitter/@IdoMonta via IT Media, Sachinoyu Hotel
Top image: Twitter/@IdoMonta
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