Ken Matsui, Local Guide ~ An Original Japan Travel Guide by Hoshino Resorts' Local Staff

Local Guide

Ken Matsui

Onsen Sommelier

She is 40 years old and a late bloomer, having joined the company last July. This year, she had a son and is busy raising him and working. She loves hot springs and sweets, and on her days off she enjoys driving to discover the charms of the local area.
She is a certified hot spring sommelier and has already visited 200 hot springs in the Koshinetsu and Kanto regions, and is aiming to visit 1,000 more. His favorite type of hot spring is sulfur-containing yellowish spring water, the aroma and color of which make him feel as if he has been to a hot spring. Among these hot springs, aside from Hoshino Onsen, his favorite hot springs are Nyuto Onsen_Tsuru no Yu (Akita) and Shirakone Onsen_Bubble no Yu (Nagano), which are tied for first place in the list.

HOSHINOYA Karuizawa: Guest rooms like detached houses are located in the valley of Karuizawa Wild Bird Forest, surrounded by the murmuring of the river. Take a stroll through the grounds where the original Japanese landscape is vividly revived, and bathe in the hot spring water gushing from Mount Asama, which is still pulsating. Dining Area, and stay at the inn as you wish.

Introduction page

Local Guide FAQ

What do you recommend in the Karuizawa area (places, experiences, food)?

As you know, Karuizawa has many gourmet spots and souvenir shops.
1] My recent favorite is the dorayaki at Japanese Cake Shop Wa near Nakakaruizawa Station. The fresh dorayaki is made with a glutinous dough and filled with red bean paste, whipped cream, cheese cream, and seasonal fruits, which is cooked over a period of three days.

2] We recommend Atelier de Fromage, which has four stores in Karuizawa and its main store in Tomi City. Blending milk from local farms and their own dairy farms, they produce and sell cheese (and have won many international cheese contests!). The shop also offers pizzas and sweets made from their cheese. They also sell pizzas and sweets made from their cheese. I recommend the sweets. The rare cheese cake and mascarpone puffs made with fresh cheese are really delicious.

Please sneak in some hole-in-the-wall places that you know because you live there.: I recommend Takamine Hot Spring, which is about a 45-minute drive from Nakakaruizawa Station. Many sulfur springs are hot, but Takamine Onsen has its own hot spring with a spring temperature of 35.6 degrees Celsius, so you can enjoy the cloudy, lukewarm sulfur spring water, which is especially recommended during the hot summer months.
There is also a heated bathtub with a temperature of 41-42 degrees Celsius, so you can enjoy alternating cold and hot baths. However, the bathtubs are small, so please be considerate of others. During the winter, a snowmobile will take you to the baths from the ski resort's parking lot, so you can fully enjoy your trip.

Where did you travel to last year and with whom?: My wife and I traveled to the Izu Peninsula. The experience at a ryokan we stayed at during that trip inspired me to change jobs at Hoshino Resorts. In addition, I also go to hot springs in Niigata, Gifu, Gunma, and Nagano to heal myself.

What do you do on your days off?: I often play with my children and take walks. If I can get a decent amount of time, I go for a drive to hot springs and delicious food. I enjoy a relaxing and blissful time in the hot springs, stretching, lying down, and talking with local residents.

Is there anything you always take with you on a trip?: I always bring a cold bag with me. Japan has many local cultures and fascinating foods. Some foods can be preserved while others need to be refrigerated, and I remember giving up on some foods in the past because I did not have a cold bag.