LOTTE ARAI RESORT has increased its popularity during Japan’s Green Season by suggesting visitors to Niigata Prefecture spend part of their travel at the resort to partake in the various activities as well as healing time indoors and outdoors.
Niigata Prefecture is the perfect destination for outdoor lovers to enjoy Green Season activities, surrounded by great natural beauty. As the home of Japan’s heaviest snowfall, Niigata Prefecture is also known for its ski season.
The Green Season in Niigata Prefecture features nature itself. In Myoko City, Naena Falls is one of the 100 best waterfalls in Japan. Naena Falls is famous for the thunderous sound that echoes in the neighboring forest, earning it the nickname “Earthquake Waterfall.” In spring, the snow melts from the mountaintop, causing the volume of water to increase dramatically, creating a truly magnificent sight.
About 30 minutes by car from Naena Falls is Lake Imori. The lake is famous for its mirror-like water that, on clear days, perfectly reflects Mount Myoko, soaring to 2,454 meters above sea level. Niigata Prefecture is also known in Japan for its “Three White” treasures — snow, rice, and sake — and is Japan’s largest producer of sake. In Niigata Prefecture, a visit to a sake brewery is essential. Established in 1842, Kiminoi Shuzo has a rich history and produces sake using a traditional brewing method.
During the Green Season from May to October, a high-speed zip tour is operated by LOTTE ARAI RESORT with a total length of 1,501 meters. It has a height difference of about 240 meters above the rolling Takada Plains, and is surrounded by the Shin-Etsu Mountain. Another nature activity is the Tree Adventure. It is Japan’s largest aerial adventure, and features over 100 obstacles, stretching out over an area spanning 33,000 ㎡. The facility offers a truly special experience of flying between trees, hanging onto a rope, and passing obstacles in a wild jungle.
The resort has added new activities, such as walking trails that allow visitors to be immersed in natural beauty, and a new campground that offers delicious meals of wagyu beef, chicken, and sausage. The new Green Season activities run until early November of this year.
For guests who are seeking to enjoy nature fully at LOTTE ARAI RESORT, the “Adventure Arai” Package is recommended. The package costs 26,000 yen (about USD 240, exclusive of VAT) per night and includes breakfast for two, all-day passes to enjoy indoor and outdoor activities, and Hoshizora Onsen for two and is available until October 31, 2019.
When the green season is over, the ski season kicks off in December and runs until May, and is known for optimal snowfall and dry, powdery snow. Dubbed the best in Japan, LOTTE ARAI RESORT won in four divisions of the 2019 Ski Asia Awards, which are reserved for the best ski resorts in Asia: “Japan’s Best Ski Resort,” “Best Powdery Snow,” “Best Ski Hotel,” and “Best Snow Sport School.”
Supported by Ski Asia (skiasia.com), which offers information on ski areas in Asia to ski lovers around the world, the Ski Asia Awards selected winners through votes cast by skiers and snowboarders.