Hotel Amanogawa in Shirabiso highlands.

I visited from Nagoya by road bike. This is my 4th visit. The inn is located at an altitude of 1,900 meters, making it the perfect training ground for hill climbers as cyclists.The starting points are the Jado Forest Road and the Echo Line on the Shimoguri no Sato side. Both climbs are about 15 to 20 km long and are tough, but the Echo Line side is particularly difficult due to the slope and road conditions, including the climb to Shimoguri.As for the accommodation, the rooms are like those of an old Japanese-style inn. In addition to the local souvenir corner, the lobby has a wide variety of exhibits, including displays of celestial bodies and meteorites, explanations of the topography of the Southern Alps, including its fauna, flora, and fault lines, as well as geoparks, and introductions to Shimoguri and Toyamago, all of which provide detailed information about the local scenery and culture. I was able to find out.And this time I was especially moved to see a sky full of stars.Summer constellations such as the Summer Triangle, the Milky Way, the Big Dipper, Scorpio, and Cassiopeia have never looked so beautiful.The food was also very delicious.I would like to visit you again if I have a chance someday. By bicycle, of course (^o^)

Refreshing scenery, get locally grown matsutake mushrooms 🍄‍🟫 at the lowest price next to the front desk 💪It seems that it is later than usual and the size is small, but I am lucky to be able to get domestically grown matsutake mushrooms at this price.

Please be careful when entering this parking lot! !When I was looking at the stars while staying in the parking lot, an elderly man grumpily asked me to pay 4,400 yen if I wanted to stay in the car.Naturally, there was no notice to pay for such a thing, so I said I'd leave right away, but when I got in, I said something different from what I said earlier, saying that I needed it, and he got even more grumpy.In short, he was a miser who just wanted money.I was charged 4,400 yen for about an hour, which made me feel very bad.I don't think I'll ever go again, but I'd like to at least write about it here so that others don't suffer from this kind of damage.

Anyway, the scenery is niceThere are people who drive bikes and people who drive.taking a break on the grassI was able to see a beautiful 360 degree view of the mountain, and the road to this point wasIt's so narrow that some places are closed to traffic, and you can't get to Oshika Village without making a long circuit.It's so deep in the mountains.If you arrive here thenI think you'll feel great, and I highly recommend it.

The location is convenient for astronomical observation. I was able to lie down in front of it and observe it. Binoculars are also available for rental.

It is a plateau with a very nice view.This is a place where you can enjoy the preserved forest railway cars.

There is an accommodation facility (+campsite) called Amanogawa, and if anyone else wants to use the parking lot after 6pm, it will cost 4,400 yen per car to stay in the car.Toilet costs 100 yen.My family members who knew Highland Shirabiso Kogen in the past were very disappointed that general visitors could no longer take a break.Be careful when eating! Once you pass Shimoguri no Sato (which also closes in the evening) you will not be able to get food. We aimed to arrive in the evening, so we bought a lunch box at a local supermarket and brought it with us in a cooler.And be careful of the temperature! In the evening, I was OK with short sleeves around 20 degrees Celsius, but it got cold all at once after sunset, so I ended up wearing a long sleeve T-shirt, fleece, nylon parka, winter pants, and winter hat. (~around 10pm)It depends on the weather, but the starry sky is very beautiful. 2023.7.16 For your reference

I came here after being lured by the hotel's claim that you can see the starry sky and the Milky Way. The hotel looks beautiful. Yukata and room amenities are available in the lobby, so you can bring what you need by yourself. Also, I laid out my own futon (I was told that I didn't have to fold it in the morning). This is convenient and preferable for me as there is no contact with the employees and I don't have to worry about unnecessary things. However, there are many things that are not well-cleaned, such as hair and small debris falling in the room. There is no refrigerator in the room. I thought it might be cold due to the high altitude, but there was a communal refrigerator just outside the room. It is free to use.Considering that the food has to be brought to this place (at this altitude) and cooked, it doesn't matter if the food is boiled and smells like rotten fish or if the green pea rice is not tasty. I think it's good. Many of the hotel employees are old men. The customer service attitude is quite normal. However, it was unacceptable to see employees yelling and cursing each other in front of customers.There is a large public bath with boiling spring water, but it is best to avoid it if you have sensitive skin as the bath is filled with the smell of disinfectant. After entering, my skin becomes crisp and dry. The quality of this hot water is lower than that of Tokyo baths where tap water is boiled. However, at such a high altitude, large amounts of water are precious, and I assumed that the same water would have to be recycled and used all the time, and I was convinced. However, the room has a large bathtub, and although I haven't checked, I think there is raw water in there as well. The bath in the room was better for my skin.However, these negative things are nothing compared to the splendor of being able to see the starry sky and the Milky Way, which cannot be seen in the city.As long as you can see the starry sky, the details don't matter. The sky full of stars erases everything. We must be grateful to be able to stay culturally at such a high altitude.but…. At sunset. We were supposed to see a beautiful sunset, but the mountain was covered in thick fog and the visibility was only a few meters. The weather forecast was for clear skies, but we were completely disappointed. Or rather, it's unreliable. From there, the temperature rose slightly and the sky began to become covered in thick fog and drizzle. The night sky is covered with thick clouds and not a single star can be seen. It's all about luck here. I'm so sorry. I held out until around 12:00 a.m., looking up at the night sky in frustration, but the fog did not clear and a light rain started to fall. The mountain weather was perfect. The next morning was still covered in fog, and although the surroundings were bright, there was little visibility. It was a disappointing result even though it took more than 5 hours by car from Tokyo. So I can't write about my impressions of the starry sky.When this happened, I thought I had no choice but to keep coming here until I saw the stars. I want to get revenge next time.

August 19, 2023 I wanted to see the Milky Way for the first time, so I made a reservation. Check-in is at 3:00 pm, but I was able to arrive at 2:40 pm. I was able to receive a detailed explanation at the reception. It was cloudy when we arrived, but it started raining and there was a thunderstorm, and the antenna was struck by lightning and malfunctioned. I thought the Milky Way would be something to look forward to next time. Unable to give up, I looked outside in the middle of the night, and the rain had stopped, and the ridgeline of the Southern Alps came into view. After waiting for a while, stars appeared. I was able to see the Milky Way, which was my dream.

In July 2022, I stayed in a Japanese-style room for one night.We finally arrived after climbing a steep mountain path from Misakubo. The scenery is very beautiful.Payment was made at check-in. (Card payment was not possible at this time)Due to the unfortunate rain, I had half-heartedly given up on seeing the starry sky that I was looking forward to, but around 9pm, the in-house announcement announced that the starry sky had appeared.When I went outside, it was sunny and the starry sky was spreading. However, since the moonlight was still strong at this time, it was recommended to go after 2 o'clock, so I took a nap and went outside again. We borrowed a mat from the hotel's entrance, lay down in the square, and enjoyed the starry sky. I was able to see the Milky Way and many shooting stars, and it was a great memory.The starry sky is not the only good thing about this hotel.・All the staff are kind and the atmosphere is homely.・The room is clean.・Although the scale is small, there is a large public bath.・The food is deliciousAlthough it is not easy to get to because of the steepness of the road, it is a hotel that I would like to visit again. I was able to relax!Thank you very much❗️