Ever wanted to own a Japanese ski lodge? Ryuoo Ski Lodge is for sale, and it’s cheaper than you think!

Nagano! Everyone’s heard of Nagano, right? It’s home to Shiga Kogen, Nozawa Onsen, Myoko and of course, Hakuba.

But would it surprise you if we told you the region is home to literally dozens of resorts, most of which you’ve never heard of? For example, if we mentioned Seki Onsen, Lotte Arai, Kita Shinsu, X-Jam and Ryuoo Ski Park, would you have heard of those. No. Well, most haven’t.

Ryuoo Ski Park may have been last on our list, but is certainly not least. Ryuoo is pretty-much the unknown gem in the Nagano crown, just 100 minutes from Tokyo, where you can ski endless laps of powder hour after hour, free from western contact. None, nil, neider.

Best of all, Ryuoo has a lodge for sale. It has 7 bedrooms, sleeps 22, and at AUD$ 1.4 million, it’s cheaper than an inner Melbourne family home.

Want to know more? Sure, but first some more about Ryuoo.

We visited Ryuoo mid-week in February 2019 after a typical Japanese ‘dusting’, which for the lay-folk among you is anywhere between 45 cm and 90 cm of fresh. Yep, it snows that much.

When we arrived the place was practically deserted bar a hand full of Japanese students. The students never ventured beyond the beginners piste at the base of the mountain anyway, so we literally had the place to our selves. We lapped the same area pretty much all morning. Lap after lap of light champagne powder, with the snow falling so hard it covered our tracks in minutes.

Ryuoo is serviced by a central cable car capable of shifting 166 people at a time every 20 mins to 1,770 m, at which point you can ride further lifts to just under 2,000 m. Ryuoo also offers value for the beginners and progressing intermediates. The resort has 16 courses, all serviced by 10 lifts. It also has 2 terrain parks, which are a hit with the hip Tokyo millennials.

At 2,000 Ryuoo is one of the taller peaks in the region. The snow quality is therefore consistently very good, even on warmer days. And as you would imagine, on a clear day, the views from the top are spectacular. People travel from all around to view the ‘Sea of Clouds’ from the terrace at the top of the cable car course.

Ryuoo Ski Lodge is located in Ryuoo Ski Park, which means “dragon king” in Japanese. It is in a ski area in the Nagano Prefecture between Shiga Kogen and Nozawa Onsen. It is the closest Nagano resort to the famous Jigokudani Monkey park, and a short drive to Yomase Onsen (a beautiful outdoor onsen with amazing views) and the traditional onsen town at Shiba Onsen – all must see local landmarks .

Ryuoo Ski Lodge is a breathtaking building designed for comfort and durability. The lodge showcases Japanese architecture blended with western luxuries and pays homage to the breathtaking natural landscape. With capacity for 22 guests per night, it is immaculately presented but as yet has never been used as a hotel. And at 8,000 square metres, there is plenty of scope for further development.

As an added bonus, Ryuoo is managed by the same company that run much of the Hakuba ski region and other Nagano resorts, experienced team and planning for future growth. English speaking instructors are available and the nearly every building in the resort ski to door making for a wonderful family stay. 

Ryuoo Ski Lodge presents an unmissable chance to own a part of the western traveller market in this area of Japan. Or use it as your own holiday home and as an income producing asset or custom design your dream boutique hotel. Whatever you choose to do with it, Ryuoo is brimming with potential and presents a rare opportunity to own a prime ski resort investment. And at a starting price of just AUD$1.4 million, what are you waiting for. Get a group of mates together, call your parents or buy a lotto ticket.

Interested. Send us a message and we’ll put you in touch.