Taeyame Murodo Sanso is one of the rare mountaintop ski lodges outside of Europe. It ticks all the boxes – high elevation, expansive vista, on the slopes, not connected to a road. The website is pretty basic, and frankly, the accommodation doesn’t appear to be much more so. 2,500 metres up on Murodo Kogen, it offers history (first built in the 1400s and then rebuilt in the 1700s!), views (of Tateyama’s tallest peaks Oyama and Onanjiyama), authenticity (classic Japanese simplicity aesthetic, with traditional floor beds). By all accounts it ticks all the boxes for basic comfort and service (eg. food, bathing), but be prepared for limited selection, amenities and non-Japanese language.

Taeyame Murodo Sanso 1

Taeyame Murodo Sanso 2

Taeyame Murodo Sanso 3