KAI Alps, a hot spring inn in Omachi Onsenkyo (大町温泉郷), Nagano Prefecture, nestled in the Northern Alps, will hold its illumination event "Yukiguni Gangi Akari" (雪国がんぎあかり) again this winter, from January 4 to February 28, 2027. Warm snow lights glow along the gangi (雁木) corridor and the courtyard, and guests can make "kamakura snow lanterns" (かまくら雪灯篭) and grill mochi at an irori hearth. The event offers a heartwarming winter stay in Shinshu.
Background
Omachi City, where KAI Alps is located, is a heavy-snowfall area at the foot of the Northern Alps and once prospered as a post town in Shinshu.
In the Shin'etsu region, the gangi has been established as an architectural style since the Edo period as a piece of snow country wisdom, and it has been cherished as the "arcade of the snow country" that nurtures connections among people even in harsh winters. This winter again, KAI Alps is holding "Yukiguni Gangi Akari" to present the warmth nurtured in this deep-snow land and ways of spending time that are special to winter. Along the retro gate, the gangi corridor, and the courtyard, a scene of snow and lights unfolds.
Feature 1: Enjoy the Illuminated Gangi and Courtyard Snowscape Along With 50 Kamakura Snow Lanterns
The gangi and the irori
The gangi at KAI Alps is the very picture of a "snow country post town." This winter again, warm lights are set in the gangi, turning it into a dreamlike corridor woven from snow and light. This winter, kamakura snow lanterns are made not only along the gangi but also in the courtyard, so that 50 kamakura in a row create a Japanese-style snowscape. Gently falling snow is lit by the lights, quietly coloring a nostalgic snow country night.
Feature 2: Making Kamakura Snow Lanterns and Lighting the Candles
Kamakura snow lanterns aglow
The gangi was once a place where children played in the snow and people built connections with one another. At KAI Alps, experiences unique to the snow country are prepared with this gangi corridor as the stage. Guests make small kamakura by hand and light a candle inside, creating "kamakura snow lanterns" that further enhance the space woven from snow and light.
Feature 3: Mochi Grilled Over Irori Charcoal and Warmed Sake
Square mochi browning over charcoal
Gathering around the irori in Nagiso Neko
Beyond the gangi corridor lit by snow lights lies the irori space, where a warm fire burns. Here, guests can enjoy the region's food culture over irori charcoal, starting with mochi, which has long been valued during Shinshu's cold winters. Square mochi, common in Nagano Prefecture, is served with two kinds of miso made at Shinshu breweries (scallion miso and sesame-walnut miso). Shinshu is especially known as a walnut-producing region, so the moment brings a deep sense of the local character.
Around the irori, "Nagiso Neko" (南木曽ねこ), a traditional craft of the local Nagiso (南木曽) area designed to make winter handwork easier, is prepared. Some are made with KAI Alps' original Shinshu tsumugi (信州紬), so guests can stay warm while touching old-fashioned rural life. Warmed sake is also available, offering a time that warms not only the chilled body but also the heart.
Event Overview
| Event | Yukiguni Gangi Akari |
| Period | January 4, 2027 to February 28, 2027 |
| Hours | 3:00 PM to 9:30 PM |
| Kamakura snow lantern making | 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM (30 minutes each); capacity: 10 groups (20 guests) per session |
| Illumination viewing | 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM and 9:00 PM to 9:30 PM |
| Gotochi-raku (ご当地楽) (grilled mochi, warmed sake, etc.) | 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM (last order 9:15 PM) |
| Price | Free (open to overnight guests only) |
| Note | Experiences may not be available depending on the weather and the condition of the kamakura |
KAI Alps (Omachi Onsenkyo, Nagano Prefecture)
KAI Alps is located in Omachi Onsenkyo, Nagano Prefecture, embraced by the Northern Alps. Guest rooms and the hot spring building line up along the gangi, the "arcade of the snow country." At the irori, oyaki (おやき) and omeza-gayu (おめざがゆ) are served, and in winter, guests can try snowshoeing (kanjiki) and snow play, enjoying rural Shinshu experiences. For the 2027 winter season, ski plans that many guests can enjoy are available. With plans suited to each guest's skiing style, guests can fully enjoy winter sports in Hakuba in addition to the Shinshu countryside experience.
- Address: 389-0001 Nagano Prefecture, Omachi City, Taira 2884-26 (長野県大町市平2884-26)
- Rooms: 48
- Check-in / Check-out: 2:30 PM / 11:00 AM
- Access: Approximately 15 minutes by car from JR Shinano-Omachi Station
- Rate: From ¥28,000 per night (per person, based on 2 guests sharing a room; service charge and tax included; dinner and breakfast included)
- Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/kaialps/
