KAI Okuhida, a hot spring inn in Okuhida Onsenkyo (奥飛騨温泉郷), Gifu Prefecture, a heavy-snowfall area of the Northern Alps known for one of the largest hot spring volumes in Japan, will hold its first "Ice Formation Bus Tour" (結氷バスツアー) from January 11 to February 28, 2027. The tour takes guests by bus to two spots in Okuhida Onsenkyo where ice formations up to about 15 meters tall line up in a frozen world of minus 10°C. After the tour, guests can enjoy "Sechu Mizore-zake" (雪中みぞれ酒), a sake that freezes the moment it is poured, while soaking their feet in a foot bath.
Feature 1: A Bus Tour Through the Big Snowscapes of a Heavy-Snow Region
The "Taruma Kanekoori" (タルマかねこおり) light-up at Shin-Hirayu Onsen
In Okuhida Onsenkyo, where KAI Okuhida is located, snowscape light-ups can be enjoyed in various places during the snow season. This bus tour takes guests by dedicated bus to two major ice scenes: "Aodaru" (青だる), giant icicles that appear in the mountains of Fukuchi Onsen (福地温泉), and the "Kanekoori" (かねこおり) light-up at Shin-Hirayu Onsen (新平湯温泉).
Aodaru is formed when water dripping from a rock wall freezes into vivid blue layers. Along with the lit-up, frozen Kanekoori, the tour also includes an illumination in which the inside of a sabo dam (erosion-control dam) tunnel is decorated with tens of thousands of LED bulbs. With a guide from KAI Okuhida, guests can view the mysterious sculptural beauty created by subzero temperatures in the quiet of the night.
Feature 2: A Guide Who Turns the Cold Into Fun and Explains Okuhida's Winter Wisdom
The "Ice Back Path" (氷の裏道), where Aodaru can be seen up close for about one week in mid-February
During the bus tour, the guide explains the wonders of nature created by the severe winter in Okuhida, at the foot of the Northern Alps. The giant icicle Aodaru takes its name from the way water dripping down the rock face freezes and looks blue. At Fukuchi Onsen, stream water is sprayed onto trees to recreate this mountain phenomenon dynamically.
Guests also learn the origin of "kanekoori," the word for icicle in the dialect of the Hida region, and get a feel for the sensibility of a mountain village that has long appreciated its harsh winters. Along the way, the guide also explains the nature of the powder snow that is typical of high-altitude Okuhida and the secret behind snow that reflects the light-up so vividly. Rather than simply looking at the scenery, guests can learn what lies behind the views created by the steady cold of below minus 10°C.
Feature 3: "Sechu Mizore-zake" Enjoyed in the Foot Bath While Looking at the Snowscape
Enjoying "Sechu Mizore-zake" (雪中みぞれ酒) while soaking in the foot bath
After the bus tour, guests head to the foot bath in the courtyard of KAI Okuhida to warm up their chilled bodies. Surrounded by comforting steam, they can enjoy "Sechu Mizore-zake," which is reminiscent of the frozen scenery seen on the tour. Using a phenomenon called supercooling, the sake turns from liquid into smooth, sherbet-like ice the moment it is poured into the glass. Having experienced the severe cold of Okuhida, guests can find the chill pleasant, as the crisp, cold sake soothes a flushed throat.
Ice Formation Bus Tour Overview
| Period | January 11, 2027 to February 28, 2027 |
| Hours | 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM / 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM |
| Price | ¥2,200 per person (tax included) |
| Included | Bus fare, drinks, guide fee, service charge |
| Locations | Aodaru at Fukuchi Onsen, Kanekoori at Shin-Hirayu Onsen |
| Capacity | 22 guests |
| Reservations | Advance registration through the official website is required. Bus reservations must be made at least 3 days in advance. If seats are available on the day of the stay, guests can be accommodated |
| Note | The tour may be canceled depending on the weather |
KAI Okuhida (Okuhida Onsenkyo, Gifu Prefecture)
KAI Okuhida is surrounded by famous peaks of the Northern Alps and has an abundant flow of hot spring water. Its concept is "an inn where you awaken to mountain hot springs and relax in Hida design" (山岳温泉にめざめ、飛騨デザインに寛ぐ宿). It is a modern, artistic inn where guests can discover the appeal of a mountain hot spring and feel the skill of Hida craftsmen throughout.
- Address: 506-1433 Gifu Prefecture, Takayama City, Okuhida Onsenkyo Hirayu 138 (岐阜県高山市奥飛騨温泉郷平湯138)
- Rooms: 49 (28 with an open-air bath)
- Rate: From ¥31,000 per night (per person, based on 2 guests sharing a room; tax and service charge included; dinner and breakfast included)
- Access: About 4 minutes on foot from Hirayu Bus Terminal; about 3 minutes by car from Hirayu IC on the Chubu-Jukan Expressway
