A body warmed by the sauna meets the cold winter wind blowing in from the Sea of Japan. After some fresh-air relaxation, a glass of Oropo cools the throat, and a bowl of fiery ramen brings on one more round of sweat.
From October 2026, Glamping Souten Kaihou -SOUTENKAIHOU- in Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture is offering two seasonal plans built around turning the cold into something to look forward to.
There's the "Sauna Retreat" plan, centered on the facility's ocean-view saunas renovated this past summer, and a seasonal BBQ plan featuring Niigata's local Bakauke rice crackers dipped in hot, melted cheese. The cold makes the sauna feel even better, and the warmth makes the food taste even richer. Looking out over the Sea of Japan, Souten Kaihou offers a trip built for autumn and winter.
This Summer's Renewed Ocean-View Saunas Head Into Their First Autumn and Winter
This summer, Souten Kaihou renovated two of its sauna-equipped guest rooms.
The "Kaze" (Wind) room now has a panorama sauna looking out over the Sea of Japan and the sunset. The "Mizu" (Water) room has an open, airy square sauna and a wood-lined cold bath.
Now, for the first time since the renovation, the property heads into autumn and winter. After warming the body slowly in the sauna, guests can step out into the cold, clear wind coming in from the Sea of Japan.
Heat, sea, and winter wind — even the cold becomes part of the comfort, in an autumn-and-winter "totonou" experience found only in this season.
Find Your "Totonou" in the Sea of Japan's Winter Wind: The Seasonal "Sauna Retreat" Plan
Warm the body slowly in the sauna, then step outside into the cold winter wind coming off the Sea of Japan.
After some fresh-air relaxation, a glass of Oropo cools the throat, and a bowl of fiery ramen brings on another round of sweat. During löyly, guests are wrapped in aromatic steam, and after the sauna, they can settle into a warm guest room and enjoy the projector.
This isn't just about stepping into a sauna — it's an autumn-and-winter sauna trip designed to be enjoyed from before you even start through to well after you've reached "totonou."
Go Deeper Into "Totonou": Six Perks for a Full Sauna Trip
Warm up, cool down, drink, eat, breathe in the aroma, and rest — six perks to enjoy from sauna time through the evening that follows.
01 | [Drink] An "Oropo Set" for After the Sauna
A drink for after working up a good sweat. Enjoy a refreshing moment after your fresh-air relaxation.
02 | [Eat] One More Round of Sweat: Fiery Ramen
Another treat for after you've reached "totonou" — savor a bowl of piping-hot, fiery ramen after the sauna.
03 | [Aroma] Sauna Aroma for Löyly
Time to slowly warm the body, wrapped in rising steam and fragrance.
04 | ["Totonou"] Sauna Hat & Towel Set
All the essentials are provided, so guests can enjoy the sauna without packing extra gear.
05 | [Watch] In-Room Projector
After making the most of the sauna, retreat to a warm guest room and unwind into the rest of the evening with a favorite movie or video.
06 | [Rest] Late Checkout Until 11:00 AM
Standard checkout at 10:00 AM is extended to 11:00 AM at no charge, so guests can savor the afterglow of the trip without watching the clock the next morning.
Niigata's Bakauke Dipped in Hot Cheese: A Seasonal BBQ Everyone Gathers Around
It's precisely because the season is cold that gathering around hot food feels so good.
The other seasonal plan pairs a hearty BBQ of Niigata-branded meat and seafood with a rich, melted cheese fondue.
Alongside sausages, vegetables, and baguette, one thing worth trying is Niigata's local Bakauke rice cracker.
Dip the crisp, fragrant Bakauke into the hot cheese, and it takes on a flavor combination unlike anything you'd expect.
After the meal, there's also a s'more sandwich made by toasting marshmallows.
Grill it, dip it, and finish with something sweet. It's a one-night, two-meal plan built around cooking together, eating together, and letting the conversation flow through an autumn-and-winter evening.
Five Perks That Keep the Evening Going After Dinner
Part of the fun of this plan is that it doesn't end with the meal.
Drink, make, play, watch, and unwind — five perks for making the most of autumn and winter's long evenings.
01 | [Drink] A Toast With the Grown-Up "Souten Sour"
Enjoy Souten Kaihou's own "grown-up sour," made by combining cider, Echigo ice cream, and shochu.
02 | [Make] An After-Dinner Treat: S'more Sandwiches
Toast a marshmallow and sandwich it together — enjoy the warm, gooey sweetness along with the time spent making it yourselves.
03 | [Play] Handheld Fireworks Under the Winter Sky
Handheld fireworks enjoyed on a clear autumn or winter night — a different kind of memory from summer, unique to this season.
04 | [Watch] Movie Time With the In-Room Projector
After plenty of time outdoors, head back to a warm guest room and spend a relaxed evening watching a favorite movie or video.
05 | [Unwind] Late Checkout Until 11:00 AM
Standard checkout at 10:00 AM is extended to 11:00 AM at no charge, so guests can enjoy the afterglow of the trip without rushing the next morning.
View Autumn-Winter Value Plan Details
Niigata-Branded Meat and Seafood, Grilled Generously: The Seasonal SPECIAL BBQ
The autumn-and-winter table features premium Niigata Wagyu sirloin and kelp-cured Niigata pork tomahawk, along with shell-on scallops, large clams, and jumbo shrimp — a menu where both meat and seafood take center stage.
Guests can enjoy the true pleasure of BBQ: biting into food while it's fresh off the grill and still piping hot.
MENU
Niigata-Branded Meat Platter
- Premium Niigata Wagyu sirloin
- Kelp-cured Niigata pork tomahawk
- Ogon Buta ("golden pork") frank sausage
Seafood Platter
- Umami-rich, shell-on scallops
- Rich, large clams
- Thick, juicy jumbo shrimp, luxuriously seared
Other Menu Items
- Skewered seasonal vegetables
Cheese Fondue
- Bakauke
- Sausage
- Broccoli
- Cherry tomatoes
- Baguette
About Glamping Souten Kaihou -SOUTENKAIHOU-, Perched on a Hilltop Overlooking the Sea of Japan
Glamping Souten Kaihou -SOUTENKAIHOU- sits on a hilltop in Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture, overlooking the Sea of Japan.
All 11 units offer an ocean view of the Sea of Japan, with spaces suited to different travel styles, including rooms with private saunas and rooms where guests can stay together with their dogs.
Meals center on BBQ made with ingredients distinctive to Niigata. At dusk, the sea and sky shift color by the minute, and at night, the clear sky fills with stars.
Guest rooms also come equipped with a projector. Beyond the scenery, it's a glamping facility where the stay itself — the sauna, the meals, time with your dog, and evenings in the guest room — is the point.
Even the Cold Becomes Part of the Trip
Warm the body in the sauna, then give yourself over to the winter wind off the Sea of Japan. Gather around hot food, and spend the evening with s'mores and fireworks.
It's because it's cold that the sauna feels so good. It's because it's cold that the hot food tastes so good.
A different kind of enjoyment from summer awaits at Souten Kaihou's autumn and winter.
In this spot overlooking the Sea of Japan, enjoy a coastal overnight stay where even the cold becomes something to look forward to.
Facility Overview
Glamping Souten Kaihou -SOUTENKAIHOU-
- Website: https://www.niigata-glamping.com/
- Address: 1835-1 Gochikokubu, Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture 942-0085
Room Types
Choose from 11 room types suited to different travel styles.
| Room | Features | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| HANA (Flower) <2 beds> | A charming 6m dome in pink-purple tones, overlooking the sea | 4 guests |
| ISI (Stone) <2 beds> | A refined, modern 6m dome overlooking the sea | 4 guests |
| MIZU (Water) <4 beds> | A 7m dome with a dog run and square sauna, for enjoying time with your dog | 5 guests |
| KAZE (Wind) <4 beds> | An open, 7m dome with a panorama sauna overlooking the Sea of Japan | 5 guests |
| MOKU (Wood) <4 beds> | A 7m dome with a barrel sauna for "totonou" in a Nordic-inspired space | 5 guests |
| HOMURA (Fire) <2 beds> | A 6m dome with a barrel sauna in a space evoking flames | 4 guests |
| HIKARI (Light) <2 beds> | A stylish room with a dog run where guests can relax freely with their dog | 4 guests |
| Site "A" <2 beds> | A dog-run room surrounded by nature, for relaxing freely with your dog | 3 guests |
| Site "B" <2 beds> | A hilltop room for unwinding while taking in the sky and sea | 3 guests |
| Site "C" <4 beds> | A 4-bed room where groups and families can relax comfortably | 5 guests |
| Site "D" <oval tent, 2 beds> | A spacious oval tent offering the open feel unique to its shape | 5 guests |
Shared amenities across all rooms: All-weather dining space, shower room, and restroom.
Access
By Car
- From the Osaka area: approximately 6 hours
About 15 minutes from the Nadachi-Tanihama IC on the Hokuriku Expressway - From the Tokyo area: approximately 4 hours
About 10 minutes from the Joetsu IC on the Hokuriku Expressway
By Public Transportation
- From the Osaka area: approximately 6 hours
Board the Thunderbird from Osaka Station and get off at Tsuruga Station, then transfer to the Hokuriku Shinkansen and get off at Joetsumyoko Station, then transfer to the Toki Railway Myoko Haneuma Line and get off at Naoetsu Station - From the Tokyo area: approximately 4 hours
Board the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station and get off at Joetsumyoko Station, then transfer to the Toki Railway Myoko Haneuma Line and get off at Naoetsu Station
From Naoetsu Station on the Toki Railway Myoko Haneuma Line: about 12 minutes by bus (plus a 10-minute walk after getting off), or about 10 minutes by taxi (fare approximately ¥2,000)
