Welcome to Raicho Life - the official blog of Raicho Lodge Madarao.

So, who are the team behind Raicho Lodge Madarao?

Allow me to introduce us! We're a group of friends who are from all different parts of the world. We are all avid snowboarders and skiers, and we all love Japan. We have known each other for a long while now and been on dozens of ski trips together. Japan's combination of a beautiful culture and excellent snow conditions has drawn us back time after time.

We started exploring all of the well-known winter destinations in Japan, from Hakuba to Nagano and Asahidake to Niseko. Pretty soon we were on a mission to find a snowy mountain that was less well travelled, somewhere off the beaten path where we could enjoy the powder without the crowds.

We discovered Madarao Kogen Ski Resort by serendipity back in 2017 and knew straight away that we had arrived somewhere special.

In July we decided that we were going to band together to found a new ski lodge offering accommodation in Madarao near Iiyama. It was a huge decision for us as none of us has experience managing any kind of hotel accommodation before, much less a ski lodge!

But we took the leap, and there are no regrets! This challenge hasn't daunted us. The excitement each of us feels is infectious, and we've all been hard at work getting things ready for our first guests. There is a seemingly never-ending list of items on our to-do list, but our passion and enthusiasm make it seem like light work. Time flies when you are having fun!

By the time we open our doors to guests this coming December, we want Raicho Lodge Madarao to be the most welcoming and hospitable guest house in all of the ski fields of Nagano. A place that lets our visitors totally immerse themselves in the local culture of Nagano, and provide the backdrop for their perfect winter ski holiday in Japan!

We're all going to update this blog to keep you informed about how things are going at Raicho Lodge as we start renovations and prepare for your arrival, as well as let you in on some local knowledge that might help you to plan your next visit to Japan. If you have any questions or there's something that you're really interested in, post a comment, or drop us an email on our contact form any time.

Hope to see you soon in Madarao!

Marty & the Raicho Team