Add a little play to a winter stay in the hills of Kyoto. Wood Design Park Kyoto Irodori, an outdoor complex in Kyotanabe, Kyoto Prefecture, has started taking reservations for “Winter Trip Selection,” a winter-only stay plan. It includes one night with dinner and breakfast, and lets guests pick two of four winter experiences at no extra charge.
The facility is run by Wood Design Park Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Midori-ku, Nagoya). Besides hostel and cottage stays, it offers day-trip BBQ, saunas, craft workshops and hiking. The idea behind the plan is that a winter trip is too good to spend just sleeping.
Choose two of four winter experiences
The four choices are below. Because guests can combine two categories in one stay, deciding together is part of the fun for families and friends.
- Sweet campfire-roasted sweet potatoes: Start by gathering fallen leaves and twigs, splitting firewood and lighting the fire yourselves. The slowly roasted sweet potatoes are then turned into a dessert at the café, with crème brûlée, butter, ice cream and more. Watching the flames while you wait is part of the experience
- Seasonal pizza-making with winter-only toppings: Top the pizza yourselves with seasonal ingredients and bake it, then enjoy it piping hot with family or friends
- Winter craft workshop at Irodori Kobo: Work with wood and natural materials to make something of your own. Winter-only menus are available, and both children and adults can take home a memento of the trip
A 90-minute Kyoto bancha sauna
The fourth option is the “Kyoto bancha sauna with a lukewarm open-air bath.” It is a winter-only, 90-minute sauna session in the toasty aroma of Kyoto bancha (roasted green tea). After warming up, you move to an open-air bath of about 37°C. It is a gentler temperature than a cold plunge, so you can relax while taking in the winter scenery.
The bancha sauna is limited to two groups per day, first come, first served. If the sauna is what you want, booking early is the safe choice.
Dinner around a warm winter pot
For dinner, you can also choose warming winter-only dishes such as a seafood hot pot or sukiyaki. After a full day of play, the plan lets you spend a relaxed evening around a hot pot with family or friends.
Choosing two experiences costs nothing extra. You could go for a foodie combination of sweet potatoes and pizza, or a slow-paced one of crafts and the sauna.
Plan details
- Plan name: Winter Trip Selection
- Includes: One night with dinner and breakfast, plus two categories of winter experiences of your choice (sweet potatoes / pizza-making / winter craft / Kyoto bancha sauna)
- Note: The Kyoto bancha sauna is limited to two groups per day, first come, first served
- Facility: Wood Design Park Kyoto Irodori
- Address: 9-1 Ozumi Ryuo-dani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto
- Plan details (Japanese): https://wood-designpark.jp/kyoto/topics/1413-2.html
- Booking (Japanese): https://reserve.489ban.net/client/wdp-kyoto/0/detail/1357024
- Website (Japanese): https://wood-designpark.jp/kyoto/
