Highland Compound at Norikura - Ryokan, Pension & Two Villas
The Property
A rare four-structure compound in the alpine highlands of Norikura Kogen, Matsumoto. The package includes a 12-room licensed ryokan with Suzuran onsen rights, a chalet-style pension with access to Shirahone's milky-white sulfur springs, and two vacant villas - all within a national park landscape at over 1,500m elevation. Purchase documents show 24,502.59 m² of land excluding private road parcels, or 25,284.59 m² including the private road interests.
Features
Property Dossier
Source-backed listing details
Package
What Is Being Sold
A four-structure hospitality and residential compound on the Norikura Plateau in Matsumoto City. The package includes Ryokan Mai, Pension Karin, Upper Villa, and Lower Villa, all within Chubu Sangaku National Park, with 25,284.59 m² of total land including private-road interests.
- Asset mix
- Licensed ryokan, licensed pension, and 2 detached villas
- Location
- Norikura Kogen, Azumi, Matsumoto City, Nagano
- Land package
- 24,502.59 m² excluding private road; 25,284.59 m² including private-road interests
- Setting
- Chubu Sangaku National Park, Type 2 Special Zone
- Use profile
- Hospitality operation plus owner or staff accommodation potential
Land
Land Area & Boundary Sources
The land-area figures are taken from the purchase agreements and checked against the registry/survey map pages in JP Docs. The consolidated boundary-map sheet is included below as a visual reference.
- Total incl. private-road interests
- 25,284.59 m² (approx. 7,648.59 tsubo / 6.25 acres)
- Total excl. private road
- 24,502.59 m² (approx. 7,412.03 tsubo / 6.05 acres)
- Private-road parcels
- 782 m² across 4236-8, 4237-13, and 4237-15
- Road-share split
- Ryokan Mai 6/7; Upper Villa 1/7
- Boundary reference sheet compiled from Land map.pdf, 4236-1.pdf, the 4237-4 registry-map PDF, and Karin survey pages.
- The boundary sheet is a consolidated viewing aid only; final legal boundary reliance should stay with official registry/survey records and professional review.
Access
Location & Access
- From Matsumoto Station
- 40.6 km, approximately 1 hour 6 minutes by car
- Route
- JR Chuo Line to Matsumoto, then National Route to Prefectural Route 84
- Access road
- 4.2 m private road, about 180 m from Prefectural Route 84
- Local context
- Norikura resort village, forested surroundings, close to ski area and national park trails
Utilities
Infrastructure
| Utility | Supply | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | Chubu Electric Power | Confirm current account and capacity during diligence |
| Gas | LPG / propane | Individual tanks; tanker delivery |
| Water | Matsumoto City municipal water | 75φ pipe drawn from mountaintop main via private road |
| Sewage | Individual combined-treatment septic tanks | Condition varies by structure; see condition notes |
| Hot water / heating | Kerosene boiler | Fuel inlet at entrance; buyer responsible for ongoing fuel cost |
Regulatory
National Park & Land-Use Constraints
- All structures are in Chubu Sangaku National Park, Natural Park Area, Type 2 Special Zone.
- Construction, renovation, exterior painting, demolition, land formation, tree felling, signage, and similar acts may require advance notification and approval through local and prefectural channels to the Ministry of the Environment.
- Coverage ratio is capped at 20% and floor area ratio at 40%.
- The site is outside standard urban planning zones, but all structures also fall within the Chubu Sangaku Forest Plan Area.
- Tree felling requires procedures under both Natural Parks Act and Forest Law frameworks.
Onsen
Hot Spring Access Terms
- Ryokan Mai uses Suzuran Onsen Cooperative water; direct assignment of water rights is not allowed.
- A new owner must apply to join the Suzuran cooperative, receive committee approval, pay a ¥100,000 joining fee, and pay ¥38,000 per month in water charges.
- Suzuran spring water arrives at about 38°C and requires boiler heating to bathing temperature.
- Pension Karin uses Shirahone Onsen Cooperative Group 7 access; continued access requires buyer application and unanimous approval by current Group 7 members.
- High-sulfur Shirahone water requires careful ongoing pipework and equipment management.
Risk
Known Condition Issues
- Ryokan Mai has bath-area basement leakage requiring repair.
- Ryokan Mai septic inspection from June 2022 found blower, pump, and piping abnormalities requiring repair before continued use.
- Ryokan Mai fire safety inspection from May 2022 found deficiencies in fire extinguishers, alarm receiving panel, and smoke detectors.
- Pension Karin building confirmation could not be verified in city records.
- Upper and Lower Villas have been long unoccupied; septic condition is unknown and inspection is recommended.
- All structures are transferred as-is; no geotechnical or asbestos survey has been conducted.
Buyer
Acquisition Obligations
- Because the 25,284.59 m² total land area exceeds 10,000 m², buyer notification under National Land Utilization Planning Act Article 23 is required within two weeks of contract signing.
- Local association participation may be expected, including neighborhood, tourism, ryokan industry, and hot spring cooperative groups.
- Part of the compound and surrounding private road are within sediment disaster warning or special warning zones; new construction in special warning zones requires building confirmation.
- Private road arrangements and ownership shares should be confirmed for each structure before closing.
Fit
Why It Works
- Operating ryokan license gives a buyer a rare hospitality base without starting from a blank entitlement path.
- The package supports mixed use: guest rooms, dining, onsen, owner accommodation, staff housing, or retreat programming.
- National park setting, ski access, alpine hiking, and onsen identity create a strong destination story.
- Two onsen cooperative relationships, if continued, give the compound a distinctive bathing proposition.
The Structures
What's included
Ryokan Mai
Ryokan (Licensed Inn)
Built
December 1995
Floor Area
801㎡
Land
21,082.23㎡ excl. private road; 6/7 road share
- 12-room licensed inn - the primary operating hospitality asset
- Onsen: Suzuran Hot Spring Cooperative (すずらん温泉協同組合) - ¥100,000 entry fee + ¥38,000/month; rights transfer with the sale
- Facilities include restaurant hall, banquet room, irori hearth room, and communal baths
- Currently operated seasonally; potential for year-round use
- Known defect: water leak damage to interior finishes (identified May 2022)
- Known defect: fire alarm and emergency lighting faults (identified May 2022)
- Known defect: septic system irregularities (identified June 2022)
The Region
Chubu
Mountains, hot springs & coastal gems
The Japanese Alps, the Izu Peninsula coastline, and the historic post towns of the Nakasendo trail. Chubu is where dramatic geography meets deeply rooted craft and culture.
The Area
Norikura Kogen, Matsumoto, Nagano
Norikura Kogen sits at the edge of Chūbu Sangaku National Park, one of Japan's most protected alpine zones. At 1,500m+ elevation, the plateau offers crisp mountain air, ski access, and the famous Norikura Skyline road - while Matsumoto's samurai castle is 70 minutes by car.
Seasonal - One of Japan's highest paved roads, climbing to 2,700m at the volcanic Norikura peak; private vehicles prohibited, bus access only
~10 min - Famous milky-white sulfur hot spring; one of Japan's most distinctive onsen, accessible via Pension Karin's Group 7 membership
Walking distance - Ski runs from December through March; summer trail access to alpine meadows and wildflower fields
~70 min by car - National Treasure-listed "Crow Castle," one of Japan's original 12 castles with black lacquered towers
~70 min by car - City gateway with strong dining scene and Shinjuku ~2.5h by limited express (あずさ)
On-site - Walking trails through beech and larch forest, wildflower meadows in summer, golden foliage in October
Who This Is For
Is this the right fit?
Hospitality operators seeking an established alpine inn with onsen in Japan's national park highlands
Investors wanting to reposition a multi-structure compound as a boutique ryokan or eco-resort
Buyers drawn to two famous onsen sources - Suzuran and Shirahone - on a single site
Mountain enthusiasts looking for a full-season base near Norikura Kogen's ski and trekking terrain
Listed price
¥60,000,000
Ryokan (Licensed Inn) · Residential Villa