Earthboat Ueda Onsen (アースボート上田温泉) starts at ¥42,600 per night for a room for two in November 2026 (tax included), with the cheapest weekday plan typically around ¥48,350 and Saturdays around ¥71,350 (OTA listed prices as of October 26, 2026, HotelBank Editorial Team research). The December minimum is ¥46,050. This 12-room outdoor hotel stands in the Sanada Izumi no Mori forest (975 m above sea level) in Ueda, Nagano. Every room comes with its own wood-fired sauna and open-air hot-spring bath, and dogs are welcome. This article covers the price range and how it changes by day of the week, the room facilities, and what to know about pets, meals and access.
- — From ¥42,600 (November 2026) Listed price for one room, two guests, tax included. In November, 11 of 20 weekday nights are priced at ¥48,350; in December, 14 of 18 weekday nights are ¥46,050.
- — Saturdays cost about 1.5x weekdays The median cheapest plan per night in November is ¥71,350 on Saturdays and nights before holidays versus ¥48,350 on weekdays. Year-end nights (Dec 27–31) run ¥65,600–¥77,100.
- — A wood-fired sauna and open-air hot-spring bath in all 12 rooms Each room sleeps up to three. Dogs of any breed, size or number are allowed; check the pet fee when booking.
- — Early rating of 4.86 (N=49 reviews) The hotel opened in July 2026, so reviews are still few and the score may move as more come in.
Prices: Listed Rates for November and December 2026 (Room for Two, Tax Included)
We aggregated every plan published on OTAs for each stay date. The highest prices, close to ¥90,000, are year-end dates and plans for the top room types.
| Stay month | Minimum | All-plan average (reference) | Maximum | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | ¥42,600 | ¥63,114 | ¥89,301 | N=90 plans, 30 nights |
| December 2026 | ¥46,050 | ¥64,226 | ¥92,751 | N=93 plans, 31 nights |
Table 1: OTA listed prices (room for two, tax included). As of October 26, 2026, HotelBank Editorial Team research. The all-plan average rises and falls with the share of expensive plans, so treat it as a reference only; for budgeting, use the cheapest plan per night shown below.
What you actually pay is set by the cheapest plan on the night you stay. The ¥42,600 November minimum applies to a single night, November 30 (Mon); on November weekdays (Sunday–Thursday), 11 of 20 nights are ¥48,350. In December, ¥46,050 accounts for 14 of 18 weekday nights, slightly cheaper than November. Nagano Prefecture introduced a lodging tax in June 2026; we analyze how it works and its impact in Nagano Lodging Tax: No ADR Drop in 2 Months.
Day-of-Week Gap: Saturdays Cost About 1.5x Weekdays
Chart 1: Cheapest listed plan price per night (room for two, tax included), stays from November 1 to December 31, 2026 (N=61 nights). Blue = weekdays (Sunday–Thursday), yellow = Fridays, orange = Saturdays and nights before holidays, purple = year-end (Dec 27–31). As of October 26, 2026, HotelBank Editorial Team research.
| Day type | November median | December median |
|---|---|---|
| Weekdays (Sunday–Thursday) | ¥48,350 (N=20 nights) | ¥46,050 (N=18 nights) |
| Fridays | ¥55,250 (N=4 nights) | ¥57,550 (N=4 nights) |
| Saturdays and nights before holidays | ¥71,350 (N=6 nights) | ¥71,350 (N=4 nights) |
| Year-end (Dec 27–31) | — | ¥77,100 (N=5 nights) |
Table 2: Median of the cheapest listed plan per night (room for two, tax included). Nights before holidays include November 2 and 22 (the following day is a public holiday). As of October 26, 2026, HotelBank Editorial Team research.
Saturdays are about ¥23,000 more than weekdays, and November 21 (Sat) and 22 (Sun, before a holiday) are ¥73,650. If you plan two nights in the same cabin, linking weekday nights, such as Sunday to Tuesday, keeps the per-night cost lowest. Listed prices are for two guests in one room. Prices may change for a party of three, so check on the booking screen.
Rooms and Facilities: Wood-Fired Sauna, Open-Air Hot-Spring Bath, Up to Three Guests
All 12 rooms are separate, standalone cabins. The main facilities described on the official website and in the opening announcement are as follows.
- Private wood-fired sauna: one in every room. It is a Finnish-style sauna that you stoke with firewood yourself, and you can pour water on the stones yourself as you like.
- Open-air hot-spring bath: the same alkaline simple spring water as Juppuku no Yu, a day-use hot spring a one-minute walk away. It doubles as a cold plunge. Swimwear is worn in the sauna and bath, and swimwear rental is available.
- Bedding and capacity: a queen bed, a sofa bed and a spare futon, for up to three guests per room.
- Outdoor living area: equipped with a BBQ grill. Press coverage also describes a kitchen with a gas stove, refrigerator and freezer.
- Times: check-in 15:00, check-out 10:00.
Earthboat is an outdoor hotel brand based in Shinano, Nagano. Ueda Onsen, which opened on July 31, 2026, is its 11th location. The official website lists sites including Kurohime, Togakushi, Hakuba, Shirakaba Lake, Nojiri Lake, Nasu, Saitama Kawajima, Kita-Karuizawa, Minakami Hodaigi and Minakami Fujiwara. What sets this property apart is the word “Onsen” in its name: every room has an open-air hot-spring bath.
To compare inns with in-room saunas in other regions, this article on why in-room saunas are becoming the starting point for bookings (in Japanese) looks at small inns in Lake Yamanaka, Hita and Takachiho.
Pets, Meals and Access: What to Know
Pets: The official website states there are no restrictions on the breed, size or number of pets. The opening announcement explains that the sauna has a flat floor, making it easy to use with small children or small dogs. The pet fee is not listed on the official page, so confirm it when booking. For typical extra dog fees at other hotels, Pet-Friendly Hotels Japan: Dog Fee ¥0–5,500/Night compares official policies.
Meals: Whether meals are included in the prices above depends on the plan. The opening announcement mentions a breakfast set using bread baked every morning by a popular bakery at Juppuku no Yu, and a trial-stay press report describes it as an option at ¥3,000 for two. The facility page on the official website does not mention breakfast, so confirm availability and price when booking. BBQ ingredients are not mentioned on the official website, but the trial-stay report says they can be prepared if ordered in advance.
Access: The address is 9097-183 Sanada-machi Soehi, Ueda, Nagano. According to the official website, it is about 22 minutes by car from the Ueda-Sugadaira IC on the Joshinetsu Expressway. Travel time from Ueda Station and any shuttle service are not listed officially, so check in advance. The hotel sits in the mountains at 975 m, so plan on winter tires from November to March.
Reviews: An Early Rating of 4.86 out of 5 Three Months After Opening
With the hotel having opened only in July 2026, reviews are still limited. On a map service, the rating is an average of 4.86 from N=49 reviews (out of 5, as of October 26, 2026, HotelBank Editorial Team research). By category, service scores 4.90 and location 4.82 (both N=39 reviews). As this is an early score based on few reviews, it may change as more reviews come in.
Based on price and facilities, it suits:
- Couples who want to cycle through sauna, cold plunge and fresh-air rest at their own pace, without other guests around
- Guests with large dogs or several dogs looking for a place where they can stay together
- Travelers who can take weekdays off and pick nights under ¥50,000
Further Reading
To compare other inns with in-room saunas or detached-cabin inns around Ueda, these articles (in Japanese) go into detail.
Why solo women in 2026 are booking around in-room saunas (HotelPicks, in Japanese)
Introduces three inns with room counts and price guides: Shizuku in Lake Yamanaka, with an Estonian cabin sauna in every room; Ryokan & Sauna Yorozuya Hita, with four types of sauna across its rooms; and Takachiho Hanare no Yado Kamikakure, whose detached rooms each have an open-air bath, sauna and cold plunge.
Autumn in Shinshu in a detached room: four inns in Hakuba, Ueda and Matsumoto (yadolist, in Japanese)
Covers four inns by the design of their detached rooms and suggested autumn itineraries: Bessho Onsen Ryokan Hanaya and Kakeyu Onsen Sansuikan, with a detached room in a relocated Meiji-era storehouse, both in Ueda; Utsukushigahara Onsen Kanaukan in Matsumoto; and Hatago Maruhachi in Hakuba.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How much is a night at Earthboat Ueda Onsen?
Based on OTA listed prices (as of October 26, 2026, room for two, tax included), the minimum is ¥42,600 in November 2026 and ¥46,050 in December. Looking at the cheapest plan per night, the November median is ¥48,350 on weekdays (Sunday–Thursday) and ¥71,350 on Saturdays and nights before holidays. Year-end nights from December 27 to 31 are ¥65,600–¥77,100.
Q. How many guests can stay in one room?
Each room sleeps up to three. Bedding is a queen bed, a sofa bed and a spare futon. There are 12 rooms in total, each a separate cabin.
Q. Can I bring my dog?
Yes. The official website states there are no restrictions on the breed, size or number of pets. The pet fee is not listed on the official page, so confirm it when booking.
Q. Until what time can I use the sauna?
Hours are not stated on the official website. The private wood-fired sauna in each room can be used “as much as you like” during your stay. It is a Finnish-style sauna that you stoke yourself, and you can pour water on the stones. If you plan to use it late at night, or want to know how much firewood is provided, it is best to ask when booking.
Q. Are meals included?
Press coverage describes a breakfast set (¥3,000 for two) using bread from the bakery at the neighboring Juppuku no Yu. The outdoor living area has a BBQ grill and a kitchen with a gas stove. Breakfast availability and price, and arranging ingredients, are not stated on the official website, so confirm when booking.
Q. How do I get there from Ueda Station?
The official website does not list travel time from a railway station or a shuttle service, so check in advance. The officially described access is by car: about 22 minutes from the Ueda-Sugadaira IC on the Joshinetsu Expressway. From November to March, plan on winter tires.
Methodology and Sources
Prices are OTA listed prices (room for two, tax included), aggregated on October 26, 2026. The sample covers stays from November 1 to December 31, 2026 (N=61 nights; 90 plans in November and 93 in December), and the per-night value is the cheapest plan for that night. To limit the effect of sold-out dates, we rely mainly on minimum prices and the per-night distribution rather than the average of all plans. The review rating is the aggregate of public ratings on a map service (N=49 reviews). Source: HotelBank Editorial Team research. Facilities, times and access are based on the Earthboat official website, the opening announcement (July 8, 2026) and a trial-stay press report. Prices and facilities may change, so check the official website for the latest information before booking.
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