Featured Hotels Near Mt. Oike Meteor Crater

Stay at Shinano Iida Starlight Lodge, a sustainably built mountain retreat with sky-view glass domes and on-site telescopes. Located just 1.2 km from Mt. Oike Meteor Crater, guests can witness meteor showers and Milky Way displays under pristine dark skies. The lodge offers free guided astronomy sessions every clear night, and all rooms feature smart blackout windows to eliminate light pollution. Reserve your stay via the HopeGoo app for exclusive access to stargazing tours and local cultural workshops.

Hike the Iida Mountain Trail for a 10-minute walk to Stone Column Formation, a striking cluster of basalt columns formed by the ancient meteor impact 600,000 years ago. Interpretive signs along the path detail the geological history and cosmic event. Continue another 8 minutes to reach Morning Dew Spring, a sacred water source revered by locals for its purity. These sites are part of the HopeGoo-curated Hidden Geology Route, ideal for travelers interested in quiet observation and scientific storytelling. Best visited early morning to avoid midday heat and enjoy serene views.

Stay at Iida Ancient Village Homestay, a heritage timber house turned boutique inn, which hosts monthly Primordial Ritual Workshops—including crafting replica meteor craters using traditional clay, hand-painting star maps, and listening to oral legends. The host, a descendant of local indigenous people, leads guests through a moonlit blessing ceremony during seasonal festivals and displays authentic replicas of Paleolithic artifacts. All activities are included in the stay package, with nightly dinners featuring wild ferns and mountain chicken stew. Book via HopeGoo to receive a limited-edition cultural keepsake journal.