Name: Log Bear
Address: Shikotsuko-onsen Chitose 066-0281 Hokkaido, Chitose, Chitose, Chitose, 066-0281, Japan
Rating: 8

Location

New Chitose Airport

Okadama Airport

Log Bear

We stumbled across Log Bear cabin by chance in search of a decent lunch. The restaurant is set in an authentic Canadian wooden cabin - built 29 years ago.
The owner Kikkawa San speaks perfect English and is well travelled. The food is fantastic and we enjoyed the wide selection of coffee. Highly recommended.

We stayed here for 3 nights, for my birthday, and had a great time.

The cabin itself is lovely. It's got a great atmosphere, and the host "Robin" is really friendly, speaks reasonable English, and home-roasts his own tasty coffee! He's also a good cook, so I'd recommend reserving dinner dinners! This really is a great little place to stay. However, it's small, so book early, especially if you want to travel at peak times!

The bathroom isn't much, but you can use the onsen-bath at the nearby Youth Hostel (which he also runs) for no extra cost. He can also rent you kayaks if you fancy a ride on the river.

Shikotsu-ko isn't an action-packed place, but we had a great time. Near here is Toya-ko, which is the much more famous resort. However, Shikotsu-ko has a quiet charm about it, and a more relaxed pace. We went kayaking on the river, cycling around the lake, and hiked up a nearby mountain. The lake and surrounding scenery are beautiful, so despite the physical activity, it was very relaxing.

1 of only 2 places that stayed open during winter so we stepped in for afternoon tea. The coffee and tea was not bad but there’s a limited food menu. However the place has plenty of character and the elderly gentleman who owns and runs the place speaks good English and is very friendly. Overall a good place to step out of the cold and snow for a hot drink.

The rooms here are fairly basic but comfortable. The place can be a bit smokey. You should be aware that there is no shower here - you will need to walk a few minutes across the village to the youth hostel to have a bath/shower. The owner speaks good English and can provide lots of advice and info about the surrounding area. He also can provide evening meals which is useful as the village pretty much closes down once the tour groups have left in the late afternoon.

I was pleasantly surprised with Log Bear after having found it in Lonely Planet. It's reasonably priced, friendly, warm and very cosy. You can rent one of two rooms upstairs but it's ideal if you rent both rooms in a larger group (sleeps 6 in total) because then you have the common area upstairs all to yourself for a spot of night time board games or guitar. There's no bathroom at Log Bear, only a toilet. You have to use the onsen at the youth hostel nearby which was a nice experience. The pillows at Log Bear are traditional Japanese buckwheat pillows which aren't actually that bad to sleep on. Give them a go, it's Japan, after all! Lake Shikotsu is a gorgeous spot and it's very quiet at night. We were panicking as we hadn't thought about dinner and pretty much every restaurant closed at 4pm but Robin came up with the goods and cooked us the most delicious jingisukan I've eaten to date. At only 1,200 yen a pop, it was also amazing value. If, like us, you fancy a drop of red at night, I suggest you stock up at Seicomart in Chitose on the way. It's possible to get wine from some of the restaurants during the day but you'll be paying four times the regular price so just get it beforehand. The coffee and pastries at the patisserie of Tsuruga Resort (a 1 min walk from Log Bear) are to die for! It's one of the only places around here that sells proper espresso coffee. Amazing!

The owner of log bear, robin, had the log bear house built 25 years ago using imported logs. And it shows! In a country full of buildings and places that are made artificially cute and cozy, log bear feels truly rustic and homelike. 

For only 5000 yen a night, you get one of the two upstairs rooms, one containing beds and the other containing futons. Robin smokes a bit so I had to sleep with the balcony door open. He's a real character who cooks a mean breakfast (dinner is extra, but he made us a great jingisukan at the YHA which he also manages)

Chitose

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We dropped by for tea

A Gem not to be missed

Cozy B&B in a log cabin

just lovely!

Cozy b 'n' b with a fun owner

Great place, friendly host

Breakfast included

Free Internet

Transfer

Parking

Suitable for children

Swimming Pool

Fitness centre

Bar or restaurant

For guests with disabilities

Conference hall

Spa Services

Ski slope nearby

Beach nearby

Air-conditioning

Pets allowed

Jacuzzi

Private Bathroom

Kitchen

Balcony

View from the window

Smoking allowed

Electric car charging

Log Bear

Location

Available rooms

Location

Description of the hotel

Conditions of accommodation

Conditions of accommodation

Payment

Payment

For corporate clients