The wooden school building rich in memories for locals has been carefully looked after by many people and has been standing strong in the heavy snowfall of the region for the more than 60 years since it was built in 1955. As one of the hub facilities of Echigo-Tsumari Art Field, Sansho House can accommodate individual visitors, families, volunteers and kohebi members. Guests can also see “Lost Winter”, an artwork by an internationally acclaimed artist, Leandro Erlich. Sansho House along with locals look forward to warmly welcoming you.
The guest rooms at Sansho House comprise four rooms for sixteen people, and two rooms for eight people, accommodating 80 people in total. Each of the guest room has bunk beds and male and female guests stay separately. (Please note that there are no single rooms).
The dining room is a large space combining former two classrooms in order for guests to get together. You may use the dining room for eating meals as well as for other purposes such as workshops and meetings. Depending on the season, you can spend time on the outdoor terrace in the summer or around the wood-burning stove in winter. We hope you feel and enjoy the season of your visit.
We are proud of the home-cooking of the Echigo-Matsunoyama district, which is prepared by local women, who have been cooking meals with love for their family members working hard in the mountains. Enjoy tasting local delicacies from the satoyama landscape, including rice from the local terraced rice fields, miso prepared in the winter, a distinctive preserved condiment called ”shoyu-no-mi”, and hand-made pickles. The menu varies everyday according to seasonal Ingredients available.
Food may be served in a buffet style from time to time.
Former gymnasium space. Can be used for different purposes including seminars or sports.
Projector, screen, whiteboard are available for rental. (required booking and separate payment)
Badminton set, balls and other sports equipment are free to use during your stay.
The playground, which is completely covered with snow in winter, is the best place for playing in the snow. We have a snow-shoes for rent as needed.
Lodging: 955 square meters of wooden two-stories structure
Guest room: Six in total (Four rooms with capacity of sixteen people / two rooms with capacity of eight people)
Maximum capacity: 80 people
Large hall: 652 square meters / steel construction
Bath rooms: Shower only. Separate rooms for male/female guests.
Toilets: Two locations on the ground level for male and female / one location on the upper level
Washing machine, dryer: 2 (free of charge)
Other: Valuables locker (free of charge)
Parking: up to 30 cars (free of charge)
Matsunoyama Sansho Primary School was founded in 1875 as a school for children living in the Sansho area, consisting of the three villages Kotani, Mizunashi and Oarato. The total number of students, which was 247 in 1945, began to decline after reaching a peak in the 1960s. The school was closed in 1989, after a 114-year history. The school began its new history as “Sansho House” in time for Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2006 after local people explored options for making the best use of the closed school with its fond memories. Local people always look forward to seeing the lit-up school overlooking the village.
