In this blog post, I’ll be sharing my experience report of a 5-night, 6-day workation at the Ura-Bandai Lake Resort, located in Kitashiobara Village, Fukushima Prefecture, from November 1st to 6th, 2020. Additionally, I’ve created a promotional video for Ura-Bandai Lake Resort as part of a barter stay plan, so please check it out as well.

Now, let’s dive into the Ura-Bandai Lake Resort workation report!

What is a Workation?

A workation is a portmanteau of the English words “Work” and “Vacation.” It’s a new way of working, where people take vacations while working remotely at facilities away from their regular offices. It is becoming increasingly popular worldwide, particularly in Western countries.

In Japan, major companies like Hitachi and Fujitsu have started to adopt workations as a new working style, and it is gaining attention.

What is Ura-Bandai?

Ura-Bandai is a region located at the northern foot of Mount Bandai in Kitashiobara Village, northwest Fukushima Prefecture.
Ura-Bandai is home to more than 300 lakes and ponds of various sizes, including Mount Bandai, one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains, Lake Hibara, and Goshikinuma. The area has been designated as a national park.

Industries based on agriculture and abundant natural tourism resources are thriving. Local specialties include Aizu mountain salt, asparagus, herbs, smelt, char, trout, cucumbers, bride beans, buckwheat, mushrooms, highland vegetables, bracken, and wooden crafts.

Workation Stay at Ura-Bandai Lake Resort

Located within a national park, Ura-Bandai Lake Resort offers guests the chance to enjoy the great outdoors and experience the beauty of each season. With a view of Mount Bandai, one of Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains, and Lake Hibara sprawling below, the resort is just a 3-minute walk from the famous Goshikinuma, known for its ever-changing colors. Its prime location makes it an ideal base for sightseeing.

Day One of Urabandai Workation (Kitashiobara Village, Fukushima Prefecture)

It was a pleasant, sunny autumn morning. Since I live in Tokyo, I took the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Koriyama Station, arriving in about 1 hour and 20 minutes.



The atmosphere was like this.

Next, I transferred to the Banetsu West Line train bound for Aizu-Wakamatsu and headed towards Inawashiro Station. I met up with Kimtaku, our company’s video creator, at Koriyama Station.

While capturing footage along the way,

I saw Mt. Bandai through the window.

After 46 minutes of shaking on the train, we arrived at Inawashiro Station.

Takahashi, our co-founder, picked us up at Inawashiro Station by car. Coincidentally, his hometown is Kitashiobara Village, Yama District, Fukushima Prefecture. I am grateful for this connection.

Usually, most people would take the Urabandai Lake Resort bus to get there. It seems the bus leaves Inawashiro Station at 10:30, 12:35, and 15:45. I’ll also include the timetable for your reference.

buss schedule

Additionally, it seems that there was a direct bus from Tokyo Station to Urabandai Lake Resort. By the way, there was an incredibly great deal available, so let me introduce that as well. Round-trip bus from Tokyo Station to Urabandai Lake Resort, with 1-night stay and 2 meals, for only 15,500 yen per person! That’s an unbelievable bargain.

While there was a package that included round-trip bus fare, we decided to drive ourselves. The day we arrived was cloudy, but it was autumn foliage season, so the roads were full of colorful leaves, and the mountains were beautifully tinted with the colors of fall.

Our videographer, Kimtaku, was diligently setting up the camera.

Along the way, all the convenience stores, gas stations, and facilities we passed were brown, giving the impression that the entire town was unified in creating a tourist atmosphere. It reminded us of the streets of Kyoto.

After about 30 minutes, we arrived at Urabandai Lake Resort.

Although it was cloudy, the air was crisp and incredibly fresh! This is because Urabandai Lake Resort is located in the mountains at an altitude of about 800 meters, and it’s a highland resort hotel where you can enjoy a beautiful view of Mount Bandai up close. No wonder the air tastes so good.

The autumn foliage was simply stunning. The colors of red, yellow, green, brown, and orange were all vivid and beautiful!

Urabandai Lake Resort consists of two hotels: Goshikinomoriand Nekoma Rikyu. Goshikinomori is a casual resort, while Nekoma Rikyu is more of a luxury resort concept. We stayed at Goshikinomori this time, but I’ll also include some photos of Nekoma Rikyu.

Indeed, Nekoma Rikyu was luxurious – everything was made of marble, and the chandeliers and art pieces were of the highest quality. In front of the lounge, Lake Hibara spread out, adding to the ambiance.

We arrived earlier than the check-in time, so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity and visit Michi-no-Eki Urabandai by car. It was a holiday and autumn foliage season, so there were a lot of people. Inside, there were souvenir shops, local products, and dining options.

We ate a dish called “Sansai Soba” at one of the dining spots. It had fresh mountain vegetables from Mount Bandai, and it was incredibly delicious.

Kimtaku had mountain salt ramen. We had a bite, and it was light and delicious.

Mountain salt was sold everywhere, and it seemed to be a famous product of Kitashiobara, made from hot springs. Many people were buying it. Interestingly, this mountain salt was made by our co-founder Takahashi’s father. He’s really contributing to the local economy! Haha.

Outside the Michi-no-Eki, there was something like a farmer’s market, with local farmers selling freshly harvested vegetables and fruits directly. From cabbages to radishes, each item was enormous! Haha.

Moreover, gelato seemed to be popular at this Michi-no-Eki Urabandai, so we tried some unique flavors like acorn gelato and mountain salt gelato. The acorn gelato had a subtle, nutty flavor, and the mountain salt gelato had a pleasant contrast of sweet and salty. Both were truly delicious and refreshing treats!

It was cold, but it was delicious too! The mountain salt was sweet and salty, and the acorns had a deep, café latte-like flavor.

After leaving Michi no Eki Urabandai, we returned to Urabandai Lake Resort and checked in. By the way, Michi no Eki and Urabandai Lake Resort are about 5 minutes away by car.

We had a superior twin room that could accommodate three people. When we opened the curtains, the view of Lake Hibara and the mountains colored with autumn leaves spread out all around us.

Though it was cold, this was also delicious! The mountain salt flavor had a sweet and salty taste, while the acorn flavor had a depth similar to a cafe latte.

After leaving Michi-no-Eki Urabandai, we returned to Urabandai Lake Resort to check in. By the way, the Michi-no-Eki and Urabandai Lake Resort are only about a 5-minute drive apart.

We were given a superior twin room that could accommodate three people. When we opened the curtains, we were greeted with a breathtaking view of Lake Hibara and the mountains adorned with autumn colors.

We then headed straight to work on creating a promotional video! First, we started with drone photography. Although it was cloudy, we managed to capture some impressive footage during our test flight. We flew the drone again on a clear day later, and the results were truly spectacular. Drones are amazing!

We took various shots of the resort, such as the interior and working in the cafe.

We visited the Urabandai Cafe, located within the Urabandai Lake Resort. The atmosphere was great, and it seemed that their signature drink was mountain salt coffee. We decided to give it a try and found it to have a rich coffee flavor amid the sweet and salty taste. It was delicious!

The Lake Hibara Observation Room on the 5th floor had stunning views and was also used for meetings.

Additionally, the playroom on the 3rd floor was open from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm, offering billiards, darts, and simulation golf. There was also a bar, making it the perfect spot for those who want to have a drink and socialize.

There were plenty of places within the resort to enjoy, such as the Instagram-worthy spots, the ping pong table outside the playroom, and the karaoke room on the 4th floor.

On the first day, we were tired from traveling, so we took our time to relax and soak in the hot spring. The hot spring had an incredible view of Lake Hibara and the mountains covered in autumn leaves. The air was also incredibly refreshing. There was a low-temperature sauna, and after using it, we all went to the open-air bath to unwind.

The open-air bath here is highly recommended! The clean air and pleasant atmosphere allowed us to savor true happiness.

※Permission to photograph was obtained.

As a hot spring lover who has visited various hot springs around the country, I was genuinely impressed by this one. Interestingly, Urabandai Lake Resort was originally a Hoshino Resort, so there was attention to detail in various aspects.

Dinner was served buffet-style, with a variety of dishes like steak, sushi, beef tongue stew, soba, curry, and more, spanning Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisines. The buffet offered high-quality dishes. I usually think that buffet dishes can be bland, but honestly, everything at this buffet was delicious and could be served as individual dishes. There were also local Fukushima dishes and even carp dishes. It was my first time trying carp, and it was delicious. Surprisingly, the mango was incredibly tasty as well.

That day, the three of us slept like logs.

Urabandai Workation (Kitashiobara Village, Fukushima Prefecture) Day 2

Since it was raining on the second day, we mainly took photos indoors.

I frequently wear the hoodie of our pro e-sports team, “Creative GAMING,” which our company operates. It’s great for casual wear. On this day, the couple who runs Irodori Inc. and co-operates K.W.Design with our company also visited Urabandai Lake Resort. They are working on a new project to redesign unused or poorly utilized spaces, increasing their value and attracting more customers, ultimately boosting sales. They toured the Urabandai Lake Resort and suggested ways to improve the space. We are excited about the birth of this first-of-its-kind project in Japan.

The observation room is usually used for meetings and such. It seems like a great place to use for larger meetings during a workation! Since we had completed most of the planned photography, we headed to Kitakata City. There were Kitakata Ramen shops all over the town. We went to Ramen Ippei and ate authentic Kitakata Ramen. It was light and delicious. Kimtaku ate ramen with lots of back fat, which was also tasty.

The townscape looked like this. It feels like growing up here would give you a broad heart! I love this atmosphere.
That evening, we spent a relatively leisurely time soaking in the hot spring, eating dinner, and going to bed.

Urabandai Workation (Kitashiobara Village, Fukushima Prefecture) Day 3

On the morning of the third day, it was snowing. Isn’t it too early for snow? We were genuinely surprised since it was only November 3rd. However, the combination of autumn leaves and snow created a unique atmosphere, so it turned out to be a good thing. As it was snowing, we took photos indoors again.
[Various images of snow and indoor activities]

In the afternoon, Morioka-san, the representative of 2Links Inc., who operates the “Remote Office,” a service that monetizes the vacant space and time of shops, joined us. As the weather cleared up, we decided to visit Goshikinuma, a mysterious lake said to have five colors.

We arrived at the entrance of Goshikinuma in just 1-2 minutes on foot from Urabandai Lake Resort.

Goshikinuma is a mysterious place with different colors, such as emerald green, cobalt blue, turquoise blue, emerald blue, and pastel blue, depending on the swamp. It is said that the factors that cause the different colors are the weather, the season, the viewing angle, and the volcanic substances contained in the water. As the colors appear different depending on the season, weather, and time of day, it is recommended to visit not just once but multiple times.

Urabandai Workcation (Kitashiobara Village, Fukushima Prefecture) Day 3

On the third day, we woke up to a beautiful sunny day. We took advantage of the weather and headed out for some outdoor photography.

We captured some stunning views of the lakes in the area, including Lake Goshiki, Lake Sohara, and Lake Hibara. The scenery was breathtaking, with the autumn leaves in full display.

After spending some time admiring the natural beauty of the region, we made our way to the Goshikinuma Walking Path. This trail is known for its beautiful ponds, with various shades of blue and green, formed by volcanic eruptions in the past. We enjoyed a leisurely walk and took many photos.

For lunch, we decided to try a local specialty called ‘Buckwheat Soba,’ which is made from locally grown buckwheat. It was a delicious and refreshing meal, perfect after our morning walk.

Urabandai Lake Resort is involved in a project aimed at improving the Urabandai area, and professionals from various fields gather to create new things in this way. In a relaxed state and in a different environment with free thinking, discussing and creating something new could be a new way of working and workcation in the future.

We can’t wait to try out the first-of-its-kind domestic initiative!

At night, everyone ate at the buffet together, went to the hot springs, drank alcohol, and went to bed.

Urabandai Workcation (Kitashiobara Village, Fukushima Prefecture) Day 4

On the fourth day, we took photos of the hot springs. The weather was a bit cloudy, so I waited for the weather while soaking in the hot springs. The weather in the mountains can change dramatically, with clouds coming and going quickly. I must have been in the hot spring for about 1-2 hours.


After the hot spring photo session, Mr. Miyabe of Urabandai Lake Resort drove us to Oku-Urabandai Ramen-ya. In front of us, we could see the vast Lake Hibara, with an amazing view.

The ramen was a light salt ramen and was very delicious. Fukushima Prefecture seems to have a culture of eating ramen in the morning, and with this light taste, we could see why it would be enjoyable for breakfast.

After finishing our ramen, we took photos at Hibara Bridge. Hibara Bridge was used in Nissan’s commercial “Aiming for Zero Emissions.” The location was really great, and the black bridge looked cool.

We returned to Urabandai Lake Resort and took a break after taking photos in the playroom.

At night, everyone worked on video editing, music production, and creative work related to the web. I love this time when we create something new as a team that doesn’t exist yet.

This day ended with us going to bed.

Urabandai Workcation (Kitashiobara Village, Fukushima Prefecture) Day 5

On the final day, the fifth day, we had a train departing Inawashiro Station at 11:37 am, so we went to the hot springs in the morning, ate breakfast at the buffet, took our final photos, and checked out of Urabandai Lake Resort. The weather was the best on the last day, so we took advantage of the opportunity to take photos. We also flew the drone.




The air was clear and it felt really good.

Finally, we made a detour to Bishamon Swamp, the most Instagram-worthy spot in Goshikinuma.

Isn’t it too beautiful? Haha.
It doesn’t look like Japan. There were heart-marked koi in the pond, and the boat also had hearts on it, which was cute.

Every day, delicious meals, clean air, stunning views, the best hot springs, and the best companions made me feel happy.

Group photo with Team Creative GAMING
Through this stay, I once again felt that workcations are wonderful.
It was full of positives, such as increased productivity, stress relief, creating new businesses, and discovering the potential of local areas.

Without the concept of workcation, I would never have known about the accommodations, the town, the people, and the nature.

In fact, the workcation and barter stay plans allowed us to find new possibilities in rural areas, and we became interested in the town. We discussed and thought about what actions we could take to revitalize Fukushima Prefecture and Urabandai, and as a result, we found many ways to be of help.

This discovery was truly significant, and being able to see and hear firsthand information was very valuable to us.

We will cherish each connection and show our gratitude to everyone involved, striving to provide value every day by taking on new challenges.

The barter stay plan we used this time is a plan where creators provide value in various ways by directly talking to accommodation providers about their needs and problems. I once again thought this barter stay plan was a great idea.

Lastly, thank you to Mr. Miyabe from Urabandai Lake Resort for taking care of us throughout our stay!
Also, thank you to all the staff at Urabandai Lake Resort for your flexible support despite your busy schedules!

We will visit again in different seasons! Thank you very much.

We will continue to do our best to energize all of Japan through workcations and creativity.
This concludes our Fukushima Prefecture Urabandai Workcation Report.

Thank you for reading until the end.

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