Useful Information

CLOTHING

Prepare for a variety of weather! Spring and autumn can be surprisingly cold, and so can mornings and evenings in summer with temperatures routinely below 10℃/50F. Pack long sleeves, pants, rain gears, and a hat.

FOOTWEAR

You'll be walking everywhere you go in Oze, so wear comfortable trekking shoes or boots. Make sure the soles are thick enough to protect your feet from rocks, roots, and such.

OTHER EQUIPMENT

Bring a flashlight and plenty of water. Snacks are a good idea too. Consider also picking up a guidebook and a map, though signs in the park point the way. Be sure you can put everything into one backpack, maybe with subbags such as a hip bag and a musette bag, leaving your hands free when you walk.

BUILD IN PLENTY OF TIME

There's no worse way to see the National Park than on a tight schedule. Leave lots of time in your plan for stopping, looking at, listening to, and so on to fully enjoy Oze, and also for waiting out bad weather.

BRING IT IN, TAKE IT OUT

There is no trash can inside the Oze National Park. Whatever you bring in, please take them out yourself.

STAY ON THE PATH

Don't leave the wooden planks to make a trail of your own. One reason Oze is so pristine with wide open marshland is that everybody stays on the wooden planks provided. Restoring damaged marsh is not easy and takes such a long time. Please stay on the boardwalks, refrain from collecting plants and animals, and leave your pets at home.

FREE Wi-Fi AND MOBILE RECEPTION IN THE HUTS

You can connect for free to OZE GREEN Wi-Fi in All of the huts in the Oze National Park. You also have AU, DOCOMO and RAKUTEN mobile reception there. You do not have any wifi/mobile connection elsewhere in the Park.
(There might be some weak mobile signal on the top of the mountains such as Mt.Hiuchigatake and Mt.Shibutsu with good weather condition.)

ARRIVE AT YOUR HUT EARLY

Plan to arrive at the place you'll stay by 4:00 p.m. Sunset comes sooner to the mountains than many people think, and you don't want to be caught feeling your way alone forest boardwalks in the dark.

DOMITORY ROOMS

It's customary at mountain huts in Japan to share rooms with other guests. During less busy season we often accommodate requests for a private room, but there's no guarantee at the time of booking. In busy season, we usually assign one person to a bed or a one-tatami area where he/she sleeps on with a futon.
    A tatami is a traditional mat made of woven straw. The standard size is 1.53 square meters (16.47 square feet). Most westerners come to like tatami quickly because they breathe well, are comfortable, regulate temperature by insulating against cold and absorbing heat, and fill a room with the natural smell of straw. Please take off your slippers before stepping onto tatami mats.
    The bathrom/toilets and sinks are not in rooms but only in public area down the hall.

*** In 2024 ***
We would allocate (at both Chozo Hut Ozenumahan and DAI-NI Chozo Hut)
    * Group of 2+ people : private room(s)
    * Solo guest : private room or domitory room

We have bedding -Japanese style futon- in your room (so you do not need to bring your own), but not linen sheets. You might want to bring a trivel liner/sheets, that might make your sleep more comfortable.

NO SOAP AND SHAMPOO

As a measure to protect the environment, we ask you to refrain from using soap and shampoo at the huts in Oze. There's plenty of fresh cleen water, and we want to keep it that way. Therefore, please be prepared to wash up with water only.
    We have no towel nor toothbrush for amenities, so please bring your own.

*** 2020～ ***
Bodysoap is provided at the bathroom (still no shampoo) and handsoap at washbasin/sink.
Also you can use toothpaste when you brush your teeth, if you bring your own.

LIGHTS OUT

Lights are to be turned off at 21:00. In Chozo Hut Ozenumahan, lights do not go out automatically in your room, so please turn them off yourself. In DAI-NI Chozo Hut, they go out automatically, so be prepared.
    Departure early in the morning is a principle at a mountain. Many people go to sleep early. Please give them consideration, not to make too much noise and/or talking.

EARLY IN THE MORNING

In early mornig as you make preparation for departure, please do it as quietly as possible, for not disturbing others still in sleep.

CHECK OUT

By 8:00AM. Enjoy the beauty of Oze and have a great day!