Sea of Clouds, Farm Fields, and Natural Wines: A Hokkaido Experience. Your Summer Tomamu To-Do List. | TRAVEL
TRAVEL | HOSHINOYA RISONARE Tomamu
To Know Is to Savor! Returns: RISONARE Tomamu, Bonus Edition
About 90 minutes by car or train from New Chitose Airport. Located almost in the "heart" of Hokkaido, HOSHINOYA Tomamu is Hokkaido's largest resort, spanning approximately 1,000 hectares (213 times the size of Tokyo Dome). It features two hotels, a ski resort, spa facilities, and over 20 restaurants. While the quality of its powder snow is widely known, the green season from spring to autumn has also become incredibly popular in recent years. No matter when you visit, the resort is packed with exciting events and activities. In summer, in particular, you'd need to ask "How many nights do I need to stay?" to experience it all.
Photographs by Kaku Ohtaki | Text by Aya Hasegawa | Edit by Takashi Tsuchida
Destination: Gondola Summit Station. An "Ultra" Early Morning Activity at 4 AM
Now then. A major draw for many visitors during the green season is the "Unkai Terrace," where you can witness the dynamic Sea of Clouds up close. After taking the Unkai Gondola from the resort center at the foot of the mountain, you arrive at the summit station (1088 meters above sea level!) in about 13 minutes. From there, a sea of clouds, spread out like a carpet, may greet you. Your chance is in the early morning from May to October (scheduled to operate until October 14, 2022)!
Cloud Walk
Cloud Bar
The "Unkai Terrace" has undergone various enhancements to allow for a full enjoyment of the Sea of Clouds. In fact, it evolves with each visit. It's practically the world's premier "Sea of Clouds Amusement Park" now, wouldn't you say!? For example, the cloud-shaped wooden deck "Cloud Walk" that juts out into the air allows you to feel as if you're walking on clouds. The observation spot designed like a bar counter, "Cloud Bar," is sure to make you want to climb up for a commemorative photo. Seriously, HOSHINOYA RESORTS is still pushing the envelope.
However, the probability of seeing the Sea of Clouds is only about 40%. It's best to approach it with the mindset of "If I see it, I'm lucky!" This advice comes from me, a "Sea of Clouds failure" who has visited Tomamu several times but has never actually seen it. Well, even if you can't see the real thing, the cafe offers food and drink menus shaped like clouds, such as "Unkai Soda," "Unkai Soft Serve," and "Unkai Macaron." When you can't see the Sea of Clouds, why not sublimate your wistful feelings by drinking and eating clouds!
The two buildings on the right are RISONARE Tomamu. The two on the left are Tomamu The Tower.
Recommended for workations and adult dates is the "Design Suite Twin." These are two limited-edition rooms, each a 100m² suite twin room, stylishly renovated.
Recommended for workations and adult dates is the "Design Suite Twin." These are two limited-edition rooms, each a 100m² suite twin room, stylishly renovated.
Recommended for workations and adult dates is the "Design Suite Twin." These are two limited-edition rooms, each a 100m² suite twin room, stylishly renovated.
Recommended for workations and adult dates is the "Design Suite Twin." These are two limited-edition rooms, each a 100m² suite twin room, stylishly renovated.
There are two accommodation facilities on the premises: "RISONARE Tomamu" and "Tomamu The Tower." This time, I stayed at "RISONARE Tomamu." RISONARE Tomamu, a 32-story building, has 200 rooms, all of which are suite rooms with over 100 square meters of space! Additionally, all rooms are equipped with a private sauna and an observation jet bath. This means you can enjoy a "perfectly refreshed" state whenever you please during your stay. And with a spectacular view, no less!
Cloud Suite Room
Cloud Suite Room
Cloud Suite Room
Cloud Suite Room
I also got to tour the concept room "Cloud Suite Room," which is themed around clouds. This single-room suite is designed to evoke the Sea of Clouds even within the room itself. Everything, from the beds and cushions to the interior and even the room number plate, is cloud-themed. There was also a hanging chair ♡ And you can enjoy a "Cloud Foam Bath Time"! When you add the "Cloud Foam Bath" to the jet bath and agitate it vigorously, it creates an astonishing amount of foam! I was utterly soothed by the fluffy, cloud-like texture, feeling like a prince (or princess) of the clouds.
Skiers Suite Room
Skiers Suite Room
Skiers Suite Room
Ah, but the "Skiers Suite Room," launched in January 2022, is also hard to pass up! It features stylish, ski-themed items such as chairs remade from actual nostalgic single-chair lift seats (Gen Z probably won't get this) and wooden ski object d'art. A boot heater is also installed by the entrance. However, what skiers will appreciate most is the panoramic view of the slopes from the room on the 27th floor. You can check the slope conditions from your room and the observation jet bath, allowing you to hit the slopes at the perfect moment.
While it's nice to get "perfectly refreshed," let's take a stroll around the resort. If you visit Tomamu during the green season, you can't leave without experiencing the farm area, which is brimming with Hokkaido's essence.
The approximately 100-hectare area, which operated as a golf course until 2016, was named "Farm Area" in 2017. In 2019, under the name "Farm Hoshino," ranch operations began. Originally, before the resort was developed, this area was used for agriculture, with around 700 cows being raised. The Farm Area is an initiative to restore such land to its beautiful original landscape. Currently, "Farm Hoshino" is home to cows, goats, horses, and sheep, each fulfilling their roles. The soft-serve ice cream and cheese made from the milk of the cows here, "Tomamu Milk," are incredibly delicious.
I watched with a smile as families with children enjoyed themselves in the farm area, but then I thought, "This is it! I'm going to play too!" The desire bubbled up within me.
Giant Hay Bed
First, I threw myself onto the "Giant Hay Bed," a 30-meter long bed covered in hay. Anyone who has seen "Heidi, Girl of the Alps" must have dreamed of this at least once. You can experience it for real. I had to try it! And wow, hay is much fluffier than I expected. Plus, the scent of dried grass is so soothing. Um, is it okay if I actually take a nap here?
The activity "Moo Moo School," where you learn about the habits and characteristics of cows, was also a great experience for both children and adults. What was particularly memorable was the tasting of "Tomamu Milk," which varies in flavor depending on the individual cow, led by Hirotaka Miyatake, who has been involved since the launch of "Farm Hoshino." The composition and nutrients in milk differ depending on the breed and milking period. You get to taste it from original milk glasses, each depicting a different cow. And all this while watching the cows graze! How idyllic and academic!
While I understood the logic that the milk we usually buy is a blend from several cows, tasting it was still surprising: "Wow. Even though they live on the same farm, they taste this different!" You can also experience cow herding (walking behind the cows to guide them). My attempts at "Yoo-hoo!" were pretty pathetic, but the cows really listened to Mr. Miyatake. They were such good calves.
And now, for all you alcohol lovers (myself included!), you've been waiting! HOSHINOYA Tomamu is not only a place to enjoy Hokkaido's nature but also a resort where you can have a fun drinking spree!
During the summer season, at the "Farm Craft Beer Garden," you can enjoy five types of original beers created by HOSHINOYA Tomamu in collaboration with several breweries in Hokkaido. For snacks, we have "toukibi" (corn), a representative summer Hokkaido delicacy. They offer four unique original flavors (soy sauce butter, salmon, curry, cheese butter) – how cool is that! The "Cheese French Fries" served with gravy sauce are like a Hokkaido version of Canada's soul food, "Poutine." These are also very appealing...!
Next, let's head to "Hotaru Street" located halfway up the mountain. As a wine lover, I zeroed in on "TOMAMU Wine House" at the edge of the wooden deck. What's amazing is that they offer about 60 types of natural wines from Hokkaido, which are currently gaining attention. You can taste 16 types of wine (including one sparkling) from the wine servers in small 30ml portions (for a fee). There's probably no other place where you can enjoy such a wide selection of Hokkaido wines at once! You can also order cheese produced at "Farm Hoshino." It's a classic pairing that's "bound to be delicious!"
If you find a wine you like, you can buy a carafe to enjoy in your room. Of course, you can also purchase it by the bottle. My personal favorite was "Pinot Gris Kokoto Aru Series," made by 10R (To-Aru) Winery in Iwamizawa City from Pinot Gris grapes from Yoichi Town. It's a versatile wine that conveys the freshness of the north while having a robust fruitiness. After returning home, I deeply regretted not buying a bottle and ended up ordering it online. Hehe.
And the "Melon Champagne Festival" held at the cafe & bar "Tsuki no" on "Hotaru Street" was simply "divine." Hokkaido in summer means melon, of course! So, this is a bold and stylish initiative where you can enjoy pairing 6 types of melons (green and red flesh) with 10 types of champagne! That means there are 60 possible combinations. You'll be tempted to try them all, but I wonder if anyone has managed to conquer them all? If you have, please share your thoughts. This year, they've also added a festive "Red Melon Shaved Ice" featuring half a red melon filled with blancmange made from Tomamu milk, two types of granita made with champagne and melon puree, and cream cheese.
For those of you who want to "enjoy Hokkaido's nature but still need to work!", don't worry! On the 30th floor of RISONARE Tomamu, there's a workation space called "Zekkei Office" (Spectacular View Office), which is free for guests to use.
Spectacular View Office
As the name suggests, the mountains visible beyond the large windows are breathtakingly beautiful... I imagine working while looking down at the ski slopes in winter would also be invigorating. On the first floor of RISONARE Tomamu, there's also "Books & Cafe," a lounge where you can enjoy unlimited coffee (24 hours) and juices (10 AM - 10 PM). Moreover, as mentioned earlier, all rooms at RISONARE Tomamu are suites. Even within your room, there are plenty of places to work, such as the living room table and the desk in the bedroom! Perhaps even a farm-area telework is possible (lol). A workation in Tomamu, wouldn't that be nice?
I should probably wrap up this article, but it's gotten quite long. That's because the scale of the grounds and the plans at HOSHINOYA Tomamu are just too immense! Furthermore, I must add that despite this extensive text, there are still many places I haven't covered, such as the "Mina Mina Beach," Japan's largest indoor wave pool, and the buffet restaurant where you can enjoy a seafood rice bowl from the morning.
Finally, and this is important so I'll say it again: the resort's "amazing" aspect is that it can be enjoyed regardless of the season or your purpose for visiting.
My next goal? You want to know? ... I still want to see the real Sea of Clouds (I haven't given up yet).
