HOSHINOYA Karuizawa is hosting its "Breathtaking Balloon Stay" program, offering views of Shinshu's magnificent winter scenery from a hot air balloon. The program is available on Saturdays and Sundays from November 2, 2019 (Saturday) to March 29, 2020 (Sunday). Refresh your body and mind with onsen activities in its free-flowing hot springs and an exquisite breakfast.

The "Breathtaking Balloon Stay," HOSHINOYA Karuizawa's signature winter activity, takes place in Saku City, Nagano Prefecture, located on the southern slopes of Mount Asama, about a 30-minute drive from Karuizawa Town. Here, guests can enjoy hot air ballooning over rice paddies that lie fallow from spring until the end of the rice-harvesting season.

Mornings in Nagano are, of course, cold. Yet, the scenery born from this chill is breathtaking. From frost-covered trees sparkling in the light to snow-capped mountains blushing pink in the morning sun, a 360-degree panorama unfolds below, unique to the early hours.

During the hot air balloon experience, guests are served HOSHINOYA Karuizawa's original soup, slow-simmered with prosciutto for half a day and enriched with a blend of mushrooms and root vegetables. Its warm, gentle flavor is sure to make this special experience even more memorable.

Upon returning to the resort, guests can warm their bodies from the core with "ONSEN Bodywork" at the "Meditation Bath," the exclusive free-flowing hot spring for guests. This includes walking, stretching, and floating exercises.

Furthermore, a special breakfast featuring root vegetables awaits at HOSHINOYA Karuizawa's main dining room, "Kasuke." The centerpiece is "Jyo-no-nabe" (yam hot pot), a dish rich in digestive enzymes and mucin, which protects mucous membranes, making it ideal for the winter season when immunity tends to be lower. Guests can savor this yam-centric hot pot and other vegetable-focused dishes.

Winter can be a time of accumulated stress due to the cold. This "Breathtaking Balloon Stay" and its special activities offer a chance to refresh both body and mind by embracing the winter landscape from above.

Breathtaking Balloon Stay
Dates: Saturdays and Sundays from November 2, 2019, to March 29, 2020 (excluding certain dates)
Capacity: 1 group per day (up to 2 people)
Eligibility: Limited to HOSHINOYA Karuizawa guests
Price: ¥68,000 per person (excluding tax, service charge, and accommodation fee) (For groups of 2, ¥37,500 per person)