Other areas for sightseeing outside of Tokyo are big cities like Osaka and Kyoto, places with World Heritage sites. There are also destinations like Hakone and Iga, where you can take relaxing overnight or day trips, but wait a minute! There’s Hokkaido, full of nature that can be fully enjoyed in just two days!
This time I give my report of what you can do on a two day trip to Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU, a place with dreamlike powder snow in winter and amazing cloudscapes in the summer.
[DAY1]
9:00 AM
Takeoff on flight ANA 55 from Haneda Airport! We planned to rent all of our skiing and snowboard equipment and wear, so we packed small. The airport was hot and we ended up holding our scarves and coats. I recommend packing as small a bag as possible when travelling.
What to do (1): Get your fill of seafood with kaiten sushi
10:35 AM
Arrive at New Chitose Airport and get something quick to eat. Inside the airport, restaurants featuring Hokkaido cuisine are gathered in the same area, making it difficult to choose! Despite saying that, we headed straight to “Kantaro New Chitose Airport” on the 3rd floor of the domestic flight terminal building. Yes! Our goal is sushi! Kaiten sushi (conveyor belt sushi)! When it’s busy, long lines can form, but since it was the morning we were seated right away. We started our tour of Hokkaido’s ocean bounty with salmon roe, scallops, sea urchin, and lots of tuna.
12:05 PM
Leave the airport and the scenery completely changes into a snowy landscape. Go directly to Tomamu by the “Resort Liner” bus, which runs 6 times a day in the winter season. It’s about a 2 hour drive (one restroom break), but you can sleep on the bus or plan what to do when you arrive at the resort.
2:00 PM
Arrive at Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU! There are two kinds of accommodations in the resort. The two towers with a mosaic face are boldly called “The TOWER” and very impressive to look at. They have many different types of accommodations and is recommend for family or group trips.
We stayed at the RISONARE Tomamu. All suites are over 100 square meters and include a jet bath and sauna! Definitely recommended for couples or a trip with girlfriends. The luxury of the room increases the excitement.
What to do (2): Glide across 4,200 m on a snow cart!
3:00 PM
Now it’s time to get fitted for ski wear and boards, so we can hit the mountain. After that, all preparation is complete! Except, we chose a snow cart first to get used to the snow. This is a new activity started this year, anyone taller than 135 cm can try it.
This is the view from the gondola (ropeway) mountain summit! I didn’t think the cart would be very fast, but that was a big mistake. They move faster than expected, so we kept both feet on the center brakes; otherwise it was too scary. We glided to the foot of the mountain surrounded in the cool wind, while taking in the full view of the Tomamu ski area. Including the gondola ride to the summit, the whole activity took about 40 minutes.
What to do (3): Ice Village, a town of -20 degrees Celsius ice
5:00 PM
Come nightfall it’s time to visit Tomamu’s famous Ice Village. Once the sun goes down, it becomes very cold, so it’s best to prepare your warmest gear. The area makes for a magical atmosphere, with an ice rink, ice slide, ice church, etc.!
You can enjoy a marshmallow or ice candy shop, as well as a real ice bar! Order an original cocktail in a glass made of ice! It’s cold, but delicious.
This night was an unexpected full moon; walking through the ice village bathed in bluish-white light gave the illusion of being in Northern Europe. It was a very romantic scene for a stroll.
What to do (4): Eat your fill of Hokkaido’s famous crab and salmon
7:00 PM
Now it’s dinner time. Staying one night means one dinner, so no compromising. There are about 20 restaurants within the resort and this time we chose a buffet restaurant, “hal” on the lobby floor of the Hotel Alpha Tomamu.
From salad to Chinese cuisine, they offer various dishes such as curry, tempura and even sweets. One of our goals here was the “salmon and salmon roe maki sushi”. Here you can make requests like adding more or less rice.
Our second reason for choosing this place was the “crab and beef teppan-yaki”. Grilled in front of you on an iron plate before being served feels luxurious and makes this location very popular! I could really see everyone’s love for crab and beef.
What to do (5): Stargaze in an open air bath
9:30 PM
The last activity of the day is the open air bath “Kirin-no Yu”, surrounded by woods. We travelled by shuttle bus from RISONARE Tomamu. All shampoo and body wash is provided and towels are offered free of charge, making it an easy trip with no preparation needed. Heal your fatigue from the day by going back and forth between the bath and the sauna.
Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU URL：https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/ Naka-Tomamu, Shimukappu, Yufutsu, Hokkaido JAPAN TEL +(81)167-58-1111 (main)
Edit & Text: Tokyo Nadeshiko
＜PROFILE＞
Editor and writer. Writes lifestyle pieces centered on women’s fashion, and restaurant information, etc. A foodie born and raised in Tokyo.
