Do you have a place that makes your heart flutter? Do you have a dream hotel you have wanted to visit for a long time? That is me with Hoshino Resorts. I love this Japanese hotel brand so much; I love how they integrate the architecture, local culture, and local cuisine with every new location where they set foot.
Hokkaido is one of my favorite parts of Japan; the people, landscapes, and food there are always 10/10, so I recommend visiting Hokkaido after seeing Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. For my summer holiday this year, I returned to Hokkaido for the sixth (!) time, but only the second time in summer. I wanted a “revenge” trip after the last time I visited in the summer of 2016; there was a typhoon there (very rare for Hokkaido), so I could not go to all the spots I wanted… Shirogane Blue Pond was even closed because of the typhoon.
Seven years later, on this summer trip to Hokkaido, we spent the first two nights at one of my dream hotels in Japan: Hoshino Resorts Tomamu! It is lovely to visit both in summer and winter, so this time I will introduce how I spent my summer holiday here. I enjoyed the room, the hotel’s facilities, and many summer activities, so it was the perfect summer holiday. The period when we visited was late July. In this article, you will learn more about going from Tokyo to Hokkaido and Tomamu, the rooms and facilities at Risonare Tomamu, and restaurant options inside the resort. Check out my other article, Summer Activities You Must Try at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu if you want to read about all the fun activities I tried on this trip!
Head in the clouds: One of the summer’s main attractions at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is the Unkai Terrace. Unkai 雲海 means Sea of Clouds in Japanese, and it is a phenomenon that happens only when all meteorological conditions align. During my two days here, I woke up at 3 AM two days in a row, chasing Unkai.
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Hoshino Resorts Tomamu 星野リゾート トマム
Naka-Tomamu Shimukappu Yufutsu Hokkaido JAPAN
TEL: 0167-58-1111
MAPCODE: 608 511 304*40
所在地 北海道勇払郡占冠村中トマム
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How to get there?
There are several options to go from Tokyo to Hokkaido by plane, train (Shinkansen), or rental car. The fastest and most inexpensive way is to go by plane. There are several airlines, both low-cost and regular, operating flights between Narita and Haneda airports in Tokyo and several airports in Hokkaido. In total, there are 13 airports in Hokkaido!
If you have the JR Pass, a good option is to take the bullet train (Shinkansen). You can take the JR Tohoku/Hokkaido Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Shin-Hakodate Hokuto Station (4 hours) and the Hokuto limited express to Sapporo (3.5 hours). The advantage of this trip is that it is covered by the Japan Rail Pass and JR East South Hokkaido Rail Pass, and you will get to ride one of the coolest shinkansens out there (Hayabusa, the fastest train in Japan). So you can choose this option if you love traveling by train!
Book your Japan Rail Pass here!
And if you love driving, Hokkaido is the perfect place for a road trip as the roads are wide, and the views are amazing. Also, many spots might be harder to reach by public transport, so renting a car will give you more flexibility. However, rather than driving from Tokyo all the way to Hokkaido (approximately 16 hours to Sapporo!), I think renting a car directly in Hokkaido is better.
For this trip, we flew from Narita Airport to Shin-Chitose Airport, rented a car from Mitsubishi Rent-A-Car, and drove directly from the airport to Tomamu (approx. 2 hours). There is also a train going from Sapporo Station to Tomamu Station. I think that is a good option, especially in winter when driving in Hokkaido might be more difficult because of the heavy snow. For more access information to Hoshino Resorts Tomamu, check out this page.
Room and facilities
We arrived in Tomamu! First, the breathtaking views here and the breeze feel so pleasant. Summer here does not compare to summer in Tokyo, and even Sapporo was surprisingly quite hot. But in Tomamu, the temperature was just perfect, somewhere around 25 degrees.
Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is divided into two main hotels, each with two buildings: Tomamu The Tower and Risonare Tomamu. Risonare Tomamu is more on the luxury side as all rooms are suites of 100 m2 equipped with a private jet bath and sauna. On this trip, we stayed at Risonare Tomamu, and I loved everything about the suite, with all the luxurious facilities. Risonare is a brand of Hoshino Resorts that has the image of a “countryside resort with food culture unique to the landscape.”
Embark on a journey into a world of culinary experiences. Each resort focuses on the food culture unique to its landscape and offers an array of activities to work both the mind and body.
109 Years Hoshino Resorts
Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is a large resort, so spending two nights here is recommended. You will also have enough time to enjoy the room and its facilities by staying two nights. The view from the jet bath is spectacular; you can see the whole resort and surrounding nature. They also provide a solution to make a bubble bath so you can relax and enjoy the view. The image of the tub with bubbles is clouds, as the resort is famous for its sea of clouds. It was my first time experiencing a sauna in my room, and this was all I needed to feel refreshed and ready for work after my lovely summer vacation in Tomamu.
Our room had two twin beds with comfortable mattresses, perfect for a good night’s sleep. There was also a living room area that we could use for planning our days. The room also had a shower room and a big bathroom. Overall, it quickly became our new home for the next two days.
Where to eat?
One of the reasons to visit Hokkaido is the delicious food here, in my opinion, one of the best, if not the best, in Japan! Most of Japan’s produce of vegetables, such as potatoes, corn, carrots, pumpkin, and many others, and dairy products come from Hokkaido. Hokkaido also boasts excellent seafood (here I had the best uni-sea urchin of my life) and high-quality meat, including rare types of meat such as venison or lamb that you cannot easily find in other parts of Japan.
You can enjoy many specialties from Hokkaido and not only at the restaurants inside Hoshino Resorts Tomamu. They have an excellent variety for breakfast, lunch, dinner, a quick snack, or a coffee break.
Here, you can check out all the restaurants and cafes at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu.
During our 2-nights 3-day stay, we got to enjoy delicious meals at the following restaurants:
Lunch at Farm Designs Tomamu
A café in front of the farm area that offers dairy products with milk directly from the cows you will see around Farm Hoshino. The great part is that you can take what you ordered in a basket and have a picnic at the farm area if the weather permits. I loved their cheese & melon bagel and raw ham & mozzarella panino; they were so delicious! I also recommend trying the rich Hokkaido soft cream here and the unique Whey drink, which was refreshing and healthy!
Buffet-style dinner at Forest Restaurant Nininupuri
A restaurant located in the middle of a forest featuring meat dishes representative of Hokkaido, such as Hokkaido-style fried chicken and Beef steak with Haskap sauce. I enjoyed the delicious dishes served at this restaurant as well as the design of the restaurant, which made me think of an art museum. It looked so beautiful in summer with all the greens, but I bet it will also look incredible in winter!
Buffet-style breakfast at Buffet Dining hal
You have to try their famous Salmon-Ikura don and the delicious French toast! I also loved their great selection of breads and the detox water. The setting of this restaurant is also wonderful, surrounded by the lush forest of Tomamu.
Teppanyaki dinner at N43°SEAFOOD GRILLED AGI
Located on the 32nd floor of Risonare Tomamu, you can enjoy a beautiful view while dining here. They serve steaks and seafood of the highest quality! You have to try this restaurant for an authentic Teppanyaki experience.
Breakfast with a view at Wagyu & Seafood Shabu Shabu Dining SORA
A restaurant with a beautiful view and private rooms, where you can choose from four Japanese-style breakfast meals, including the representative Kaisen-don with fresh seafood from Hokkaido. They also have a buffet with other side dishes, such as tofu or fried food, as well as salads and desserts.
Coffee and sweets at KUMO Cafe
Welcome to the Unkai Terrace 雲海テラス, a facility unique in Japan and in the world where (if all meteorological conditions align) you can see a spectacular Unkai – Sea of Clouds! Unkai happens when clouds form at a low elevation with little to no wind and high humidity. I also learned there are better chances for Unkai to form in the morning after a colder day.
KUMO (Cloud) Cafe is located near the main deck, and its operation hours are the same as the Unkai Terrace. Here, you can enjoy various cloud-shaped desserts such as soft cream, parfait, and macarons and drinks such as coffee with a cloud marshmallow, iced tea, and many others.
Would you like to stay at the beautiful Hoshino Resorts Tomamu someday? Bookmark this article now so you do not lose it!
Please check out my article Summer Activities You Must Try at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu.
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Happy traveling!
