A stay-type resort that you won't get bored of. Unconventional ideas that defy comprehensive strength
Hoshino Resorts Tomamu in Hokkaido offers a number of activities that take advantage of the exceptionally light snow produced by its inland climate, as well as a variety of facilities and activities within the area that allow non-sliders to enjoy their time in a variety of ways. It is popular both domestically and internationally as a comprehensive stay-type resort.
"Ice Village" is a facility made of snow and ice that takes advantage of the fact that temperatures drop to nearly -30℃. The indoor pool "Mina Mina Beach" is open regardless of the weather and is one of the largest wave-making pools in Japan, measuring 30m x 80m. "Rime Ice Terrace" can be accessed by a single gondola ride from the foot of the mountain. Hotaru Street is a ski-in ski-out dining and shopping area. There are so many other activities that it would be hard to count them all.
Among them, the unique attempts that appear from time to time are attracting attention as typical of Tomamu.
For example, the " ski-in ski-out kotatsu lounge ".
A corner of Hotaru Street, where you can enjoy ski-in ski-out dining and shopping, is lined with kotatsu tables where you can enjoy oden and sake while staying warm. The mismatched feeling of having a ``kotatsu'' in a snowy ski resort is interesting, and it has been popular since the service started.
The idea was to bring out the essence of Japanese culture within the resort. From a general perspective, it seems strange to have a kotatsu in a ski resort, but it leaves a strong impression on people traveling both domestically and internationally. That leads to fun. Firefly Street is a place where both skiers and non-skiers can enjoy it together, so it's perfect for experiencing the joy, surprise, and satisfaction that goes beyond just skiing.
Also interesting are the efforts that involve music that has a high affinity with travel.
“It looks interesting so I’ll try it” is my driving force
Pianist Takamine Ichikawa was invited to perform. She honed her skills at the Paris Ecole Normale Conservatory and the Swiss Conservatory of Music in Bern, where she won first place in the chamber music section of the UFAM International Music Competition. She holds concerts regularly. She has also been participating in ski lessons and outdoor activities with the Miura Dolphins since she was a child, and currently, in addition to performing, she is an active pianist who skis on snowy mountains all over the country.
The two piano-related projects held in the 23rd season were also interesting experiments. One is a slope piano, which is not a street piano that is placed on a slope. The other is ``Traveling LovePiano, '' in which a piano travels around the country.
The source of the ideas for both is the street piano, which has attracted attention as a trend in the world. The project started with the ideas that ``I've never seen a street piano on the slopes before'' and ``If you take a picture with a piano in front of the resort center, Tomamu Mountain will be in the background, making it look like Tomamu.''
“Tabisuru LovePiano” is a collaboration with Yamaha Music Japan. The idea is to have a special illustrated piano travel to Hoshino resort facilities across the country. At Tomamu, it is installed at cafe & bar Tsukino on Hotaru Street, and anyone can play it during business hours, and receive a special sticker after the performance. During the "Traveling LovePiano" stay, many YouTubers visited and enjoyed playing while enjoying Tomamu's nature, which made SNS abuzz.
Another slope piano is a piano attached to the champagne bar that was located in front of the resort center. Although the event was held in March, when the weather was relatively calm, there were a number of hurdles to the event.
I can't play with gloves on, so of course I have to play with my bare hands. Takamine warms his fingertips as he hits the keys over and over again every time a song ends. The atmosphere seemed warm, but even though it was March, the air was freezing, and the performance was limited to about 10 minutes. He wears sunglasses that are too bright to the naked eye. He finished his performance with a smile on his face, saying that everything about it was a substandard piano performance.
Since the piano was to be placed outdoors, a company that rents musical instruments suggested that we start with an electronic piano.
I didn't want to compromise on the sense of authenticity, so I thought about getting a grand piano, but the sled that would form the base couldn't withstand the weight, so I ended up choosing a model called Yamaha's Gravinova. I have calmed down. The piano is left outside with the cover wrapped tightly to prevent snow and rain from getting in.
Pianos are sensitive to humidity caused by temperature changes, so do not move them in or out of the room. Even in March, the temperature can drop to -10 degrees Celsius or lower, but the piano did not go out of tune during the event. The general flow of the day is that in the morning, the patrol checks the weather for the day, and when the forecast is mostly sunny, they remove the cover and are then free to play.
After all, it was the first time for the rental person to set up a piano at a frigid ski resort. Even in the pre-installation meeting, you won't know if there are any errors until you try it. It may have been a risk, but more than that, they sympathized with the fun of doing something they had never done before, and cooperated with us.
Mr. Watanabe, the general manager who was in charge of this project, told me this.
The sound of the piano resounds. Mysterious slope space
The ski slope piano, which anyone can play, was located right in front of the ski resort from the resort center. If someone is playing it, you can have the magical experience of being surrounded by the sound of the piano as soon as you step out to the ski resort.
Additionally, a pianist held mini-concerts at 10:00, 12:00, and 2:00 p.m., and the location away from the ski resort, along with the champagne bar he was running together, attracted people. She took photos, came up close, sat on a sled, listened to music, and enjoyed champagne. It's also nice to have a person playing the tones on the piano, rather than automatic performance. Indeed, music is one of the essences that creates a resort-like atmosphere.
Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is a resort that continues to be popular with various topics throughout the 24 seasons. Of particular interest is the ``Spectacular Champagne Terrace'' event, which is held only on sunny days from March 1st to 31st. This is the observation deck of the Hoarfrost Terrace at an altitude of 1088m, where you can enjoy champagne and the spectacular view. Non-alcoholic drinks are also available, so everyone from children to adults, skiers and non-skiers alike, can enjoy a luxurious time.
Spectacular champagne terrace https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/topics/2303/
Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is located in the center of Hokkaido, in an area known as the ``Hokkaido Powder Belt''.
There is a wide variety of ways to enjoy the snowy mountains, from the rugged backcountry of the alpine area to local ski resorts and resort ski resorts, making it an ideal place for skiers from advanced skiers to beginners to enjoy winter to the fullest. It's an area that's attracting more than just that.
Tomamu, whose slopes generally face east, is comprised of two mountains: Tower Mountain, which has a gentle slope, and Tomamu Mountain, which has a moderate slope. In January and February, the average temperature is close to -10 degrees Celsius, and the sunny weather rate increases from February onwards, so you can enjoy even higher-quality powder skiing thanks to the dry-out, when the moisture from the fallen snow is radiated away by radiation cooling.
Furthermore, there are many activities that take advantage of the properties of snow. Even hardcore ski enthusiasts can be satisfied with the ``Experts Only Area'' where you can ski the finest powder, and the ``Karifuridake CAT Tour'' held at the Karifuridake area, which is about a 20-minute drive from the ski resort.
Hoshino Resorts Tomamu
Location: Naka Tomamu, Shimukappu Village, Yufutsu District, Hokkaido 079-2204
Phone: 0167-58-1111 (main phone)
URL: https://www.snowtomamu.jp
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