The original account praises Hokkaido's snow as among the world's finest.
It explains that cold Siberian air crosses the Sea of Japan and brings heavy snow to Hokkaido's west coast. Afterward, dry air moves inland toward Niseko, Furano and Tokachi, rises over the mountains and cools further, forming more snow clouds and soft powder.
I visited Hoshino Resorts Tomamu to enjoy winter activities in this snowy setting.
The source describes Tomamu's accommodation as The Tower, with 535 rooms, and RISONARE Tomamu, with 200.
I chose RISONARE Tomamu, higher on the plateau, where all rooms are suites of at least 100 m² with a view-facing whirlpool bath and sauna.
Beside reception on the entrance floor, sofas and a hearth provide a place to check in.
It looked like a good place to gather by the fire and share winter stories in the evening.
It already felt warm and welcoming.
RISONARE Tomamu has North and South towers on either side of the central reception area.
The walk to either tower is substantial, fitting the resort's scale.
On the way to the South Tower, the lobby has a book café and a children's café area.
Book & Café offered complimentary drinks from 10:00 to 22:00, with guests free to come and go.
A drinking-water dispenser was available 24 hours a day for the tumblers supplied in the rooms. Filled tumblers could be taken back upstairs.
The slightly raised seating area had sofas, which felt more comfortable than the seats below.
Across from Book & Café was a family lounge.
Children could read picture books
or play with toys, rather like a children's café.
There were washing machines and dryers,
and ski lockers too.
The ski lockers were free to use after asking reception.
After looking around, I headed to the room.
For this stay I chose the Skiers' Suite, designed for winter ski travelers.
The whole room was full of character built around skiing.
The entrance had equipment-drying facilities and storage for boards, clothing, gloves and helmets.
A seat resembling a ski or board was particularly useful for putting on and taking off equipment. A thoughtful touch.
Inside was a spacious living room.
The print behind the television showed Mount Tomamu and its actual ski runs.
A chairlift seat stood by the window.
It reused a single chair from the Tomamu ski area. Sitting there looking out gave a hint of being on the slopes.
Wooden skis and poles decorated the wall, creating a setting that felt made for photographs.
Other ski-related objects were tucked around the room, making them fun to spot.
On the shelf were tumblers for collecting water from Book & Café near reception.
I was told bottled water had previously been supplied, with tumblers introduced to reduce plastic as an environmental measure.
Opposite the entrance were a washbasin,
a glass shower enclosure,
a sauna to warm up in during winter,
and RISONARE Tomamu's highlight: the whirlpool bath.
After skiing, the bath's bubble jets were waiting when I returned tired to the room.
A warm soak looking down on the runs I had just skied, followed by warming up in the sauna beside it, left me feeling refreshed.
The washbasin area had basic amenities and skincare products, with the pleasure of trying something new.
The toilet was separate from the bathing area, convenient and quite spacious.
The suite accommodated up to 4 people, and the bedroom walls also had prints of Tomamu.
Small skier motifs appeared on the wooden wall objects. These little details were hidden throughout the room.
The window view took in Tomamu's other accommodation, The Tower.
Its enormous scale was impressive.
RISONARE Tomamu must look similarly large from The Tower.
I later learned that Skiers' Suite guests could use a ski/board waxing service.
According to the account, specialist staff at the outdoor pro shop called Full Mark Storm in Hotaru Street would apply the wax.
At dinner time, I headed to the restaurant.
The evening's venue was the forest restaurant Nininupuri.
This buffet is one of Hoshino Resorts Tomamu's signature scenic restaurants.
True to its name, large windows faced snow-covered trees lit at night, giving the room a mysterious atmosphere.
Around 320 seats offered another reminder of Tomamu's scale.
The variety of food matched it. The highlights were hot dishes freshly prepared by the chefs.
Winter, snow-covered trees and chicken brought Christmas to mind.
Thick, tempting slices of roast beef.
The dinner theme was a meat buffet.
What more could I want?
I also brought back salad, fresh seafood and fried dishes.
Forest Restaurant Nininupuri offered RISONARE Kids Studio, a cooking activity for children.
Children dress as pastry chefs and make original seasonal sweets.
Their completed desserts can be enjoyed with the family over the meal.
The children taking part began making desserts with seasonal ingredients.
For winter, the main ingredients were strawberries and blueberries, with snowman- and ski-shaped cookies.
After about 20 minutes, the finished creation was a ski lesson with a snowman.
A professional pastry chef helped them complete it.
Hokkaido cream, fresh strawberries and crunchy cornflakes made a delicious combination.
The recorded price was ¥1,500, including the activity and rental of a child's chef outfit and hat.
An activity that could become frustrating at home with children turned into an enjoyable memory here.
A memorable family experience and a reasonably priced, tasty dessert made a satisfying combination.
I spent the evening enjoying Ice Village.
It had many activities too; the related account below covers more.
An Ice Kingdom on a Hokkaido Winter Trip: Hoshino Resorts Tomamu Ice Village
Night fell at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu after winter activities. This older related-article preview describes Ice Village, a village made of ice, opening each year from December through February. Ice…
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Morning felt luxurious, soaking in the warm whirlpool bath with a view over Tomamu.
I did not want to miss breakfast, so I got up and went to GRILLED・AGI on the 32nd floor.
At RISONARE Tomamu's top level, it looked as if it would also have a lovely atmosphere at dinner.
Most seats were beside large windows overlooking Tomamu's scenery.
Breakfast was a semi-buffet: choose 1 of 3 main dishes—rich homemade beef stew, Hokkaido branded chicken with cheese, or grilled salmon and scallops—then help yourself at the buffet.
There was a fresh salad section,
the day's carpaccio,
sandwiches,
and a dessert buffet with fresh Hokkaido milk.
For breakfast, I chose grilled salmon and scallops from the 3 options.
As a teppanyaki restaurant, it quickly cooked fresh seafood and steak on the griddle.
The thick salmon and scallops seasoned with spices arrived looking appetizing.
After so much meat at dinner, I tried to take small portions, but the amount still seemed generous.
Well fed, I headed out for winter activities.
A special winter day at the all-suite RISONARE Tomamu.
A distinctive themed room with a wonderful view, bathing facilities that held their own against onsen, and enjoyable meals.
For someone who likes winter activities, Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu felt like a place to visit at least once.
Hoshino Resorts Tomamu: A Hokkaido Destination for Skiers and Snowboarders
If winter activities interest you, you may already have visited or considered Hokkaido. It is known for soft powder snow, as cold Siberian air crosses the sea…
errdaytrip.com
Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu
Address: Nakatomamu, Shimukappu, Yufutsu District, Hokkaido
Phone: 0167-58-1145