【FOCUS IT.] Eat, Ski, and Be Fit. Risonare Tomamu was the best!

When one hears the words "winter resort," the name "Niseko" surely comes to mind. While the international bustle and high cost of living have attracted a lot of attention, there is another destination that offers a different kind of appeal: Risonare Tomamu, located almost in the center of Hokkaido. The vast slopes are covered with powdery snow, and the luxurious guest rooms feature private saunas and whirlpool baths with a view. There are also many stores, restaurants, and activities within the facility, making it feel more like a "town" than a facility. The editorial staff and friends visited such a place!

Text_Keisuke Kimura
Edit_Shuhei Wakiyama

The snow in Hokkaido is exceptional. You are not afraid to fall down.

Risonare Tomamu, operated by Hoshino Resort, is a large-scale mountain resort located in Shimukappu Village in the center of Hokkaido.

It is known in Hokkaido as a resort complex that can be enjoyed not only in winter but also throughout the year. It takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes from New Chitose Airport by express train and about 2 hours from Sapporo by car.

After checking in, we headed directly from the hotel to the slopes. Blessed with stable snowfall and good powder snow in winter, the snow is always soft and fluffy. Those who have only been to ski resorts in Honshu will be surprised. There are no skinny areas, so it is really easy to ski even for beginners.

The slopes have a total of 29 courses from beginner to advanced, with six lifts and a total distance of 21.5 km. The courses are designed for both beginners and advanced skiers, with steep slopes, gentle slopes, bumps, and a course where sledding (snow carts) can be used.

When you come here, we recommend renting gear. This is because the Salomon Atomic Station was the only place to rent gear until now, but the VECTOR GLIDE demo center opened at the beginning of this year. You can now rent boards from VECTOR GLIDE.

They have the fastest models for powder, the most maneuverable models, and even competitive models, and you can rent for as little as 2 hours and change boards along the way. Another nice feature is that you get cash back when you actually purchase a board.

I tried it out and found that I could ride it very fast. The board I borrowed was bigger and thicker than most boards, so it might be a little scary if you are not used to it, but it was very stable and fun to ride. You should definitely give it a try.

We had curry during our break, and it was nice to have this authentic and authentic taste while skiing. You can also go to "Firefly Street," Japan's first ski-in ski-out village with a restaurant street that you can enter directly after skiing, or just have a quick bite to eat.

Yes, I remember that one of the guests took a chance to try skiing for the first time after seeing the snowy landscape. Everyone had a great time, but as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, skiing is not a must because there are various facilities at "Risonale Tomamu". There are many places where you can have fun without hitting the slopes, and in fact, it is said that some of the repeaters don't mind spending two nights and three days without hitting the slopes at all.

Everything you've ever wanted to eat is there.

This is Hokkaido, and it is run by Hoshino Resort. The food here is impeccable.

There is not just one place to eat, there are buffets, ramen and Genghis Khan restaurants, and regular izakaya. There are also Italian restaurants. Among them, the restaurant we visited every time was Nininupuri, a buffet-style restaurant in the forest where you can enjoy Hokkaido ingredients.

With its high glass ceiling, dining while looking out at the snow is an uplifting experience, especially at night when the atmosphere is exotic. The dining room is the face of "Resonare Tomamu," and the menu offers a variety of dishes from teppanyaki beef to vegetables, not to mention seafood, which is typical of Hokkaido.

Buffet with a wide variety.

After all, freshly grilled meat is the best!

Even seafood is abundant.

The toppings for the soft-serve ice cream are also very confusing.

Even soba noodles are on standby.

There is also a place where the cheesemaking process is shown right in front of you.

Mozzarella cheese is made.

The finished cheese is made into pizza. They are baked in an authentic oven.

The two finished pizzas are excellent.

The resort's recycling-oriented agriculture project, Farm Hoshino, raises dairy cows, and the pizza is topped with a generous amount of cheese made from their milk and baked in a stove. The soft-serve ice cream made from the same milk is also extremely rich and melty, yet has a refreshing aftertaste. The secret is that they use pasteurization and non-homogenizing methods so that the original flavor of the milk can be enjoyed.

By the way, breakfast is also served at the buffet, but there were so many different kinds of side dishes that I ended up having three more bowls of rice because I wanted to try them all. The first bowl was the famous Kaiho-don, the second was grilled oily fish, and the third was curry, I think. Of course, I didn't forget the French toast.

Especially when it comes to dinner, some people may prefer a leisurely drink rather than a buffet, while others may be tired and just want to grab a quick bite. Don't worry, there are restaurants scattered throughout the facility for such people. There are even some very high-end restaurants!

A full range of facilities and content to accommodate all kinds of people.

The rooms at the "Risonale Tomamu" are outstanding. All rooms are suites and spacious, and each room has a jet bath with a view and a sauna. The saunas are so hot that they will instantly warm your body and toes after a long day on the ski slopes. With such a lukewarm environment, you can be strong even on the snow.

There is also an "ice village" that opens only at night, where you can eat, drink, ice skate, and shop in a space made of ice. The lights are beautiful, and although you have to take a bus from your hotel, it is worth a visit. The specialty is the ramen noodles, which are served just before the ice freezes.

We stayed for three days and two nights, but these days were not enough at all. Without any compliments, there is so much to do, see, and eat at "Resonare Tomamu" that I could have stayed a week and not gotten tired of it.

Besides, if you go with a large group, some may want to ski, some may not want to ski but want to play in the snow, some may want to read by the fireplace, and some may not want to leave their guest rooms. The great thing about "Resonare Tomamu" was that it had the capacity to meet all such requests.

I forgot to mention that all the photos in this issue were iPhone 16 Pro Max by the editorial team.