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Winter Wonderland Japan, vol. 1: Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU
While spring and fall are undoubtedly the most popular times for travel in Japan, winter deserves its turn in the spotlight, too. In our Winter Wonderland Japan series, we'll be showing you all the amazing ways that Japan does winter right. First up on our list is Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU in Hokkaido, one of the best places for skiing, enjoying the great outdoors, and...dining in restaurants made of ice? Keep reading to find out more!
Experience high quality powder snow on TOMAMU's ski slopes. There are a total of 28 courses ranging from absolute beginner to black diamond expert courses spreading downward from an elevation of 1,239 meters. Several of the courses are even illuminated at night so the fun on the slopes can keep going even after the sun has gone down! Skiing and snowboarding lessons are also available if you're just getting into winter sports or are looking to improve your skills. Experts can head off the courses to the outskirts of the mountain to ski through the wildness just as it is on one of TOMAMU's "for expert" programs.
Daytime: Sat., Nov. 28, 2015 ~ Sun., April 3, 2016
Nighttime: Wed., Dec. 23, 2015 ~ Sat., April 2, 2016
※ The schedule may be changed due to snow conditions.
Lift Hours
Daytime: 9:00am ~ 4:00pm
Nighttime: (Mon. ~ Thurs.) 4:00pm ~ 6:00pm; (Fri.~Sun. & holidays) 4:00pm ~ 7:00pm
Lift Fee
1 Day Pass: Adults \5,400 | Children \3,800
4 Hour Pass: Adults \4,600 | Children \3,200
Nighttime Pass: Adults \2,200 | Children \1,500
※ Elementary school students and younger are eligible for the child price.
Not so into winter sports? TOMAMU's got you covered. You can still enjoy the thrill of slipping and sliding across the snow on a sled... that's shaped like a giant banana! Do this, and you'll entertain people for generations to come with stories about how you rode on a giant piece of fruit in Japan.
Dec. 25, 2015 ~ March 31, 2016
※ The opening or closing dates may change based on snow conditions.
Hours: 9:00am ~ 4:00pm
Meeting Place: GAO Outdoor Center
Program Length: 1.5km course: 5 min / 3km course: 15 min
Cost
1.5km course
Adult (middle school students and up): \1,600
Child (3yrs ~ elementary school students): \1,100
3.0km course
Adult (middle school students and up): \2,600
Child (3yrs ~ elementary school students): \1,600
Additional Information
- No reservations required
Step out into the stillness of a star-filled winter night. The snow crunches softly under your snowshoes as you make your way to a secret shelter. There you will warm yourself with mulled wine or hot chocolate as you enjoy the forest under the cover of night.
Dec. 25, 2015 ~ March, 31, 2016
※ The opening or closing dates may change based on snow conditions.
Hours
Dec. ~ Jan.: 5:00pm start
Feb. ~ March: 6:00pm start
※ Times may differ based on the time the sun sets
Meeting Place: GAO Outdoor Center
※ Please arrive 10 minutes prior to starting time
Program Length: 2 hours
Cost
Adult (middle school students and older) \5,000
Children (3yrs ~ elementary school students) \4,000
Capcity: 2 ~ 10 people
Ever wondered what it's like to ice fish? Located about an hour's drive away from TOMAMU is Lake Kanayama. Open a hole in the ice covering the surface of the lake and try catching some wakasagi, a type of fish similar to smelt. They'll fry your fish for you on site-- a good incentive to try to catch as many as you can!
Jan. 7, 2016 ~ March 10, 2016
Hours: 8:30am~ and 1:00pm~
Meeting Place: GAO Outdoor Center
※ Please arrive 10 minutes prior to starting time
Program Length: 3.5 hours
Cost
Adult (middle school students and older) \5,400
Child (3yrs ~ elementary school students) \3,300
Capacity: 2 ~ 15 people
Winter sports and outdoor activities aren't the only thing that TOMAMU has to offer. They've created an entire village made of snow and ice including a chapel, a restaurant, and a bar.
To anyone who loves the movie Frozen and is planning their wedding, this place was made for you. TOMAMU is home to the world's only ice chapel. The beautiful dome-like exterior, the alter, the aisle-- everything is made out of pure white snow and sparkling ice. Having a wedding ceremony here is litterally a once in a lifetime experience: the ice chapel only lasts for about a month before it melts.
Jan. 9, 2016 ~ Feb. 14, 2016
Open to the general public for free from 8:00pm ~ 10:00pm
※ As the space is used for wedding ceremonies, please refrain from entering the chapel outside of the time specified above.
※ For safety, entry to the facility may be suspended due to inclement weather.
Not quite ready to tie the knot? Then how about enjoying a meal in a restaurant where the seats and table are made of ice? The menu at the Ice Restaurant includes cheese fondue with vegetables, soup, hot apple wine, and hot cocoa.
Dec. 12, 2015 ~ mid March 2016
Hours: 5:00pm ~ 10:00pm (LO 9:30pm)
Prices
Cheese fondue \3,000; soup \700; hot apple wine \800; hot cocoa \500 (please note prices may change)
If you feel like having a little nightcap before calling it a day, head to the Ice Bar. If you order a cold cocktail, you'll get to make your own cup out of ice! Hot drinks are also available should you need to warm up a bit.
Dec. 12, 2015 ~ mid March 2016
Hours: 5:00pm ~ 10:00pm (L.O. 9:45pm)
Cost
Alcoholic beverages \1,000~ | hot drinks \500~
In addition to these special acitvities and places, TOMAMU also has great accomodations, some twenty different restuarants, a variety of spa services, and much more to offer. And those banana sleds, which are really hard to top. For more information about any of the areas or activities mentioned here, please go to TOMAMU's offical website.
Looking forward to seeing you again for vol. 2 of Winter Wonderland Japan!
Text translated by Rachael Ragalye
TOMAMU Ski Resort

Experience high quality powder snow on TOMAMU's ski slopes. There are a total of 28 courses ranging from absolute beginner to black diamond expert courses spreading downward from an elevation of 1,239 meters. Several of the courses are even illuminated at night so the fun on the slopes can keep going even after the sun has gone down! Skiing and snowboarding lessons are also available if you're just getting into winter sports or are looking to improve your skills. Experts can head off the courses to the outskirts of the mountain to ski through the wildness just as it is on one of TOMAMU's "for expert" programs.
Information
TOMAMU's Ski SeasonDaytime: Sat., Nov. 28, 2015 ~ Sun., April 3, 2016
Nighttime: Wed., Dec. 23, 2015 ~ Sat., April 2, 2016
※ The schedule may be changed due to snow conditions.
Lift Hours
Daytime: 9:00am ~ 4:00pm
Nighttime: (Mon. ~ Thurs.) 4:00pm ~ 6:00pm; (Fri.~Sun. & holidays) 4:00pm ~ 7:00pm
Lift Fee
1 Day Pass: Adults \5,400 | Children \3,800
4 Hour Pass: Adults \4,600 | Children \3,200
Nighttime Pass: Adults \2,200 | Children \1,500
※ Elementary school students and younger are eligible for the child price.
Banana Boat

Not so into winter sports? TOMAMU's got you covered. You can still enjoy the thrill of slipping and sliding across the snow on a sled... that's shaped like a giant banana! Do this, and you'll entertain people for generations to come with stories about how you rode on a giant piece of fruit in Japan.
Information
Period of OperationDec. 25, 2015 ~ March 31, 2016
※ The opening or closing dates may change based on snow conditions.
Hours: 9:00am ~ 4:00pm
Meeting Place: GAO Outdoor Center
Program Length: 1.5km course: 5 min / 3km course: 15 min
Cost
1.5km course
Adult (middle school students and up): \1,600
Child (3yrs ~ elementary school students): \1,100
3.0km course
Adult (middle school students and up): \2,600
Child (3yrs ~ elementary school students): \1,600
Additional Information
- No reservations required
Night Snow Picnic

Step out into the stillness of a star-filled winter night. The snow crunches softly under your snowshoes as you make your way to a secret shelter. There you will warm yourself with mulled wine or hot chocolate as you enjoy the forest under the cover of night.
Information
Period of OperationDec. 25, 2015 ~ March, 31, 2016
※ The opening or closing dates may change based on snow conditions.
Hours
Dec. ~ Jan.: 5:00pm start
Feb. ~ March: 6:00pm start
※ Times may differ based on the time the sun sets
Meeting Place: GAO Outdoor Center
※ Please arrive 10 minutes prior to starting time
Program Length: 2 hours
Cost
Adult (middle school students and older) \5,000
Children (3yrs ~ elementary school students) \4,000
Capcity: 2 ~ 10 people
Ice Fishing


Information
Period of OperationJan. 7, 2016 ~ March 10, 2016
Hours: 8:30am~ and 1:00pm~
Meeting Place: GAO Outdoor Center
※ Please arrive 10 minutes prior to starting time
Program Length: 3.5 hours
Cost
Adult (middle school students and older) \5,400
Child (3yrs ~ elementary school students) \3,300
Capacity: 2 ~ 15 people
Ice Village

Winter sports and outdoor activities aren't the only thing that TOMAMU has to offer. They've created an entire village made of snow and ice including a chapel, a restaurant, and a bar.
Ice Chapel

To anyone who loves the movie Frozen and is planning their wedding, this place was made for you. TOMAMU is home to the world's only ice chapel. The beautiful dome-like exterior, the alter, the aisle-- everything is made out of pure white snow and sparkling ice. Having a wedding ceremony here is litterally a once in a lifetime experience: the ice chapel only lasts for about a month before it melts.
Information
Period of OperationJan. 9, 2016 ~ Feb. 14, 2016
Open to the general public for free from 8:00pm ~ 10:00pm
※ As the space is used for wedding ceremonies, please refrain from entering the chapel outside of the time specified above.
※ For safety, entry to the facility may be suspended due to inclement weather.
Ice Restaurant

Not quite ready to tie the knot? Then how about enjoying a meal in a restaurant where the seats and table are made of ice? The menu at the Ice Restaurant includes cheese fondue with vegetables, soup, hot apple wine, and hot cocoa.
Information
Period of OperationDec. 12, 2015 ~ mid March 2016
Hours: 5:00pm ~ 10:00pm (LO 9:30pm)
Prices
Cheese fondue \3,000; soup \700; hot apple wine \800; hot cocoa \500 (please note prices may change)
Ice Bar

If you feel like having a little nightcap before calling it a day, head to the Ice Bar. If you order a cold cocktail, you'll get to make your own cup out of ice! Hot drinks are also available should you need to warm up a bit.
Information
Period of OperationDec. 12, 2015 ~ mid March 2016
Hours: 5:00pm ~ 10:00pm (L.O. 9:45pm)
Cost
Alcoholic beverages \1,000~ | hot drinks \500~
In addition to these special acitvities and places, TOMAMU also has great accomodations, some twenty different restuarants, a variety of spa services, and much more to offer. And those banana sleds, which are really hard to top. For more information about any of the areas or activities mentioned here, please go to TOMAMU's offical website.
Looking forward to seeing you again for vol. 2 of Winter Wonderland Japan!
Text translated by Rachael Ragalye
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THIS ARTICLE IS BASED ON INFORMATION FROM 12 22,2015 Author:Yayu
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