Hoshino Resort Tomamu and Unkai Terrace Are Perfect for a Relaxing Getaway

Check-in early to prepare

The Risonare Tomamu Hotel’s elegant twin towers are located towards the back of the massive resort area. Each guest room is at least 100m2, and each room comes with a hot tub and sauna.

Tons of books are available at the on-site coffee shop Books & Cafe, and Wifi is also available.

Books can be checked out similar to a library and taken to your room or read in one of the hammocks outside (most books available in Japanese only).

The cafe is self-service, and there’s no need to worry about overstaying your welcome. There should be plenty of time to enjoy the cafe, even after checking in early and doing all of your preparations for the trip up the gondola the next day.

Check weather updates frequently

With a 30-40% chance of the sea of clouds phenomenon occurring each day, it should happen (statistically speaking) about once every three days. However, mother nature is often unreliable.

That’s why the sea of clouds forecast comes in handy. It’s available on the Hoshino Resort’s Twitter page, by phone, and even on the TV’s in each room in the hotel.

The chance of the effect occurring the following day is posted at 3:00PM, and the actual conditions are available same-day from 4:00AM.

The best approach is to wake up early to check the conditions. If you’re unlucky and there’s no sea of cloud effect, then no worries – just slip back into your dream.

Visible from guest rooms as well

The sea of clouds, or unkai in Japanese, is a popular tourist attraction in Asia, and people come to this hotel specifically to see it. While unkai is the broad terminology, there are many different types, depending on the conditions.

The clouds often produced on the Tomamu side are caused by temperature variation between night and day. These usually burn off by late morning. They appear at low altitudes.

Looking in the direction of the nearby Kushiro area, which is famous for fog, the effect is caused by the Pacific Ocean, as low flying clouds or fog attempt to pass over the mountains.

Still other types of unkai can be caused by sheer bad weather, and the Unkai Terrace itself can sometimes be engulfed by clouds.

On the morning after my night’s stay, I was able to see the Tomamu clouds from my hotel window in the form of morning fog, which had trees interspersed throughout. It was a wondrous sight to behold.

It takes about 30 minutes by bus and gondola from the Risonare Hotel to the Unkai Terrace, so if the quickly-disappearing Tomamu clouds show up and you don’t have time to make it to the terrace, you can always view from your hotel room.

All aboard! Now departing for the Unkai Terrace

The Unkai Terrace is located at an elevation of 1088 meters. Of course, it’s cold to begin with in Hokkaido, but the high elevation makes it even chillier. But, at least the sun’s rays are powerful enough to heat you up a bit, and jogging in place will help you warm up.

The area around the terrace will likely be covered in morning dew, so it’s best to wear shoes with good grip and bring plenty of towels.

At the Unkai Terrace guests can also stroll around or even hike up the remaining 150 meters to the peak. Most people will probably skip breakfast to get to the terrace early, so if you’re considering the hike it may be a good idea to pack a light snack.

Head back to the room for a blissful morning hot tub bath

After waking up much earlier than usual to enjoy the clouds, you’ve still got a lot of time left in the day, and your body might already be tired.

This is the perfect time to make use of the hot tub and sauna in your room. There’s also a deck chair next to the hot tub for maximum relaxation. Take a nice slow dip in the hot tub for that unmistakeable resort feeling.