Hoshino Resort Tomamu, one of the largest stay-and-go snow resorts in Hokkaido, will open a hotel made entirely of ice from January 20 until February 28, 2022. The ceiling, walls, and furniture will all be made of ice, and guests can also enjoy an outdoor ice bath! In addition, a new Ice Dinner will be on offer, where visitors can enjoy a beautiful table surrounded by ice overlooking a forest of white birches while staring up at the starry winter sky.

The seamless dome-shaped ice structure is about 8.5 meters in diameter and 3.5 meters high. Sleeping bags will be provided to guests to keep them warm and comfortable until morning.

Visitors can enjoy a hot spring in the open winter air in Shimukappu Village’s Scan Portopia Yunosawa Onsen. 

The aforementioned Ice Dinner features three ice-themed dishes and welcomes guests to sit at a table made entirely of ice surrounded by majestic nature.

The appetizer includes iced vegetables like tomatoes, bell peppers, and cauliflower. Each is dipped in a warm garlic sauce, balancing the sweetness of the veggies, which become more sugary when cold. 

The main course, Iceberg Bouillabaisse, is covered with ice. This begins to melt as the soup pot is slowly heated in front of the guests, revealing gorgeous seafood like cod and shrimp. It’s a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds!

The frozen fruit dessert mixes strawberries and kiwis with hot wine and a touch of cinnamon. Sweet and sour flavors come together to end the night on a high note.

After a soft opening in July 2021, the Oriental Hotel Universal City has spent the last six months remodeling its entrance, lobby, restaurant, and guest rooms. The property has now officially held its grand opening and will be welcoming guests in 2022. 

Hotel Exterior

Guest Room

Restaurant Interior

Restaurant Interior

Huge Hamburgers

Croffle Eggs Benedict

Guest rooms feature earthy color tones and are spacious and functional, with beds provided by popular brand Simmons, promising a good night’s sleep. A variety of room types are available, including double rooms, twin rooms, triple rooms, and connecting rooms, allowing for a flexible stay depending on the number of guests. Until March 31, 2022, the hotel is offering the ‘New Room Stay Plan,’ a long-stay luxury holiday plan that allows guests to stay up to 23 hours on departure day to enjoy shopping and other leisure activities.

The hotel’s restaurant has been reimagined with a buffet concept and welcomes guests with high ceilings and large windows for a refreshing morning experience. The interior is accented with a green wall to conjure images of nature, and the breakfast menu is based on the concept of ‘Charge from Nature,’ offering a wide variety of dishes to help visitors recharge both body and mind.  

オリエンタルホテル ユニバーサル・シティはユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパンのオフィシャルホテルです
Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2021 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
CR21-2553
 

To commemorate the start of Attack on Titan The Final Season Part 2 on January 9, 2022, some powerful new wall art filled with storyboards and other imagery from the series has appeared in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya train stations for a limited time!

These incredible images will only be available to see until January 9, so if you’re near any of these stations, be sure to check them out! Starting on January 4, a countdown video of ‘favorite scenes’ as chosen by six popular creators will be posted to the official anime Twitter account (@anime_shingeki).

Storyboards featured in this wall art comes from episodes 76 to 80 of the anime series. The largest board is 22.5 meters in length.

©諫山創・講談社／「進撃の巨人」The Final Season製作委員会

From December 20 until December 26, 2021, TRUNK, a boutique hotel in Jingumae, Shibuya, will hold the TRUNK Winter Market 2021. The theme of the event will be ‘outdoor comfort,’ and carrying on last year’s tradition, the hotel will deliver content aiming to warm the body and soul during the cold winter season. The public terrace will be decorated with fire pits and lanterns, creating a space where visitors can fully enjoy the cozy atmosphere. The limited-time event will offer workshops, food, and drinks to be enjoyed with family and friends.

The food menu includes ‘Chicken and Mushroom Pan Stew,’ served in a bread bowl and made with fresh ingredients. Guests can also enjoy a ‘Cheddar Cheese Crepe with Homemade Roast Ham,’ along with plenty of scrumptious desserts. Perfect for the Christmas season, warm eggnog and mulled wine will be served, and kids will love the organic hot chocolate!

Four different workshops will be set up at tents in the public terrace. Kids Gabbeh Painting will teach kids how to design their own Gabbeh, a traditional small fabric woven by nomads in southwestern Iran. After drawing their design, artisans will weave the Gabbeh, and will send it to your home. The ‘Socializing Flower Swag’ workshop allows visitors to make swag using dried flowers that were upcycled from fresh flowers that would otherwise be thrown away. These will be silk-screened and wrapped for a great souvenir. Outdoor Candle is a workshop where visitors can create original leather candle holders. 

At Campfire Roast Coffee, guests can roast coffee over an open fire pit. Imagine how good it smells! Afterwards, you can take home your spoils.

There will also be a TRUNK Vintage Store on-site, where hotel staff will sell decorations and furniture no longer needed in the hotel, as well as clothes and other goods. 

Nagoya Tokyu Hotel has launched its second plan in collaboration with the Sylvanian Families.

This plan allows you to enjoy the world of the Sylvanian Families, a series of dollhouse toys that have been loved by many fans since their launch in 1985. Following on from the first plan, which was very popular, the new plan allows guests to enjoy the hotel’s original fruit sandwiches with Sylvanian Families characters imprinted on them at breakfast, as well as the opportunity to dress the dolls in a custom dress that can be freely decorated with lace and accessories to create your own Sylvanian Families.

In this plan, the space with sofas and tables in the room has been converted into a kids’ space with play mats so that even small children can play safely. The kids’ space is filled with houses and buildings from the “Sylvanian Families” series that kids can actually touch and play with, such as the “Big House with a Red Roof (Classic Color),” the “Doki Doki Tree House in the Forest”, and the “Dreamy Amusement Park in the Castle”, as well as the chocolate-covered rabbit girl “Flare” and many other friends. There will also be a red and white polka-dot dress (size 110 only) that kids can try on to match with “Flare”.

The number of adult fans who enjoy taking pictures of cute Sylvanian Families scenes and posting them on social media is also increasing very quickly. Let’s enjoy the world of “Sylvanian Families” to the fullest!

© EPOCH

Matsuzakaya Nagoya is holding an exhibition to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the birth of Miffy, created by Dutch illustrator Dick Bruna, until January 16, 2022. The theme of the exhibition is “with”. It introduces the story of Miffy and her friends, with more than 300 precious original drawings, sketches, and creative notes.

Miffy the Ghost, 2001. (Manuscript)

Miffy the Ghost, 2001. (Manuscript)

Queen Miffy, 2007. (Manuscript)

Miffy and Poppy Pig, 2011. (Manuscript)

Miffy in the snow, 1963. (Manuscript)

Original Goods

UFD Miffy Set of 4  ￥4,400（Tax Included）

Rollbahn M 　￥638（Tax Included）

Pounch M ￥1,760（Tax Included）

Half Zip ￥1,650（Tax Included）

Floating Pen ￥1,320（Tax Included）

This exhibition marks the first visit to Japan of the original drawings including “Usako-chan: Obake ni naru” (2001) and “Usako-chan wa Jyoou-sama” (2007), as well as reference materials. Also, the original drawings of “Usako-chan on Snow Day” (1963), one of Miffy’s first four works that has only visited Japan once before, and which features a winter outfit, is exhibited together for the first time. In addition, the exhibition reveals the memories and creative fascination of Bruna, who developed close friendships with Japanese picture book authors and children’s literature writers and had a significant influence on the picture book culture in Japan.

The original drawings for “Usako-chan: Obake ni naru” (2001), “Usako-chan wa Jyo-oh-sama” (2007), and “Usako-chan to Fugako-chan” (2011), which was the last work to feature Miffy, are all in Japan for the first time. These drawings tell the story of Miffy playing ghosts, flying airplanes, and spending time with her family and friends.

It is also an opportunity for visitors to trace the creative process of Bruna with notes that show how he repeatedly tweaked his words and cuts that were not selected for the books.

Digital communication company Hitohata will be holding a special Flower and Digital Art Festival at the Ito Family Historic Residence in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture from December 16 to December 19, 2021. T

he location is a recognized cultural property, and the event will feature projection mapping and flower arrangements. The location is usually closed to the public, so this is an amazing opportunity to see a piece of Japanese history up close!

The Ito family was a part of the Kawai Ito family, a merchant family during the Edo Period. The house consists of the main house, tatami rooms, and storehouses. This gives a glimpse into how people lived hundreds of years ago. The main house was completed around 1722. 

Each Hoshinoya location has its own unique theme, and all offer an extraordinary experience. Hoshinoya Karuizawa, a resort in Nagano Prefecture, has opened reservations for the Starry Winter Anniversary Plan, allowing couples to celebrate their love away from the hustle and bustle of the city beneath the dazzling winter sky. The staff at the resort will assist couples in celebrating the special day at various locations around the resort, and a custom-made photo tour will also be included!

Surrounded by rich nature at the foot of Mt. Asama, Karuizawa reaches low temperatures in winter, creating beautiful scenery dotted with icy trees and snow glistening in the sunlight. This plan is perfect for those who want to escape the stresses of the current pandemic. 

A Special Seat on the Ice

The Karuizawa Wild Bird Sanctuary is located directly beside Hoshinoya Karuizawa and houses the Kera Pond at the entrance. Used as an outdoor skating rink during the winter months, a large two-person seating area is erected on the ice which can only be reserved for couples. Lovebirds can enjoy champagne, dried fruits, and cheese as they gaze up at the starry sky. 

Guest Rooms Decorated for the Celebration

With rooms offering spectacular nature views, couples can enjoy herbal tea, sweets, and flower arrangements only included in this special plan. The flowers may be taken home, and the sweets include florentines made with miso, a specialty of the Shinshu area. They are said to be ‘sweets that bring happiness,’ and may be the key to many more happy years together!

Custom-Made Photo Tour

The landscape around the resort pays homage to traditional Japanese landscaping and includes terraced rice paddies, rivers, and unique vegetation. The custom-made photo tour is a private tour limited to one group, in which couples stroll around the grounds with a photographer to take photos at these spectacular locations. These will be made into an album with the Hoshinoya Karuizawa logo. 

The men’s side of the popular Gelato Pique loungewear brand, Gelato Pique Homme, will open a pop-up shop at the Matsuzakaya Nagoya location from December 1 until December 26, 2021. 

Lineup

Striped Sweaters in 2 Limited Christmas Colors

Powder Big Logo Series

Gelato Pique Homme Cosme

The lineup includes new items made from the brand’s signature material ‘Gelato,’ which offers luxurious and high-quality comfort and a light and fluffy feel. Be sure to grab something to wear by the fire this holiday season!

Lifestyle shop Awesome Store is collaborating with the MIMARU hotel chain to create a secluded and supremely cozy Christmas Room. The special room will only be available from December 1 until December 25, 2021. Each spacious room features a kitchen and is decorated with plenty of holiday goodness, making it the best place to spend the Christmas season with family and friends. 

Original tableware from Awesome Store will be left in each room, so guests can easily throw a Christmas party by having food delivered or grabbing takeout. There’s no need to decorate, as the space will be completely overrun by ornaments and garlands. How would you like to spend Christmas here? 

Not a fan of Valentine’s Day? Want to get away from all the in-your-face romance and just have a good time with your gal pals? OMO7 Asahikawa by Hoshino Resort in Hokkaido is offering a limited-time polar bear-themed Valentine’s Day Girls’ Party package for all of February 2022. The single polar bear room, opened in November 2020, will be transformed into its Valentine’s Day version. 

Valentine’s Day has been popular in Japan for many years and is a day when women give gifts to men to express their feelings. However, in recent years, it has also become a less romantic event for some–people are buying chocolate for themselves, or giving candies to friends. The polar bear room is perfect for girlfriends who just want to relax and have a good time. Why a polar bear? The Asahikawa Zoo is nearby and is an incredibly popular attraction.

The Polar Bear Valentine Room, Only Available for One Party per Day

Decorated from top to bottom in cute bears, guests can also wear matching polar bear loungewear, perfect for those Instagram shots. This will be a girls’ gathering you’ll never forget!

Polar Bear-inspired Snacks for the Perfect Girls’ Night

When girls get together, they just love to chat. But talking so much can make you hungry, so plenty of snacks will be waiting in the guest room! If you’re not in the snacking mood, they also make wonderful souvenirs. 

Polar Bear Desserts, A Must-Have in Asahikawa

The area around OMO7 Asahikawa is lined with stylish cafes where you can take a break from your daily life. After enjoying the Valentine’s Room, head out into the nearby neighborhood to Fukuyoshi Cafe for some polar bear sweets. The treats are included with the price of the room, so there’s no reason to miss it!

Hoshinoya hotels each offer a unique experience with their own theme. The Otemachi-based Yoshinoya Tokyo has announced the new “Tokyo Lantern Dinner,” which has been proposed to suit the ‘New Normal’ of the Covid-19 generation. The new dining option was opened to customers from October 13 2021 and blends the new rules of restaurant partitions and mask wearing with Japanese culture, using lantern partitions to allow customers to enjoy their food with peace of mind. Customers can remove their mask as they sit under the lantern partition, which lights up your face and meal with a soft glow, meaning you can safely enjoy conversation and see your partner’s face as you talk and eat. Conveniently, the lantern also prevents splashing, making eating out in the Covid-19 era even easier! 

The Lantern Partition was Developed with a Long-Established Lantern Company

Nippon Cuisine ~Fermented~

The partition lanterns were created by Kojima Shoten, a long-established lantern shop based in Kyoto which was founded in the Kansei-Edo period. The original lantern-shape was crafted by the professionals, from the structure all the way to the painting. The unique shape of this elastic lantern allows customers to enter and exit freely, and part of the lantern has been made using a 0.15mm transparent vinyl meaning that face-to-face conversations can be held with ease. In addition, the lantern is equipped with a light that gently illuminates the face and food of the person seated beneath it.

Yoshinoya Tokyo usually only accepts dining reservations from those staying at the hotel, but customers can now invite non-guests specifically to enjoy the main meal together.  They have prepared a variety of options for meetings and events that previously couldn’t meet up due to the Covid situation, such as meetings between families before marriage, anniversaries, birthdays, business dinners, and more. 

Hoshinoya Tokyo is a Japanese Inn that respectfully combines the comforts of the modern day with traditional Japanese culture. The dining room, located on the first basement floor, offers ‘Nippon Cuisine’ made using a combination of Japan’s historical fermentation culture and French cooking techniques.  The menu includes a wide variety of ever-popular fermented foods and seasonings, such as soy sauce and miso, along with preserved foods such as pickles and salted fish. The lactic acidosis bacteria found in these foods is referred to as a “Good Bacteria,” known for its positive effects on the body and its ability to regulate gut bacteria. 

The taste and nutritional value of each meal has increased due to fermentation and aging, using seasonal ingredients from around Japan and French cooking techniques to bring out the flavor, resulting in a new and original taste. 

Why not check out Hoshinoya Tokyo and experience this new-era Japanese dining experience for yourself?