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The Ryokan Collection Heritage Traditional Contemporary
HOKKAIDO - Spectacular Nature and Unsurpassed Food
Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island prefecture is known all over Japan for its wild beauty and delicious food. The prefecture supports a thriving tourism industry, with people coming to enjoy its dramatic unspoiled nature (including active volcanoes, large clear lakes and vast virgin forests), outdoor sports like skiing, hiking and hot spring-soaking, and the delights of its huge variety of food.

Hokkaido has an abundance of attractions; some of the more famous include:
  • Beautiful and mysterious Lake Akan;
  • Shiretoko National Park, famous for its bears and hot waterfalls (it was recently designated a World Heritage Site);
  • Popular Shikotsu-Toya National Park, which boasts hundreds of volcanic hot springs, gorgeous crater lakes and mossy canyons.
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Hokkaido is also renowned for its food. The cold waters surrounding the prefecture abound in delicious fish, shellfish and seaweed; uni (sea urchin), ikura (salmon roe) and ika (squid) are some of the famous products from this area.

Inland, the farms grow all manner of fresh produce, and the prefecture has the biggest dairy industry in the country. Noodle lovers should try the various kinds of Hokkaido ramen noodles - Sapporo ramen with miso and butter; Hakodate ramen with salt broth; and Asahikawa ramen with soy sauce-based broth.

And let's not forget the excellent beer of Hokkaido. Sapporo Brewery was one of the first breweries in Japan, established at the beginning of Japan's beer industry in the mid-19th century, and it remains one of the biggest in the country. There is also a large variety of premium sake and shochu produced in the region.

Spectacular nature, excellent food and premium beer - put them all together, and you have the makings of an unsurpassed vacation.
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RECOMMENDED ITINERARY

Hokkaido-Spectacular nature in Noboribetsu & Otaru 5-Day Tour (April - October)

 Day 01 
13:00  Arrive at Shin-Chitose Airport and depart for the Noboribetsu area by private car

14:00  Stroll through Noboribetsu Jikokudani Valley. Jikokudani Valley is and old volcano crater which erupted 10,000 years ago and is now the main source of Noboribetsu's hot spring water. Follow the hiking trails and find the natural hot spring Oyunuma River, where you can enjoy a natural hot spring footbath.
Or
Visit the Ainu Culture Museum, an outdoor museum that exhibits the history and cultural assets of the Ainu (indigenous people of Hokkaido), and enjoy a traditional Ainu folk dance (registered as an intangible cultural asset by UNESCO).

15:30  Arrive at Takinoya. Enjoy the onsen hot spring baths that boast five different types of water, piped in from Jikokudani Valley, each with a different mineral content, acidity and alkalinity to ease both body and spirit.

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 Day 02 
10:00  Depart Takinoya. Private car transfer to Lake Toya

11:15  Visit Showa Shinzan mountain. Showa Shinzan is a rare mountain which appeared after a series of earthquakes and rose from the earth in just two years in 1944-45.

12:00  Relax and have lunch by picturesque Lake Toya

13:30  Tour with a nature guide to watch wild Ezo deer and giant trees on an uninhibited island in Lake Toya

15:40  Leave for Takinoya ryokan

17:00  Arrive at Takinoya

Please click here to see the entire itinerary
OUR RYOKAN IN HOKKAIDO AREA
THE Ryokan Collection has two members in Hokkaido. Ginrinsou is perched on a promontory with a spectacular view over Ishikari Bay in the historical port city of Otaru, famous for its historical buildings, canal, and arts and crafts. The other, Takinoya, is in the spa town of Noboribetsu, one of the best places in Japan to partake of the Japanese passion for soaking in onsen (hot springs). The onsen source from which Takinoya takes its water boasts six different types of water of varying alkalinity and mineral content.
GINRINSOU
Ginrinsou is located 30 minutes from Sapporo in the port city of Otaru on the west coast of Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido. Priding itself on its historical heritage, architectural legacy, and impeccable service, Ginrinsou is one of Hokkaido's most prestigious ryokan. Ultimate relaxation is offered by soaking in its beautiful open-air hot spring bath set high atop a small cape with a breath-taking panoramic view of Ishikari Bay. For your dining pleasure, French cuisine, as well as an outstanding selection of Japanese food highlighted by seasonal seafood delicacies, is offered at its tastefully decorated Ginrinsou Grill.

Ginrinsou had its beginnings over 130 years ago, in 1873. At that time the local waters, teeming with herring, brought unprecedented wealth to the local region and gave rise to the 'herring estates' of the prosperous herring entrepreneurs. Sparing no expense, they called in master craftsman who selected the very best of the world's most highly regarded wood and stone and erected magnificent private estates.

Ginrinsou, originally a 'herring estate' itself, was moved to its present location, high atop Cape Hiraiso, in 1938 and opened to the public as a Japanese inn. Then, in 1986, after the successful drilling of a natural hot spring, the beautifully landscaped open-air bath with its awe-inspiring view of Ishikari Bay was completed.

Cherishing the legacy of its past, Ginrinsou offers glimpses of bygone days and a grandeur rarely seen nowadays, as evidenced by its red cedar hallways and imposing rooftop tower. Designated as one of Hokkaido's 100 most important cultural properties, it remains to this day a relaxing refuge for ryokan lovers attracted by its superlative trademarks --- breathtaking panoramas, inviting hot springs, and exquisite cuisine, all presented with personalized, heart-warming hospitality.

If you plan to stay for 2 or more nights, authentic French dinner is also available for change. (Except on Wednesday)

Factsheet
Area : Otaru, Hokkaido
Name of Ryokan : GINRINSOU
Address : 1-1 Sakura, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido 047-0156 Total Number of Rooms : 18 (All Ishikari Bay View) Check-In Time : 15:00
Check-Out Time :1100
Credit Card : Visa, Master, Diners, Amex, JCB

For more information, click here
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TAKINOYA

Takinoya ryokan, nestled among the leafy forests of southern Hokkaido's Noboribetsu resort area, is a glorious location to rest your eyes on the wonders of nature as you soak away your cares in some of the finest hot springs in Japan.

Whether you are after the healing waters of Noboribetsu onsen or the area's natural splendor, Takinoya is an excellent choice in any season. In spring and summer, the prime seasons in this northernmost prefecture, the area buzzes with visitors from all over the world, attracted by the beauty of the natural surroundings. Winter is somewhat quieter, with a tranquil beauty all its own, muffled by blankets of snow. Autumn is also a popular season, when the foliage turns from summer green to blazing fall colors.

Inside, Takinoya is elegant and tasteful - Japanese art, both traditional and modern, graces the interior spaces, which are outfitted in the lovely, spare, zen-inspired geometric simplicity of traditional Japanese design. The ryokan's hallways are floored with tatami, and guests pad around in bare feet or special socks, unlike most ryokan, where slippers are the norm.

The onsen baths boast five different types of water, piped in from the famous Jigokudani onsen source, with different mineral content, acidity and alkalinity to ease both body and mind.

The owners, the Suga family, have five generations of experience serving up their exemplary brand of hospitality, having operated Takinoya since its beginning as a small restaurant in 1918. Let them and the rest of Takinoya's staff show you what omotenashi, traditional Japanese hospitality, is all about.

Factsheet
Area : Noboribetsu Onsen Name of Ryokan : TAKINOYA Address : 162 Noboribetsu-Onsencho, Noboribetsu-shi, Hokkaido 059-0551 Total Number of Rooms : 30 Check-In Time : 14:00 Check-Out Time : 1100 Credit Card : VISA / MASTER / DINERS / AMEX / JCB

For more information, click here
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