Hoshino Resorts Tomamu, a nature wonder resort in Hokkaido where guests can feel the land of Hokkaido, will open the "Ice Hotel" (氷のホテル) from January 20 to February 20, 2027. It stands in a town of snow and ice where temperatures can reach minus 20°C, and everything from the ceiling to the furniture is made of ice. The hotel appears only during the coldest part of winter and takes just one party per day.
The guest room, built from a seamless single block of ice, has been redesigned this winter around a circular motif inspired by the Ice Dome. A new "Ice Welcome Plate" (氷のウェルカムプレート) is also being served. It is a stay that lets guests enjoy the severe cold and can be experienced only here.
The Ice Hotel in Ice Village
The resort is located in Shimukappu Village (占冠村), an area where the lowest temperature reaches minus 20°C from January to February. The Ice Hotel stands in Ice Village (アイスヴィレッジ), a fantastical town of snow and ice that offers experiences making use of this harsh cold. Stays at the Ice Hotel began in 2008, and this winter marks its 19th year.
Features of the Ice Hotel
1. A Fantastical Space Made From a Seamless Single Block of Ice, Shut Off From Wind and Sound
The Ice Hotel is built from a seamless single block of ice. Rather than stacking blocks of ice or snow, the structure is made by spraying water and snow in many layers and freezing them together into one piece. Building it requires a limited set of conditions: temperatures of minus 10°C or lower lasting several days, plus clear nights with no snowfall. In the extreme cold, water and snow are frozen little by little and built up in thickness until the seamless single-block Ice Dome is complete.
Because the dome shuts out the outside air, the room temperature averages around minus 5 to 7°C even on days when the outside temperature reaches minus 20°C. It also blocks sounds from outside, creating a fantastical space wrapped in silence.
Behind the scenes: Turning the minus 20°C cold into fun! How Hoshino Resorts Tomamu's "Ice Hotel" is made - The passion of artisans and staff behind a seamless single block of ice
2. Redesigned Around a Circular Motif, With Everything From the Ceiling to the Furniture Made of Ice
The guest room is wrapped in a beautiful, transparent ice blue created by Tomamu's severe cold, which can reach minus 20°C. The ceiling, walls and furniture such as the bed are all made of ice.
This winter, the room design has been renewed to bring out the beautiful round shape of the seamless single-block Ice Dome. The living area, bed and other elements are unified in a design based on a circular motif.
3. New: "Ice Welcome Plate" to Start the Stay
After check-in at the Ice Hotel, guests are served the "Ice Welcome Plate." Three sweets that express the world of Ice Village, the fantastical town of snow and ice, are arranged on a plate made of ice. The plate includes a macaron reminiscent of powder snow, a scone served with clotted cream that represents ice crystals, and a frozen cheesecake inspired by the colors of Ice Village. From the very start of the stay, guests can enjoy a special moment that only the Ice Hotel offers.
Ice Hotel Overview
- Period: January 20 to February 20, 2027 (planned)
- Time: Check-in from 9:40 PM, check-out at 8:00 AM the next morning
- Price: ¥28,000 per person per night (tax and service charge included)
- Included: Ice Hotel stay, Ice Mini Bar (氷のミニバー), sleeping bag, room wear, Ice Welcome Plate
- Eligibility: Guests aged 7 and up staying at Tomamu The Tower or Risonare Tomamu
- Capacity: One party per day (minimum 1 person, up to 2 people)
- Reservations start date: September 18, 2026
- Reservations: Accepted on the official website (https://www.snowtomamu.jp) up to 7 days before the stay
- Notes:
- Operating hours and offerings may change depending on supplies and weather.
- Viewing is free during the following times: 5:00 PM to 5:20 PM, 6:20 PM to 7:20 PM, and 8:10 PM to 9:00 PM.
- Until check-in, guests can spend their time freely in Ice Village and around the resort.
About Ice Village
Ice Village appears only on winter nights each year and is a winter tradition at Tomamu. On a site of 3.2 hectares, 11 domes made of snow and ice stand side by side, including an Ice Bar (氷のBar) and an Ice Restaurant (氷のレストラン).
The Ice Chapel (氷の教会) and the Ice Hotel stand at the far end of the town. Their ceilings and walls are made of a single block of ice, and the two buildings are the symbols of Ice Village. Since its debut in the winter of 1998, Ice Village has continued to offer ways to enjoy the cold.
About Hoshino Resorts Tomamu
Located almost in the center of Hokkaido, Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is a stay-focused resort built around two hotels, Tomamu The Tower and Risonare Tomamu. Guests can enjoy activities that let them experience Hokkaido throughout the four seasons.
At Risonare Tomamu, every suite exceeds 100 m² and comes with an observation jet bath and a private sauna. The resort's concept is "Graceful Stay Feeling the Land of Hokkaido" (北海道の大地を感じるグレイスフルステイ). In the green season, highlights include Unkai Terrace (雲海テラス) and the Farm Area. In winter, the ski area with 29 courses and Ice Village, a fantastical town of snow and ice, add to the attractions, making it a resort with something to enjoy in every season.
- Address: Naka Tomamu, Shimukappu Village, Yufutsu District, Hokkaido 079-2204
- Phone: 0167-58-1111 (main line)
- Rooms: 735 (Tomamu The Tower: 535 rooms, Risonare Tomamu: 200 rooms)
- Check-in / Check-out: From 3:00 PM / until 11:00 AM
- Rates: From ¥13,100 per night at Tomamu The Tower and from ¥26,300 per night at Risonare Tomamu (per person, based on two guests sharing a room; tax and service charge included; breakfast included)
- Access: About 100 minutes by car from New Chitose Airport, or about 90 minutes by JR (transfer required; a free shuttle bus runs from Tomamu Station, no reservation needed)
- Website: https://www.snowtomamu.jp
