RISONARE Atami, a resort hotel where sky, sea, and forest set the scene for an uplifting stay, will hold its first "Citrus Academy," an educational travel program where guests learn about daidai (bitter orange), a specialty of Atami, from a local farmer. The program runs every Monday and Friday from December 4, 2026 to February 26, 2027. Participants first learn the characteristics of citrus fruits through a quiz, then try harvesting and sorting under a farmer's guidance. Back at the hotel, they use the fruit they harvested to make an original squash and pancakes in a patissier experience, tasting daidai in a variety of ways. After the experience, participants record their discoveries on a worksheet to deepen what they have learned, making this a winter educational travel program.
Background
Shizuoka Prefecture, where RISONARE Atami is located, has favorable terrain and climate and is one of the leading citrus-growing regions in Japan (*1). Atami City in particular is known as a famous production area of daidai, which has long been prized for New Year's shimekazari decorations (*2). However, children rarely get the chance to eat daidai in daily life, and there are few opportunities to learn about its history or the work of the farmers who grow it. With this in mind, RISONARE Atami planned the program around daidai, an Atami specialty that comes into season in winter, wanting to share the dedication of local producers and learning through all five senses.
*1: Shizuoka Prefecture official website, "Mikan Pamphlet"
*2: Atami City official website, "Atami Specialties: Daidai"
Features of Citrus Academy
1. Look, Touch, and Compare! Learning Citrus Characteristics Through a Quiz
The program begins at a daidai orchard, where hotel staff lead a quiz-style session on the biology of citrus. Laid out in front of participants are real citrus fruits in a range of sizes and shapes and in bright yellow and green. By picking them up and observing them, participants deepen their understanding of the diverse varieties grown in Shizuoka Prefecture. Putting on the program's special costume makes participants feel like apprentice farmers, building excitement for the farming experience ahead.
2. Experience Harvesting and Shipping Work with a Daidai Farmer
After learning about citrus, participants are taught by a farmer how to tell a delicious daidai apart, then try harvesting. Handling real fruit, they can closely observe the features unique to daidai. Next, using real tools, they try the sorting work that is essential for shipping. It is a program that gives participants a firsthand look at the behind-the-scenes work not usually seen.
3. After the Harvest, Become a Patissier! Savoring Daidai Through Handmade Sweets
Back at the hotel, participants take on a patissier experience, making an original squash and pancakes with the daidai they harvested. The drink, made with generously squeezed fresh juice, is characterized by a refreshing aroma and a subtle bitterness. The pancakes have juice kneaded into the batter and are topped with a rich marmalade full of concentrated flavor. It is an experience that lets participants enjoy the many charms of daidai, which can taste even better depending on how it is processed and what it is combined with.
4. Record What You Learned on a Dedicated Worksheet and Take It Home
At the end of the program, participants fill in a dedicated worksheet, section by section, with what they learned through the experience: the various characteristics of citrus, new discoveries from the farm, and the appeal of daidai they felt through the handmade sweets. The completed worksheet can be taken home, serving as a reminder of what they learned whenever they eat citrus in daily life.
Schedule
- 9:30 AM: Depart RISONARE Atami
- 10:00 AM: Arrive at the farm and learn with staff and farmers
- 10:30 AM: Harvesting and sorting experience
- 11:00 AM: Leave the farm
- 11:30 AM: Return to RISONARE Atami; make and enjoy drinks and sweets
- 12:30 PM: Fill in the worksheet
- 1:00 PM: Program ends
"Citrus Academy" Overview
Period: Every Monday and Friday from December 4, 2026 to February 26, 2027
Time: 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM (including 1 hour of round-trip travel time)
Price: ¥12,000 per group of 2 (¥6,000 for each additional person; all prices include tax)
Includes: Lecture, harvesting and sorting experience, rental costume, worksheet, patissier experience (squash and pancakes)
Venue: Studio Buffet Mogumogu and the シトライカンパニー farm
Capacity: 8 participants
Eligibility: Hotel guests aged 4 and over (a guardian must participate)
Reservations: On the official website (https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/risonareatami/), accepted until 5:00 PM three days before
Notes:
- The program may be canceled depending on weather conditions
- Transportation is by taxi (additional fee applies); private vehicles are not allowed
About RISONARE Atami
Located on a hilltop overlooking Sagami Bay, this resort hotel has ocean views from every room and offers views of sky, sea, and forest as well as fireworks displays. Beyond its wide range of activities, guests can enjoy "Sora no Beach Books & Cafe" with its white-sand floor, "Mori no Kuchu Kichi Kusukusu," home to a camphor tree more than 300 years old, and hot springs with scenic views, for a resort stay tailored to their own tastes.
Location: 2-13-1 Mizuguchi-cho, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture 413-0016
Phone: 050-3134-8093 (RISONARE Reservation Center)
Rooms: 81 rooms (11 room types); check-in 3:00 PM, check-out 12:00 PM
Rates: From ¥24,000 per night (per person, based on 2 guests per room, including tax and service charge, breakfast included)
Access:
- By car: Approximately 70 minutes from Atsugi IC on the Tomei Expressway
- By train: Approximately 20 minutes by shuttle bus from JR Tokaido Line Atami Station
Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/risonareatami/
