Interview/Text: Nakajima Chiyoshi (Premium Japan Editorial Department)
Wanting to escape the summer heat and humidity and spend some quiet time, I took the plunge and booked a plane ticket to Sapporo. After driving a rental car for about an hour from the airport, I arrived at Kai Poroto, surrounded by forests and a lake. There, I found the tranquil scenery of Lake Poroto, the Moor hot springs, and various experiences that allowed me to immerse myself in Ainu culture. I enjoyed a 2-night, 3-day stay, savoring the slow pace of time surrounded by abundant nature.
◆Kai Izumo & Kai Tamatsukuri: For a trip to Izumo, including Izumo Taisha Shrine, Hinomisaki Shrine, Yaegaki Shrine, and other auspicious spiritual spots, and hot springs, click here.
◆Experience Kintsugi (gold repair), Kutani ware, Kaga lion dance... Click here for a relaxing 2-night, 3-day trip to Yamashiro Onsen.
Experience hot springs and Kaga culture | The charm of Yamashiro Onsen in a 2-night, 3-day trip to Kai Kaga
- ・ "Kai Poroto" - A hot spring inn on the shores of Lake Poroto
- - Local Room "The Square Room": A magnificent view of Lake Poroto and the lush mountain range.
- - Relax your skin and soul in a rare moor hot spring.
- - A "Northern Seafood Daigo Hot Pot Kaiseki" featuring the finest delicacies from Hokkaido.
- • A commitment to excellence. Massages performed by staff who hold national qualifications.
- - "Evening Gathering in the Kotan": A night of conversation around the fireplace.
- • Learn about and experience Ainu culture. Activities at Kai Poroto
- Souvenirs from Kai Poroto to take home memories of your trip
- - A detour drive from Kai Poroto to the airport
- ・The 2-night, 3-day stay at Kai Poroto passed by in the blink of an eye...
"Kai Poroto" - A hot spring inn on the shores of Lake Poroto
The approximately 60-kilometer drive from New Chitose Airport by rental car is interrupted by a continuous stretch of vibrant, fresh green scenery. The sunlight sparkles, and the cool breeze seems to signal the arrival of late spring and early summer in Hokkaido. This climate, reminiscent of May in Europe, is exactly what we were looking for. As we enter Shiraoi town, Kai Poroto is just ahead.
The facade, with its trees and flowing stream, gives the feeling of being lost in a forest, truly making you feel like you've arrived in Hokkaido. The clear water of the stream comes from a spring.
Enjoy a moment of relaxation by the warmth of the fireplace in the lobby. Relax on the sofa and gaze out at Lake Poroto.
A travel library that feels like you're in a birch forest. It has a great selection of books about Ainu culture.
Local Room "The Square Room": A magnificent view of Lake Poroto and the lush mountain range.
The "□ Room," a unique local room at Kai Poroto, is a guest room where respect for Ainu culture and the natural beauty of Lake Poroto resonate with each other. The room's furnishings convey the culture of this land, from the table modeled after the hearth of a traditional Ainu dwelling ("chise"), to the carved wooden oars and the wallpaper inspired by Ainu patterns. Beyond the large windows, you can see the lush greenery of the trees and the sunlight streaming onto the surface of Lake Poroto. While in your room, you can experience a time that connects you with the deep connection to nature that the Ainu people have cherished.
I feel like lying on the daybed by the window and just gazing at the lake.
The veranda of the special room with an open-air bath is furnished with chairs and a table.
The open-air bath in the special room offered a view that made it seem as if it were one with Lake Poroto. At night, I enjoyed the moor hot springs under the stars, and in the morning, I listened to the singing of nightingales.
The bedroom in the special suite. The Ainu patterns on the wallpaper are illuminated by indirect lighting.
With the "Extended Stay Package," a special lunch box will be delivered to your room at lunchtime.
If you want to spend a relaxing 2-night, 3-day trip"Staycation Set for Multiple Nights"It also comes with an "Ainu Pattern Embroidery Set," which allows you to experience embroidering Ainu patterns onto cloth dyed with the reddish-brown moor hot spring water of Kai Poroto.
Experience the unique world-class moor hot springs, where your skin and soul will melt away.
The hot springs at Kai Poroto are characterized by their reddish-brown color and are moor hot springs. These are said to be a rare type of spring water worldwide. When you immerse yourself in the water, which contains humic acid and fulvic acid, it initially feels like a light, refreshing bath. But after a while, your skin becomes moisturized, as if you're soaking in a beauty serum, and the water seems to cling to your skin. This is why moor hot springs are known as "beauty springs."
"Triangle Bath (Sankaku no Yu)" is a unique bathhouse located in a pointed bathhouse on the shores of Lake Poroto. Lake Poroto is right in front of the relaxation area immediately after entering. This building, based on the Ainu architectural style known as "Ketunni," is unique both inside and out. Cold tea and ice pops are also available after your bath.
A triangular opening leads from the indoor bath to the open-air bath. The indoor bath has two tubs: one with hot water and the other with lukewarm water, both fed by the natural hot spring. Alternating between the two baths helps to soothe both mind and body.
The open-air bath at △Yu feels as if it's one with Lake Poroto. The open-air bath at night, in particular, gives you a floating sensation as if you're one with the lake and the sky in the darkness, creating a special atmosphere.
"Onsen Culture Iroha" is an activity that clearly explains moor hot springs and effective bathing methods. It is offered at every Kai property you stay at, allowing you to learn about the local hot springs and culture.
"Northern Japan Seafood Daigo Hot Pot Kaiseki" - A collection of delicious dishes from Hokkaido.
Hokkaido is blessed with both seafood and mountain delicacies. If you've come all this way, you'll want to try a little bit of everything, and Kai Poroto's "Northern Seafood Daigo Hot Pot Kaiseki" will fulfill that greedy dream. It starts with the local appetizer, "Potato Seafood Treasure Platter with Mountain Wasabi," which is served in a dish held by a cute ceramic bear. Eating local ingredients in the way that locals do it – that's the real joy of travel. Kai Poroto's worldview is alive and well here as well.
A delightful presentation using pottery bears made by local artisans. The potato puree is incredibly smooth and creamy. Mixing in the mountain wasabi hidden in the puree creates a completely different flavor.
Kai Poroto's Hōraku Mori is served in a dish shaped like an Itaomachip, a dugout canoe from Ainu culture. The colorful assortment of dishes, from sashimi to vinegared dishes, is a feast for the eyes.
The main dish is the "Northern Seafood Daigo Hot Pot," overflowing with seafood from Hokkaido. The seafood flavor is abundant. In fact, this hot pot will later be transformed into a broth-based curry. Even though you should be full, the curry will make you want to eat more. It was apparently created based on the idea of Sapporo's famous soup curry.
A wide selection of Hokkaido sake, hand-picked by the Kai staff, awaits you. They'll kindly offer advice based on your preferences. Enjoying local sake and food is also part of the travel experience.
A commitment to excellence. Massages performed by staff members who hold national qualifications.
One of the joys of staying at a hot spring inn is a massage after your bath, isn't it? I was amazed when I experienced a massage at Kai for the first time. Usually, massage therapists are outsourced, but at Kai, nationally certified therapists are employed as part of the staff. I was surprised by their thorough hospitality.
Ms. Kudo, who was in charge of my treatment this time, gave me a thorough consultation about which areas I wanted treated, and I felt very comfortable entrusting myself to her. I didn't experience any post-massage soreness, and my stiffness was relieved, leaving me feeling lighter. The massage at Kai is of a high standard.
"Evening Gathering in the Kotan": A night of conversation around the fireplace.
A selection of alcoholic beverages was prepared by the fireplace. You could choose how to drink them depending on your mood that day.
Gathered around the fireplace, drinks are being prepared. We enjoy the evening while reflecting on Ainu culture.
On this day, I ordered a gin and soda, paired with smoked cheese and smoked nuts.
Learn about and experience Ainu culture. Activities at Kai Poroto
"A guided tour of Upopoy Park by Kai Poroto staff"
At Kai Poroto, we offer a special experience exclusively for our guests: a guided tour of the adjacent National Ainu Museum and Park "Upopoy" led by Kai Poroto staff.
A stroll through the park in the crisp morning air by the lake will deepen your understanding of Ainu culture, which you may have developed during your stay. By learning about the background of Ainu culture and history, as well as the people's view of nature and their way of life, the landscape of this land will appear differently. Each tour participant will receive an Ainu language card personally selected by the staff. A commemorative album containing photos taken at photo spots in both Kai Poroto and Upopoy will also be provided. This is a memorable experience that will allow you to take home not only memories of your trip, but also a small connection to the culture you encountered in this land.
An area lined with traditional Ainu houses called "chise".
On this day, we were able to observe the process of making inau inside the chise (traditional Okinawan house). Inau are ritual objects made by shaving the surface of willow trees and other woods with a cutting tool, creating many thin, shaved pieces.
Upopoy (National Ainu Museum and Park)
This is an interactive field museum comprised of the National Ainu Museum, the National Ainu Coexistence Park, and memorial facilities. Visitors can learn by viewing the museum exhibits, and then experience Ainu performing arts such as "Ainu ancient dance" and mukkur (mouth harp) performances in the exchange experience hall. After experiencing Ainu culture, visitors can stroll around Lake Poroto and enjoy Hokkaido's local cuisine at the food court.
https://ainu-upopoy.go.jp/
"Making amulets with Ikema and floral fragrances"
"Ikema" is a plant that the Ainu people have cherished since ancient times as a protective charm against evil spirits. In this experience, you will create a potion by combining Ikema with herbs such as cornflower, mugwort, and calendula.
Surrounded by the simple and gentle scent of dried herbs, the completed amulet seems to hold within it the time and memories spent on your trip. The sight of participants gathered around the fireplace, each working with their hands as they please, is one of the charms of this experience. While experiencing Ainu culture, you will create a unique souvenir that will remind you of this trip.
The blue herbs are cornflower and mugwort, and the yellow herb is calendula.
I carefully arrange the herbs so that their colors look beautiful when wrapped.
I was worried that wrapping the amulet might be difficult, but I was able to do it using the same technique as origami. The staff at Kai are very kind and will teach you how to do it, so don't worry.
Take home memories of your trip with souvenirs from Kai Poroto.
One of the things I always look forward to on a KAI trip is the shop. There, you'll find unique local products that the staff have personally discovered. KAI Poroto also had a wide selection of souvenirs that truly captured the essence of Shiraoi town.
Wooden bear carvings were incredibly popular during the Showa era, but the bears selected by Kai Poroto from Yamada Folk Craft Company in Shiraoi Town are quite different from those of that time. The expressions and gestures of these bears are somehow very endearing. I couldn't resist bringing one home with me.
This framed artwork features embroidered patterns symbolizing Ainu culture. The unique beauty of the patterns and the rustic charm of the handcrafted work would likely complement modern interiors.
Iyomante, an original confection from Kai Poroto, is served in the guest rooms. It's a slightly salty shortbread cookie sandwiched with haskap berry cream. Ento tea is a wild herb tea made from mint-family plants that grow naturally in Hokkaido. Its refreshing and clean taste is popular.
A detour drive from Kai Poroto to the airport
Mothers+ https://www.mothers-egg.com/
Check-out is at 11am. I drove to make it in time for my flight. When I asked the staff if they knew of any cafes in Shiraoi, they recommended "Mother's+." It's famous for its cream puffs made with plenty of fresh eggs from a poultry farm in Shiraoi, and they sometimes sell out on weekends. The spacious grounds have benches and other seating, making it a pleasant cafe where you'll want to eat outside if the weather is nice.
Northern Horse Park https://www.northern-horsepark.jp/
Northern Horse Park, located near the airport, offers a variety of activities and events where you can interact with horses. There are also stables open for viewing, allowing you to see the horses up close. Along the way, you can enjoy the scenery of vast farmlands and pastures, typical of Hokkaido. Its easy access from the airport makes it a convenient stop before departure or after arrival, making it an easy spot to incorporate into your travel plans.
The 2-night, 3-day stay at Kai Poroto passed by in the blink of an eye...
As you relax in the moor hot springs and gaze out at Lake Poroto, the only sounds you hear are the chirping of birds and the faint rustling of the trees in the wind. Enveloped in the gentle breeze and silence across the lake, your mind gradually relaxes. That alone makes the trip worthwhile. In Shiraoi Town, there are only a handful of days in the summer when the temperature exceeds 30 degrees Celsius. A stay at Kai Poroto will be the perfect summer vacation to escape the harsh heat and hectic daily life of the city and allow your mind and body to rest.
◆Kai Poroto
Located on the shores of Lake Poroto in Shiraoi Town, Hokkaido, a region known for its vibrant four seasons, this stylish designer inn boasts impressive architecture and offers lake views from every room. Inspired by Ainu architecture, the pointed "Triangle Bath" and the dome-shaped "Circle Bath" allow guests to soak in moor hot springs containing plant-derived organic matter. This hot spring inn respects Ainu culture and coexists with the environment, embraced by abundant nature.
A 2-night stay at Kai Poroto is highly recommended.
To fully enjoy the hot springs and refresh your mind and body, one night isn't enough. We recommend a relaxing 2-night, 3-day stay. We suggest a multi-night stay so you can enjoy your trip to the fullest.
Recommended 2-night stay at Kai https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/brands/kai/sp/renpaku_kai/
◆What is Kai Brand?
Kai is Japan's first hot spring inn brand, operated by Hoshino Resorts. Currently operating in 24 locations nationwide, the brand aims to expand to approximately 30 locations in some of Japan's leading hot spring areas over the next few years, becoming a hub for travel throughout Japan. With the theme of "Classic yet new," Kai offers a comfortable and pleasant space with a charming atmosphere, where hospitable staff focus on the essence of travel: "region" and "season," proposing unique travel experiences specific to each location.
Photos by Natsuko Okada
Text by Chisa Nakajima
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A 2-night, 3-night stay exploring Kai, savoring the hot springs and local...
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