Rock art
Japan's sweltering summer heat has been arriving earlier every year, so anticipating similar conditions this June, we chose Hokkaido as an ideal destination for outdoor activities—hoping it would stay cool enough to enjoy onsen bathing as well. Being further north than Honshu, June is also the time of "shinryoku" (the post-rainy, lush green foliage period), making it a beautiful season to tour the region.
As Japan's second largest island, Hokkaido offers plenty: abundant natural beauty, national parks that are among the country’s finest, and a thriving interest in Ainu history and culture, with museums, folk villages, and galleries scattered throughout. In winter, visitors from around the world flock here for the famed powdery snow, especially in the Niseko area. There are also many incredible onsen spots, including Tokachigawa, Sounkyo, Yunokawa, Kawayu, Jozankei, Utoro, and—most famously—Noboribetsu Onsen.
Reception area
However, despite its distance from Tokyo, some of Hokkaido's top attractions can get quite crowded. If you're seeking peace and solitude, you can certainly find it, but if you plan to follow the standard tourist route (Furano/Biei, Sapporo, Noboribetsu, Otaru), be prepared for zoo-like crowds during peak summer—busloads of Asian tourists flock to Hokkaido for the same reasons that domestic travelers do. Renting a car is strongly recommended if you want to take it slow and go off the beaten path, as bus service is infrequent, especially to less-traveled destinations.
Generally speaking, Hokkaido isn't known for an abundance of top-tier luxury ryokans. Perhaps it's too far from Japan’s main cultural and historical centers to have developed the renowned
omotenashi service ethos. While the seafood is world-class, the region lacks a tradition of sophisticated cuisine. Hokkaido's beef doesn't rival the finest wagyu from elsewhere, and the seasonal nature of its produce makes farming less lucrative than in regions with year-round agriculture. For us, Hokkaido is about the destination first, accommodations second.
Reception area
View of the inner courtyard
To make matters worse, the handful of luxury options here are priced much higher than equivalent properties elsewhere in Japan. The three ryokans we visited this trip were more expensive than even the best in Tohoku—likely a simple case of supply and demand. The first of these was Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Besso Ao no Za, a 25-room property in Shikotsuko Onsen, the main tourist hub of the Lake Shikotsu area. Shikotsuko is a caldera lake famed for its crystal-clear waters and surrounding volcanoes. While it didn't make us forget Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, its location—midway between Jozankei and Niseko and just 30 minutes from Sapporo Chitose Airport—was convenient.
Having previously stayed at another of the Tsuruga Group's luxury ryokans (Akan Tsuruga Besso Hinanoza) and after reading Japanese reviews, we had a sense of what to expect at Ao no Za, which opened in 2019 as the latest of the group’s three flagship luxury properties in Hokkaido (the third is in Niseko): fantastic facilities, a somewhat corporate feel due to its scale and ownership, and decent but not particularly creative cuisine. We were right on two of the three counts.
Lounge
Lounge
Upon entering, we were awestruck by the grand interior: ultra-high ceilings, massive wooden pillars, rock and sand art along the walls, and chic, modern Japanese design that could have come straight from a museum. Unique art installations were everywhere — wooden carvings of the now-extinct Hokkaido wolf, a wireframe of a massive Hokkaido owl, authentic Ainu clothing on display. The inner courtyard features a pool with wireframe balls hovering above the water, creating a relaxing, enchanting vibe. The property tells the story of Hokkaido, from the early Jomon period and Ainu culture to the modern age—and it works beautifully.
Bar
We stayed in the 140m² Suite Villa, the second-best room type at Ao no Za. The Executive Suite Villa is larger, maisonette-style, and has two bedrooms, which we didn't need. However, we were disappointed by the lack of lake views from our Suite Villa—surprising, given the property could have been built anywhere around the perimeter. When I asked the GM about this, he explained they wanted to be near the central hub, where most shops and the main Visitor Center are located. This seems like a cop out to me. The Executive Suite Villa, one floor above ours, also lacked significant views. Since it was twice the price of our Suite Villa (which was already more expensive than almost any other accommodation we’ve stayed in), we kept our original room.
Suite Villa, 140m²
Suite Villa, 140m²
Suite Villa, 140m² - Onsen
Despite the lack of views, the Suite Villa was a comfortable and inviting space. The modern Japanese decor was tastefully done, with muted tones and checkerboard-style tatami flooring. The open-air onsen bath uses water from the source, but as the spring is lukewarm, it's heated in a tank and recirculated. This makes the onsen less authentic than, say, Myoken Ishiharaso, but it was still silky-smooth and soothing. The room ticked all the modern luxury boxes: two sinks, plenty of towels, electric blinds, Dyson hair dryer, and all the expected amenities in travel-size containers.
As we arrived just a few hours before dinner (check-in is a generous 2pm), we didn't have time to try the activities on offer. There's an indigo dyeing workshop and a traditional Japanese tea ceremony (both require advance reservation)—we would have tried the latter, but wanted to explore Lake Shikotsu first, given the forecast for overcast skies the next day. They also offer handmade traditional Ainu clothing for guests to try on and photograph, free of charge—the garments, made by a master craftsman, supposedly cost over $50,000 USD.
Abalone Kuzu-uchi from Oshamambe, Hokkaido with Dashi, broad beans, mini cucumber and cherry tomatoes from Shizuoka Prefecture
Tokishirazu from Muroran, Hokkaido
The biggest surprise was the mediocre kaiseki dinner. We weren't expecting the most innovative fare, but would have been satisfied if they'd made the most of local ingredients, even if not best-in-class. But it's inexcusable when supposedly local fish is bland, dry, and — most likely — frozen before serving. One of our fondest Hokkaido memories was our first taste of
Tokishirazu, a type of immature chum salmon caught in spring and summer (hence the name, meaning "don't know the time"). These young salmon are fatty, as they haven't yet spawned. Here, the grilled
Tokishirazu was hard and dry — definitely frozen and preserved. Even worse was Mrs. KI-NRT’s meat substitute, Hirame (flounder) — it was inedible. We were shocked they could serve such a dish without embarrassment. The rice dish, steamed in a clay pot with sakura-ebi (tiny shrimp), was equally disappointing; the sakura-ebi's strong smell didn't blend well with the rice. Everything else was mediocre at best, except for the first dish: abalone
kuzu-uchi, a method where seafood is coated in kudzu starch and parboiled, giving a smooth, transparent texture and locking in umami. The abalone was served with dashi made from bonito, konbu, mirin, and soy sauce, with broad beans, mini cucumber, and a sweet cherry tomato.
Thankfully, breakfast was downright pleasant by comparison — meticulously prepared, with grilled fish that didn't taste like it had been frozen for months.
Breakfast
Service was mixed. We adored Tomoko, our dinner and breakfast server, who explained each dish in detail and clearly took pride in her work and local roots. Other staff, however, were less attentive. During our tour, we asked the guest relations agent about a particular art installation; he said he'd check but never followed up. We later found a sign near the entrance describing the artwork, most of it created by one craftsman — the agent should have known this. Other receptionists responded quickly to requests but weren't proactive unless approached. After returning from an outing, about half the staff welcomed us back, while the rest did not acknowledge our presence.
Gift shop / boutique
One final note: part of the Tsuruga Group's justification for its high prices is its all-inclusive offering — in addition to dinner and breakfast, they offer room service (until 11pm) and all-you-can-drink alcohol (minibar, bar, dinner, and room service). This isn't a huge value for non-drinkers, and even for those who are, I still feel Ao no Za's rates are overpriced.
Still, if you plan to stay in the area, you'll likely end up at Ao no Za — there's really no other choice, as all other accommodations are extremely rustic by comparison.