Day 1

Shiraoi IC

12:00 Upopoi (Ethnic Symbiosis Symbolic Space)

Immerse yourself in Ainu culture and history

The National Center for Ainu Culture is home to the National Museum of the Ainu People, where you can deepen your understanding of Ainu culture, and the National Ethnic Symbiosis Park, a field museum where you can experience the Ainu culture. There are also a number of Properties within the park where visitors can watch traditional Ainu dances and experience the traditional lifestyle and crafts of the Ainu people. There is also a Restaurant that serves creative cuisine inspired by Ainu food culture, and a store where visitors can purchase Ainu handicrafts.
Reservations are required for admission to Upopoi and the National Museum of the Ainu People. Experience programs may also require numbered tickets or an additional fee, so please check the official website in advance.

15:00 Hoshino Resorts KAI Poroto

A pontoon hut inn immersed in the bosom of Lake Poroto

The hot spring ryokan with its impressive pointy-roofed bathhouses lined up along the shore of Lake Poroto. The hot spring is a place where you can experience the culture and lifestyle of the Ainu people, as well as experience programs and the world's rarest mall hot spring. Hoshino Resorts KAI Poroto also offers a variety of gastronomic delights, such as hairy crabs and other delicacies from Hokkaido.

KAI Signature Rooms "□-no-Ma (Shikakunoma)

Guest rooms with a lake view are designed with inspiration from the traditional Ainu chise, a traditional Ainu house. The table is inspired by a furnace in the center of the chise, and the interior is decorated with Ainu patterns and artwork derived from Ainu culture, while the birch trees add warmth.

16:00 Yuagari lounge (Sankaku-no-yu)

ABCs of Hot Spring" to learn about hot springs and how to enjoy them

The hot springs at Hoshino Resorts KAI Poroto are made of mall hot springs, a rarity in the world. The alkaline hot spring water, which contains plant-derived organic matter, conditions the skin and improves metabolism. In the "ABCs of Hot Spring," a hot spring guardian will explain the history of Shiraoi hot spring, the quality of the water, and effective bathing methods.

Meeting place: Lobby

16:30 Lounge

Experience making handmade good-luck charm bags scented with ikema and herbs

You will make a good-luck charm bag containing the root of "ikema," a plant used by the Ainu tribe to ward off evil spirits, and three kinds of herbs. The time spent working by hand around the fire will be a valuable Experience to learn about the Ainu people's view of nature and life in the kotan (village).

Please make reservations in advance at the lobby.

18:00 Sankaku-no-Yu (hot spring)

A moment in the hot spring like being embraced by Lake Poroto

A pontoon hut with a roof supported by a ketunni (tripod), a traditional architectural structure of the Ainu people. The outdoor hot spring that juts out into Lake Poroto offers a spectacular view of the sky and lake surface, which change color every moment at dusk. After taking a bath, take a break with a cup of itadori (Japanese knotweed) tea or blackcurrant vinegar.

19:30 Dinner at Dining Area

Taste the luxury of Hokkaido, a treasure trove of food

Shiraoi Town is blessed with rich seafood from the Pacific Ocean. One dish that expresses the town's charm is the "Daigo nabe" (hairy crab and scallop hot pot). The rich bouillabaisse soup is infused with the flavor of hairy crabs, and the risotto that finishes the dish is superb. The tableware and decorations inspired by the Ainu culture also add a touch of color to the table.

Day 2

07:00 Lobby

Wake up and feel like a tancho crane!

The Ainu traditional dance often imitates the gestures of animals. Hoshino Resorts KAI Poroto offers a morning exercise program that incorporates the gesture of the red-crowned crane. After a light sweat, a quick soak in hot springs will wake up both your head and body.

08:00 Dining Area

Gentle breakfast with the traditions of the Ainu people and the bounty of Shiraoi

The "Potato nabe with grated salmon" is a dish inspired by "Ohau," a traditional soup of the Ainu tribe, with plenty of vegetables and salmon surimi. A variety of Hokkaido's delicacies, such as "cod roe," "kasubi no kasuzuke (kasubi marinated in sake lees)," and "wild wasabi with kombu (kelp)," will delight your eyes and taste buds.

10:00 Depart from Hoshino Resorts KAI Poroto

10:05 Poroto Natural Recreation Forest

Enjoy walking on the water of Lake Poroto by canoe

Lake Poroto, located in the Poroto Natural Recreation Forest, is a freshwater lake with a circumference of approximately 4 km. On the south side of the lake, there is Upopoi (a symbolic space for ethnic coexistence) and Hoshino Resorts KAI Poroto, and on the north side, there is a marshland.
Canoe rentals are available at Poroto Lake from April to September. The main attraction of canoeing, which brings you much closer to the surface of the lake, is that you can experience nature from the perspective of waterfowl. The canoeing allows you to get close to the marshland, which is inaccessible from the trails in the natural recreation forest, and if the timing is right, you can hear Ainu songs from the open-air stage at Upopoi, making you forget your daily life for a while.
In winter, when the lake is covered with thick ice, visitors can experience wakasagi (smelt) fishing. Catching wakasagi and eating them as tempura on the spot is a unique winter experience.

13:00 Farm Restaurant Uemura Beyond

Directly taste the charm of Shiraoi Beef, a Japanese beef brand

This restaurant is under the direct management of "Wagyu Kingdom Uemura Farm," which handles the entire process from breeding to fattening of "Shiraoi Beef," a brand-name Wagyu beef. You can enjoy steaks and hamburgers made from "Uemura Wagyu," Shiraoi beef carefully raised one by one on the company's ranch in the suburbs of Shiraoi Town. The fine and tender sirloin steak is a direct taste of the charm of Uemura Wagyu.
The restaurant has a relaxing and calm atmosphere with a green forest spreading out beyond the large windows. The owner's favorite movie, "Harry Potter," is the inspiration for the restaurant's playful decor. The hospitality that turns the time spent waiting for food into an enjoyable time, such as Harry Potter-related quizzes and picture books available for rent, is also a delight.

14:30 Rempei Mizuno

Admire traditional Ainu crafts in an original space

This is the studio and gallery of Nerihei Mizuno, a traditional Ainu craftsman. In an artistic space combining bricks and mortar, works such as ita and makiri (small knives), tools of daily life of the Ainu people, are displayed. Mizuno's style is to faithfully follow traditional patterns and manufacturing methods. The individuality that comes naturally to him without any arrangement is overwhelming to the viewer.
The gallery has a café attached to it, where coffee and other beverages are served with the ita Mizuno has created. Custom-made pieces take about a year to complete, but small items such as coasters and pin badges made of wood carvings can be purchased on the spot. It is a pleasure to choose your favorites while chatting with the friendly Mr. Mizuno.

15:30 Amano Family Farm

Relax with exquisite soft-serve ice cream at the Farm's own Restaurant

Amano Family Farm has been engaged in integrated production of Shiraoi Beef for two generations. At its directly managed Restaurant, visitors can enjoy Shiraoi beef grilled over charcoal or barbequed, but what is secretly gaining popularity is its homemade soft-serve ice cream. The farm uses the latest machines used by soft-serve ice cream specialty stores to create a fluffy texture with plenty of air. The original taste of raw milk without additives can be enjoyed with a smooth texture.
The cool and sweet soft serve ice cream is perfect for a break after lunch or during a drive. In addition to goats and rabbits in the garden, there is also playground equipment for children, making it a great place for families to spend time together.