It was my first time in Asahikawa.
This trip included a 2-night stay.
*One night booked through the OMO official website for a Penguin Room.
I took a shuttle bus from Asahiyama Zoo (reservation required) and arrived at the hotel around 4 PM.
The hotel is right in front of where you get off the bus.
I had heard it was a rebranded hotel, and it looks stylish without feeling old-fashioned from the outside.
Inside, I was welcomed by a cute polar bear!
It made me want to take a photo right away.
Next to the front desk, there was a welcome drink service of "corn tea."
Check-in is easy with support from the front desk staff, so it's reassuring even for those uncomfortable with tablet operations.
After receiving my room card, I headed to my room!
I was in a room on the top floor which had a nice view!
Though compact, it was spacious enough for a solo traveler.
It was a twin room with beds on both the wall side and the window side.
The bathroom is a unit with the toilet combined, but there’s a bathing facility in the basement, so it didn’t bother me.
The bathing facility is centered around the sauna!
There are two types: steam sauna and dry sauna, plus a cool bath.
The cool bath has a walking pool, making it great for walking or sitting on chairs in the water! I found sitting on the chair to be quite pleasant.
The warm bath area is small.
It’s smaller than the sauna, so only about 3 or 4 people can lie comfortably in it. If you’re not there primarily for the bath, I think this setup suits sauna enthusiasts.
The ice cream, apple vinegar, and haskap lychee after the bath were so delicious that I wanted to go in again and again!
On the first floor, OMO Café serves sweets like cakes and parfaits, along with drinks like alcohol and coffee.
I had cotton candy, parfaits, and made my own polar bear Mont Blanc! Mont Blanc is easy enough for kids to make, so it’s something they would enjoy.
Both were delicious!
I also participated in an activity I reserved through the official OMO website.
【Neighborhood Miscellaneous Goods Shop and Café Tour】
We visited cute shops selling miscellaneous goods and a specialty picture book store, where we had cheese tastings at a homemade cheese shop! I’m glad I participated in this activity because I discovered shops I wouldn’t have entered otherwise.
【Local Gourmet Exploration】
Asahikawa’s specialties are "Asahikawa Ramen," "Shinko-yaki," and "Shio Horumon."
They of course introduced me to a few great spots for these three delicious dishes, as well as places serving seafood.
They guide you right up to the restaurant, so it’s much easier than searching with a map, and I recommend it.
However, note that they can sometimes be fully booked or have long lines.
In the evening, activities introducing Asahiyama Zoo are held at the OMO Base in front of the front desk.
It’s designed to be enjoyable even after visiting Asahiyama Zoo and changes daily.
There may be surprises for kids...
I’ll skip the details to preserve the element of surprise!
The 2-night, 3-day trip flew by, and it was an enjoyable journey!
I want to visit again in another season!
