Hoshino Resorts Aomoriya — Hotel in Rokunohe

A review from two Canadians who don't speak Japanese:

The best ryokan I've ever been to, offering many different amenities, an amazing onsen, even more amazing food, and a beautifully themed ryokan. I would highly recommend this ryokan to experience Aomori to it's fullest.

We stayed in February 2025 for 3 nights.

The hotel is very high end, with kind staff who speak enough English to explain the major amenities and processes for the hotel.

The onsen is incredible. Very clean, with a large indoor space, and a large outdoor onsen featuring the Aomori nebuta float, floating at the end of the spring. At night it's absolutely stunning and relaxing. I really loved the sauna and onsen experience. I only wish that the water was a bit hotter for the indoor baths. I've stayed elsewhere with hotter baths but that's just me.

The first floor of the ryokan is incredibly well themed to the Aomori Nebuta festival, featuring the paper floats all throughout the floor. There's many things to do on this floor to keep yourself and your family entertained, whether they are kids or adults. The energy feels festive on the first floor. I can't comment on the show as I did not go to it.

If you'd like to escape the energy and prefer to relax, the second floor is exactly that. It had a station for filling a scent bag, which was my favourite souvenir. They offer tatami mats and quiet spaces to chill and relax. There are also complimentary coffee machines and cold water, but no hot water or tea stations. I would highly recommend putting a tea station or hot water station for those who don't want coffee, but still want something hot to drink. There's also DIY craft workshops on the second floor you can sign up for!

The outside grounds are incredible and beautiful. Very peaceful in the winter, with nice views of the snowy pond. There is a pony drawn carriage that's very nice to use during winter given the scenery. My favourite was the foot bath that overlooked the pond! We had it to ourselves for nearly an hour.

The gift shop was an extension of A-FACTORY in Aomori city, with most of the same souvenirs. However, I did find some more unique non-food souvenirs like hair ties, apple themed coasters, more hand crafted bag/pouch sizes/types, and other jewelry I didn't see at A-FACTORY.

We stayed in the Japanese style room which was spacious and comfortable. There were a lot of lights to play around with! The shower was basic, as expected considering you're going to use the onsen over it. My only gripe was that there was no additional pillow or blanket offered. You have to ask the front desk for this. I've stayed in lower end hotels where having additional pillows and blankets is standard.

The dinner and breakfast is amazing. I loved every bite of it! There is a large variety of foods to try. They have an organized time card system to ensure you have a seat. This is explained at check in.

The ryokan is accessible by driving, shuttle bus, and walking. The shuttle bus schedule is clearly listed in the website. However, there is no information on how to walk to the ryokan from Misawa station. Luckily, this was resolved upon check in, since the hotel map they gave clearly illustrated where the walking path was and how long it takes to get to it. I highly suggest that information on walking to the ryokan from Misawa station be provided on the website. The shuttle bus from Misawa station is a very short 2 minute bus ride. The shuttle bus can be booked through the website, and it is recommended to book in advance.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this ryokan with all it has to offer. It's very spacious, immersive, and has excellent amenities. I would love to check out other Hoshino Resort hotels in the near future!

My suggestions to the ryokan: Please provide more information on how to walk to the ryokan from Misawa station Please provide a hot water or tea station on the second floor lounge area (there is only coffee) Please provide guests with an extra pillow and blanket, or add it as an option...

Room: very big by Japanese standards. Main room had 3 beds, with 2 beds in a connected room. The bathroom looks newly refurbished, but we mostly used the excellent onsen.

Service: most of the staff spoke a smattering of English at best, but service was still top-notch. Whatever they couldn’t express, they used Google Translate to get the message across.

What prompted me to write this review was the help they rendered when we had to catch an early Shinkansen. We had multiple big suitcases, making it hard to convey to the nearest train station by foot and the shuttle bus hadn’t begun service yet. Even the taxis refused to take us. The front desk staff kindly advised us to take the shuttle to the nearby Motoyu onsen which was a 2-min walk away to the station. When we arrived at the reception to board the shuttle the next morning, we were pleasantly surprised to find our luggage already loaded onto the bus for us. What’s more, when we requested that the shuttle bus driver send us to the station, he kindly obliged despite it not being the usual practice. We were extremely grateful to the staff for their attentiveness and going the extra mile.

Location: honestly not the most accessible of locations. We rode the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hachinohe and transferred to the Aoimori Railway to Misawa. Unfortunately the train service at Aoimori Railway was about an hour apart. We missed the train and had to wait an hour to board the next one. From Misawa, the resort shuttle picks you up. It’s a short walk when the weather is pleasant and you packed light. Alternatively there’s a nearby airport also served by the resort shuttle.

Food: the resort is half board, and the meals are buffet-style. The 2 nights we stayed, the selection was almost identical, but no complaints about the quality and variety. The restaurant specializes in regional cuisine (scallops and apples everywhere), particularly good were the tepanyaki beef and seafood rice bowls.

Ambience: the resort is meant to be self-contained, with next to nothing to do around the area. The whole resort is culturally themed, decorated by apple-shaped lanterns and nebuta sculptures, providing lots of photo spots. The resort offers activities such as craft-making and scallop fishing to keep you entertained. Otherwise, venture outdoors and stroll around the lake located on the grounds. At night, partake in a well-produced performance featuring the cultural elements unique to the region.

All in all a relaxing and memorable stay for adults and kids. Recommended, will come back, but probably fly in...

This was my second time staying at Hoshino Resort, and I was amazed by the services and attentiveness here in Aomoriya. As a matter of fact, this is undoubtedly the best stay I have ever had in my life!

My mother and I booked for dinner at Nanbu Magariya at 7:30pm on the first night, and we also booked for Michinoku Matsuriya at 9:00pm. Time was very tight, as we did not know dinner was served as Kaiseki Ryori when we made the booking. Coincidentally, I was holding the program sheet and the staff member who walked us to our seats observed it, and asked us if we were going to the program. After knowing our intention, she promised to serve dinner in a prompt manner, so that we can take the next shuttle bus for the program. Her attentiveness surprised us and we would like to say a big thank you to her.

I am aware that the program was designed for kids. However, after seeing all the performers performed wholeheartedly and sincerely, my mother and I were greatly entertained and we find it difficult to use words to express our joy after the show.

We went to Nanbu Magariya again for breakfast the next morning, and we were the only customer. We chose to walk to the restaurant as the weather was good, and we later realised that the shuttle bus was purely waiting for us at the lobby (as we were the only customer). Food was awesome (like last night), and we enjoyed our breakfast with a stunning view. I have to specifically mention that my mother is physically impaired and is challenged at times. The staff member who welcomed us observed that and slowed down his walking pace to match us while walking us to our seats. Furthermore, he called us a shuttle bus specifically and provided a small chair for my mother to sit on at the entryway so she can put on her shoes at ease. Staff here at Aomoriya is really well trained, and I can tell they serve their customers wholeheartedly.

There were so much more I would like to share, and these were the three most important thoughts that went deep into my heart. I have become a big fan of this resort and will definitely come again! Highly...