Kushiro Shitsugen Kayanuma resort Pon-Ponyu opens

Located in eastern Hokkaido, the Kushiro Marsh is the largest wetland area in Japan. Fed by rivers, lakes, and ocean mist, it is home to approximately 2,000 species of plants and animals that repeat a cycle of life in perfect balance.
Pon-Ponyu opened in September 2024 as a crisp and clean place to stay when exploring this unspoiled natural environment.

The name Pon-Ponyu derives from the Ainu language term that means "small hot spring."
It has a familiar feel that makes you want to blurt it out, and written in the Japanese phonetic alphabet, the shapes add rhythm without over-repetition.
Hara Design Institute is responsible for overall art direction, including naming and visual identity, as well as the art on the walls, building fixtures, the signage system, and the website.

Its predecessor, Ikoi no Ie Kayanuma, had long been popular with local residents, but it had become tired, so it was renovated by architect Kengo Kuma to become Pon-Ponyu.
This is a hotel that exudes nature throughout: from the exterior made from Japanese oak (nara) from the town of Shibecha, to guest rooms that feature the original structural pillars, and an open-air bath that takes the marshland vegetation as its motif.
It makes the perfect base for experiencing the area’s extraordinary biodiversity.