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Hoshino Resorts’ Way of SDGs
Our Initiatives
Karuizawa National Wild Bird Sanctuary Forest
Karuizawa National Wild Bird Sanctuary Forest is located at an altitude of 950 – 1,100 m, with the area size of around 100 ha.
The founder of the Wild Bird Society of Japan, Godo Nakanishi (1895-1984) pointed out to Kasuke Hoshino, our founder’s grandfather, that the forest of his inn was one of the world’s biggest treasure troves of wild birds. To help promote Godo’s work with wild birds, Hoshino organized bird watching expeditions and in 1974, National Wild Bird Sanctuary Forest, one of only four wild bird sanctuaries in Japan, was established.
Karuizawa National Wild Bird Sanctuary Forest
Japan's first National wild bird forest
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Hydroelectric Power Generation
Hoshino Onsen has a history of providing its own power from the time it first opened by using hydroelectric power generation. Currently, there are two hydroelectric power stations on site, and over the past four years, the average generated power has been about 76 KWh. Also, a retention basin and a settling basin have been set up for the first power station that is located at the downstream of the river that flows through the center of HOSHINOYA Karuizawa. It can be said that the system in place for the hydroelectric power generation created the waterfront scenery emblematic of HOSHINOYA Karuizawa.
Hydroelectric Power Generation
Japan's first water mill into a full-scale hydroelectric power generator for private use
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Shampoo Bottle
In 2019, we eliminated the use of individually packaged soaps (shampoo, conditioner and body soap) at all of our operating properties and switched to the use of pump bottles. The use of pump bottles for soaps has led to a reduction in the amount of plastic containers discarded, approximately 49t per year and soaps discarded approximately 73kl per year compared with the amount of soap used in individual packages.
Shampoo Bottle
Disposable plastic to reusable pump bottles
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Ending Toothbrush Waste
Hoshino Resorts began its toothbrush recycling program in the 30 resorts operated by the company around Japan. More than a million discarded toothbrushes are collected every year, which are then recycled to be used in other plastic products. We will expand the scale of our business and play a role in a society by coorperating with Showa Brush Inc and JTB Trading, Inc. At the moment, Hoshino Resorts is currently the only company operating multiple resorts in Japan that recycles toothbrushes. The next step is to look at recycling these used toothbrushes into new toothbrushes.
Ending Toothbrush Waste
Disposable plastic to reusable pump bottles
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Going Plastic Bottle-Free
Plastic water bottles are very useful for easily carrying around drinks, but they also produce a lot of waste. Hoshino Resorts will no longer offer bottled mineral water, and will instead have water coolers in public spaces. Hoshino Resorts will also not only sell original tumblers, reducing the need for plastic bottles, but also educate people about the importance of doing this.
Going Plastic Bottle-Free
Reduce disposable plastic waste
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Zero-Emission Environment
“Zero-emission” refers to recycling or reuse of waste instead of simple incineration or landfill. All Hoshino Resorts establishments in Karuizawa, including HOSHINOYA Karuizawa, are dedicated to creating a zero-emission environment which was the first to accomplish in the the hotel and ryokan industry from November 2011. The activities of “Zero-committee” are still ongoing, and Hoshino Resorts establishments in Karuizawa has achieved and maintained zero emissions.
Waste is processed in accordance with the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
1.Reduce (decrease trash)
Hoshino Resorts decided to go against conventional wisdom, providing the same food at the same amount during wedding receptions, and made customers choose either Japanese or Western cuisine, meat or fish, as well as their amount of food served. As a result, guests can order food depending on how hungry they are and in addition, there was less food left over from likes and dislikes. Not only does that “same day selective system” reduce kitchen waste, but it also raises customer satisfaction, and it is useful as a competitive edge in the wedding industry.
2.Reuse (reuse trash)
In an effort to reuse trash, at Karuizawa, we have shifted wherever possible to using drink containers that are returnable and have our suppliers collect them. Also, if there are any unneeded items such as cabinets or shelves, instead of just one department making a decision, the whole office checks to see if anything can be reused as a rule before regarding it as oversized garbage.
3.Recycle (recovering resources)
Kitchen waste is recycled as compost at nearby farms. Several times every week, farm workers come to collect kitchen scraps, and once a month, 20 staff members gather to directly transport it to the farms. In this way, the finished compost is used to cultivate vegetables, and then the Karuizawa office buys vegetables harvested on the farms. For trash that cannot be recycled, so as to make everything recyclable, the trash is separated into total 28 types before throwing it away. In order to get rid of all the trash without any of the staff making a mistake when separating into different types, there is a game called “Shigekatsu” (*) at the Karuizawa office, with the aim to get all of the questions right within two months.
*”Shigekatsu” was developed to teach the correct way to get rid of trash that is often thrown away on an ordinary business day. There are 100 questions in total, and the game is to divide everything with the correct separation method.
Zero-Emission Environment
Waste produced during operations eliminated to zero
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EIMY
HOSHINOYA Karuizawa is powered by the Energy In My Yard (EIMY) system, developed from a simple idea: Using energy without damaging the resort’s rich natural environment. This system runs on hydroelectricity -provided by the river flowing through the premises—and geothermal energy. Technological improvements were made to match the geological characteristics of Karuizawa and we have also designed a geothermal utilization system that can withstand large fluctuations by closely examining demand for heat sources over the course of a year. As a result, HOSHINOYA Karuizawa are 70% self-sufficient in energy consumption.
EIMY
Self-sufficient energy production, achieving 70%
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FARM HOSHINO
Hoshino Resorts established “FARM HOSHINO”. The concept of FARM HOSHINO was initiated by the idea that the scenic landscape created by farming would heal travelers while dairy products made at the farm could enrich their journey.
The first FARM HOSHINO resides in the vast resort district of Tomamu, where about 700 cows once grazed on the hillsides and farming was the regular practice of the area before the resort was developed. The mission of FARM HOSHINO is to restore the primeval landscape and farming practices that once flourished in the area so that visitors can experience the vast expanse of fertile land of Hokkaido whilst enjoying fresh dairy foods and a relaxing moment at the farm.
FARM HOSHINO
Restore the nature-rich, original landscapes of Hokkaido
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Picchio’s Eco Tours
Picchio’s goal is to organize eco-tourism activities that not only keep visitors satisfied, but which also incorporate natural resources in sustainable ways. Their main activities are eco-tours, environmental education, and the tracking and preservation of Asian black bears and other local wildlife.
Nature Watching at the Wild Bird Sanctuary Forest
In this guided tour, guests are introduced to the vibrant world that exists in Karuizawa’s forest all year round.
Flying Squirrel Watching Tour
This tour, which takes place at sunset, consists of a lecture, followed by a guided tour through the forest. Visitors have a 97.8% chance of spotting a flying squirrel in action.
Picchio’s Eco Tours
Nature tours by a group of nature-loving experts
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KAI Signature Room and KAI Cultural Discovery
The preservation of Asian black bears began as a project contracted to Picchio by the local government in 2000. By tracking and monitoring each bear and incorporating innovative tactics such as Japan’s first “bear dogs(dogs trained to chase away bears)”, Picchio was able to keep the bears safe while also keeping humans safe. As a result, the number of cases of bears razing public trash receptacles fell from 100 in 1999 to 0 in 2009.
Bear Dogs are dogs that have been specially trained to sense the scent of bears. They obey directions from bear specialists and bark loudly to drive away bears deep into the forest. Bear Dogs have been bred in Picchio since July 2017, and one of the Bear Dogs they raised named “Tama” gave birth to six puppies from late at night on March 31st, 2018 to the afternoon of April 1st, successfully breeding Bear Dogs in Japan for the first time.
KAI Signature Room and KAI Cultural Discovery
Continuation of traditional cultural crafts and entertainment
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The Preservation of Asian Black Bears
The preservation of Asian black bears began as a project contracted to Picchio by the local government in 2000. By tracking and monitoring each bear and incorporating innovative tactics such as Japan’s first “bear dogs(dogs trained to chase away bears)”, Picchio was able to keep the bears safe while also keeping humans safe. As a result, the number of cases of bears razing public trash receptacles fell from 100 in 1999 to 0 in 2009.
Bear Dogs are dogs that have been specially trained to sense the scent of bears. They obey directions from bear specialists and bark loudly to drive away bears deep into the forest. Bear Dogs have been bred in Picchio since July 2017, and one of the Bear Dogs they raised named “Tama” gave birth to six puppies from late at night on March 31st, 2018 to the afternoon of April 1st, successfully breeding Bear Dogs in Japan for the first time.
The Preservation of Asian Black Bears
A future for the coexistence of humans and bears
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OMO
At OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka and OMO7 Asahikawa, we have strengthened our partnerships with employers of restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, and museums around the hotels. National guidebooks only list a small fraction of really famous establishments, but there are a lot of other unlisted businesses that show off the charm of the region. Gathering those together displays the regional charm in an effort to raise the value of staying at the place where the OMO hotels are located. From the idea of constructing the hotels in places that were already highly valued for accommodations, the concept changed to building the hotels in places immersed in a deep and local charm so as to raise the value of those locations via our marketing efforts for the hotels, which creates a demand for staying at those hotels.
OMO
City tourism hotel to discover the wonders of the city
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Agriculture Project
Ever since HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island opened in June 2012, we have managed to operate the resort while learning the history and traditions from the islanders. Due to developments in the tourist industry and distribution on Taketomi Island, the number of people involved in agriculture, which was the island’s main industry, has declined. At HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island, the “Agriculture Project” was started in 2017 so as to contribute to the cultural inheritance surrounding the farms that are in the process of being lost.
Millet
At the Tanadui Festival, sowing millet seeds and dancing to pray for an abundant harvest are dedicated to deities. On Taketomi Island, there has been a decline in the number of people who grow millet, so the use of millet made from Taketomi has also decreased. At HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island, the millet grown from the site are offered for this island’s largest festival, Kumomami (Local soybean).
Kumomami (Local soybean)
Once, Taketomi islanders grew Kumomami, and made them into tofu but now people stopped making Kumomami tofu and Kumomami went extinct. At HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island, there has been an attempt with the kids on the island to revive the production of tofu made from cultivated Kumomami soy beans that had been lost on the island.
Nuchigusa
“Nuchigusa” is an Okinawan herbal plant that has supported the health of the islanders since ancient times. However, the culture surrounding nuchigusa has faded in recent times, and few people know about it now. On June 29th, 2019, we planted seeds on HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island’s farm with kids from Taketomi Elementary and Junior High School.
Agriculture Project
Sustainable preservation of island culture
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Cultural Sustainability at KAI Kaga
Kintsugi is a traditional way of repairing broken pottery using lacquer dusted with powdered gold. Since 2019, KAI Kaga has actively taken part in sharing this tradition with guests, and in April 2023, a studio specific to Kintsugi opened.
Following the words of Rosanjin Kitaoji, a cultural figure who is associated with KAI Kaga, "dishware is a kimono for food," our hot spring ryokan has been specific about carefully selecting dishware for each food served, and treated the dishware with care as a treasure. More than half of the staff are now able to take part in Kintsugi, and more than 300 pieces of dishware have been restored. Our staff will continue to treat the dishware as treasures and will continue to pass on this tradition of Japanese art to the next generation and globally.
Cultural Sustainability at KAI Kaga
The Japanese art of repairing broken pottery
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Sustainable Aviation Guel (SAF)
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) designates fuels made from non-fossil fuels such as waste cooking oil, vegetable and animal fats, and wood based biomass. It can significantly reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions compared to conventional fuels made from crude oil. If the fuel is 100% made of waste cooking oil, CO2 emissions can be reduced by approximately 80% compared to conventional aviation fuels, from raw material collection to fuel production and combustion.
Hoshino Resorts will participate by providing waste cooking oil from its operating properties. The operation will start with OMO Kansai Airport in April 2024, and the group aims to gradually expand this initiative to other Hoshino Resorts facilities inside Japan. The collected waste cooking oil will first be recycled and stored as a raw material for biodiesel in REVO International Inc. facilities in 2024 and then used in the production of biofuel in a SAF production plant scheduled to start operation in early 2025.
Sustainable Aviation Guel (SAF)
Recycling waste oil into sustainable fuel
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