IHG Hotels & Resorts operates 19 hotel brands with more than 6,300 hotels in over 100 countries. In Japan, IHG Hotels & Resorts currently operates approximately 47 hotels under seven brands from Hokkaido to Okinawa (as of March 2024). For this interview, we asked Mr. Chihiro Shingu, general manager of ANA InterContinental Hotel, Abe Kogen Resort, ANA Crowne Plaza Resort, Abe Kogen, and ANA Holiday Inn Resort, Abe Kogen, about the attractions around their hotels.
Facility name: ANA InterContinental Abiko Plateau Resort
Location: 117-46, Abiko Plateau, Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture
Facility Name: ANA Crowne Plaza Resort, Abe Kogen
Location: 117-17, Abiko Plateau, Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture
Name: ANA Holiday Inn Resort Abe Kogen
Location: 605-227, Abiko Plateau, Hachimantai City, Iwate Prefecture
–Please tell us how you came to work at Abe Kogen.
At first, I was intrigued by the name of the place, Abe Kogen. I personally enjoy golf and snowboarding, and had heard from an acquaintance about the quality of snow at Abei.
Second, my first job was with a resort company with a very prestigious golf course located on the Hitotsuba coast of Miyazaki Prefecture. When I left my previous job and was away from work for about six months, I decided that my new employment would be with an attractive hotel that I would like to visit, so I decided to work at the Abe Kogen Golf Club, I naturally wanted to work for a company that manages the Abe Kogen Golf Club, the Maple Country Club, and the Abe Kogen Ski Resort.
The third point is the enthusiasm and sincerity of the person who approached me. I listened to what he had to say and felt that I could make use of my knowledge and experience to be of use in just one corner of the hotel department.
–What kind of hotel is it?
In 2021 and 2022, the three hotels will be reborn under the three IHG Hotels & Resorts brands as the next-generation integrated resort destination “Abe Kogen Resort”: ANA InterContinental Abe Kogen Resort, ANA Crowne Plaza Resort Abe Kogen, and ANA Holiday Inn Resort ANA InterContinental Hotel, ANA Crowne Plaza Resort, and ANA Holiday Inn Resort, were established as the “Abe Kogen Resort. The hotels are designed to be international hotels that respond to global needs in the context of a town development concept that forms a futuristic community where domestic and international travelers and local residents can coexist in harmony.
We combine the strength of having three hotel brands in one resort area with the unique charm of the Abiko Plateau to provide services that meet the needs of our guests.
Right in front of the hotel, there is the world-famous ski resort of Abi-Kogen, which is praised by skiers from all over the world for its world-class snow quality. The silky powder snow is said to surpass that of Hokkaido, attracting many skiers and snowboarders.
In summer, when the resort grounds are covered with greenery, the old-growth beech and downy birch forests change to their summer colors, creating a peaceful, idyllic landscape. The resort offers sports activities such as golf, tennis, and free biking, as well as nature programs and events such as firefly viewing parties.
The gondola ride to the “sky area” at the top of 1304-meter-high Maemori Mountain is another recommended summer activity at Abe. 73.1% of the sea of clouds at Abe in July is one of the highest in Japan, and if you are lucky, you can view a fantastic sea of clouds.
–please let me know if you have any personal favorites tourist spots or restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel.
This is the Hachimantai Dragon Eye wall art located on the approach to the lounge from the entrance of the ANA InterContinental Hachimantai Kogen Resort. It is a mysterious and spectacular view that opens only when various natural conditions, such as the amount of snowfall, melting snow, and weather conditions, coincide with each other. It takes about 60 minutes from the hotel by car and on foot. A tour with the hotel’s guiding staff is also recommended.
–What restaurant menu do you recommend?
The best of all is the Hachimantai Mushroom Soup. It is a richly flavored dish made with locally produced brown mushrooms direct from the region. We hope you will try it. Incidentally, these mushrooms are an ingredient that has won the “Culinary Kingdom 100 2024” excellence award, selected by top chefs, including Michelin chefs, and buyers from famous companies.
–What souvenirs do you recommend?
There are two: the first is the ice cream of the long-time favorite here at the Abe Kogen Resort, the ice cream of the Abe Kogen Ranch. Made with “freshly squeezed” raw milk taken from milk grown in the great outdoors and produced using a special method, this milk-rich ice cream is characterized by its high milk solids content and firmness, and is available in four flavors: vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, and yogurt. Personally, I like yogurt.
The other is a sake called “Kurabito no sake” from Washinoo, a sake brewery in Hachimantai City. Sake also depends on your taste, but my wife also likes this sake and distributes it as a souvenir.
© Source travel watch
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