One morning during the early summer of 2005, we were conducting maintenance on the gondola nearby the mountain peak at our ski resort. It was then that we noticed a sea of clouds spreading right under our eyes.

Despite it being such a grand spectacle, for the staff it was a familiar scene. Ordinarily, it may have only received a fleeting glance, but on that day, we thought of the joy it would bring to our guests.

"If only our guests could see this view... Imagine, being able to come here, and then relaxing with a cup of coffee..."

When you look at a sea of clouds from below, they simply look like clouds hanging above. However, when viewed from above the clouds themselves, their beauty is easily recognizable.

Some questioned whether guests would travel to the peak to view the cloudy skies, but most of the staff supported the idea.

From that day, talks about a plan to allow guests to "drink coffee while they gaze at the sea of clouds" were quickly in the works. At last, they came to "making a morning cafe near the gondola's upper station." In order to solve the problem of early preparations and those unaccustomed to serving guests, discussions continued for around two months.

Thus, the test run of the cafe set to become the UNKAI Terrace began in the summer of 2005.

Even though it was called a "cafe," it was a simple configuration of tables and chairs lined up in a small, open space. The seven people, normally in charge of the gondola's maintenance, were inexperienced when it came to working as a server in a cafe and anxiously wondered if guests would visit that early in the morning.

However, no worries were needed as guests came, one after another. And with each new face, the seven staff members were so elated they practically leaped for joy.

There was no sea of clouds on the first day, but our guests were moved by the cool morning air and the majestic sights of Tomamu. Although there were mistakes made, the guests beamed with satisfaction, and that made us happier than anything.

Within two months, approximately 900 people visited, and the test run was declared a huge success.

Taking the results into consideration, along with feedback from guests, the development of a full-blown terrace was decided. The following year in 2006, the official UNKAI TERRACE opened.

With special services offered from spring to fall (periods in which UNKAI easily form), approximately 17,000 people came to visit, making the plan quite popular and a great success.

After realizing the charms of the service they had created, the seven continued to think about what kind of service would be appropriate for Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU. With that, various ideas came to fruition.

The "UNKAI Forecast" was one of them.

The sea of clouds is not a phenomenon that you can see every day. By combining weather information such as temperature, humidity, wind direction, and speed with a rule of thumb that says, "If clouds appear in a certain direction in the afternoon, it will be cold the next morning, and then Tomamu is more likely to have a sea of clouds," we have created our own UNKAI forecast, which predicts the probability of cloud seas occurring. The probability of a sea of clouds occurring during the season is about 40%.

There were some within the company who wondered, "Isn't it a bit strange to give a probability for a service that we don't know if we can or cannot provide," but once it opened, customers looked forward to the UNKAI Forecast and never raised a complaint.

Then working in collaboration with other departments, it allowed the daily UNKAI and gondola status to be broadcast on our homepage, guest's TVs, and more.

During the season, the probability of seeing the UNKAI is around 40% in the early morning.
Here are the different types of UNKAI you can see here at TOMAMU, along with the conditions needed to form them.

Dynamic Movements Unique to TOMAMUPacific Ocean UNKAI

When low seawater temperatures in Tokachi and Kushiro-oki are met with warm air from the south that was in turned caused by the Pacific Ocean's high atmospheric pressure, low level clouds form over a vast area. These clouds then travel with the southeastern winds, covering the Tokachi Plains, crossing the Hidaka Mountains, and then arriving in Tomamu. These UNKAI that resemble waterfalls are scarce as they can only be seen when extremely rare conditions are met. The fact that you cannot always see them is what makes it such a priceless phenomenon.

Favorable Conditions for Pacific Ocean UNKAI

- When eastern Hokkaido experiences high atmospheric pressure

- When eastern and southeastern winds blow toward the Tomamu area

- When it is less windy throughout the previous night until dawn

An Impactful Hotel Extending Above the CloudsTomamu Unkai

UNKAI that are formed through a process known as radiative cooling. On clear nights with little wind, heat escapes into the atmosphere, and the then-cooled air accumulates in the basin-like terrain.

Favorable Conditions for Tomamu UNKAI

- When the Tomamu area experiences high atmospheric pressure and the early mornings are clear

- When it is less windy throughout the previous night until dawn

- When the early morning temperatures drastically drop

Poor Weather Presents the Best Opportunity to View ThemUNKAI During Inclement Weather

UNKAI that are formed during inclement weather or when the weather worsens. Stratus clouds that surround the mountains (which can be seen from UNKAI TERRACE) spread and become a sea of clouds. You'll also find clouds forming above it as well.

Favorable Conditions for UNKAI During Inclement Weather

- When low atmospheric pressure is approaching

- When the weather is forecasted to worsen

- During inclement weather