Kushiro Shitsugen Kayanuma Tourist Accommodation Facility: Pon Ponyu

The Kushiro Shitsugen spans across eastern Hokkaido, nourished by rivers, lakes, and sea mist. This vast wetland — Japan’s largest — sustains a delicate ecosystem of approximately 2,000 species of flora and fauna. Pon Ponyu emerged as an overnight basecamp for exploring this pristine wilderness.

The facility’s roots trace to Ikoi no Ie Kayanuma, a beloved local retreat that served the community for nearly 40 years. When its aging demanded comprehensive renovation, we envisioned something greater: the only hot spring accommodation within Kushiro Shitsugen National Park that would welcome travelers from around the world. The name Pon Ponyu, meaning “little hot spring” in Ainu, captures this vision.

We provided comprehensive art direction, creating the facility’s naming, visual identity, signage system, and interior furnishing design. Our art pieces combine illustration and text to communicate the wetland’s plant life, waterways, ecosystems, and natural phenomena, offering guests meaningful discovery both before and after their explorations.