How Eco-Friendly Is Rusutsu? — Aiming to Evolve as a Resort in Harmony with Nature
Nestled among Hokkaido’s beautiful mountains, Rusutsu Resort greets visitors with stunning natural scenery that shifts with the seasons.
Yet operating such an expansive destination demands significant energy, inevitably affecting the environment through CO₂ emissions and water use.
Precisely for this reason, we have begun re-examining the very foundation of what a resort should be.
🌿 We have already made our CO₂ emissions visible. The next step is figuring out how to reduce them.
At Rusutsu Resort, we have already completed a detailed analysis of energy consumption and CO₂ emissions across the entire property—along with calculations of the carbon offsets we will need.
This study covers everything from facility-level emissions to the breakdown of energy sources, giving us a clear set of priorities for future action.
Our next step is to put reductions into practice, deciding which measures to use and when to implement them.
Options include bringing in renewable energy, boosting absorption through sustainable forestry, and exploring carbon credits to offset any remaining emissions.
🚰 Toward a resort that not only uses water, but “cultivates” it
Water is indispensable to running a resort, and we are now taking a hard look at the balance between the amount we use and the recharge required for local water resources to recover naturally.
To tackle this issue, we are working with specialists in water resources, forestry, and soil science to explore topics such as:
- How much time local groundwater needs to replenish
- How effectively forest management and the design of water-retention areas can promote groundwater recharge
- Systems for returning the water used within the resort to the natural hydrological cycle
From “taking” water to “circulating” it—this shift in thinking will shape the new value of Rusutsu Resort.
🔋 Decarbonization—pursued not only within our facilities, but together with the entire community
We are also working with multiple companies and research institutions to explore region-specific ways of introducing renewable energy—such as solar power and micro-hydropower—tailored to local conditions.
Instead of merely “adding green equipment,” we are assessing how well each option fits the area’s climate, terrain, and water systems as we search for a truly sustainable path to energy self-sufficiency.
Meanwhile, the following energy-efficiency upgrades are already underway at existing facilities:
- Transition to LED lighting
- Replacement of HVAC and pump systems with high-efficiency units
- Insulation retrofits for buildings
These steps alone are already delivering steady CO₂ reductions on the facilities side.
🌲 Putting the power of forests to even greater use
At Rusutsu Resort, we attach equal importance to maximizing CO₂ absorption through forest management and boosting groundwater recharge. Beyond conserving natural forests, we enhance water-holding capacity through selective thinning and reforestation, while building a sustainable framework for ongoing forest stewardship.
A forest is more than a calming sight—it is infrastructure that connects the planet with its people.
🧍♀️ Here, everyone who visits becomes part of the team.
Rusutsu Resort’s environmental initiatives cannot be sustained by staff alone.
We believe that everyone who visits becomes part of a team living in harmony with the environment.
- Turn off the lights when you check out
- Separate waste properly
- Join activities that connect you with nature
Each individual action helps shape Rusutsu’s future.
❄️ Rusutsu’s future: a “regenerative resort” nestled in nature
Absorb as much CO₂ as we emit,return the water we use to nature,and generate our own energy.
Rusutsu Resort is steadily moving forward, step by step, toward realizing this kind of “regenerative resort.”
We may still be only partway there—
but our proud commitment is to become a resort that truly evolves in harmony with nature.