Dusit has unveiled its latest Japanese address, and it’s one worth boarding a flight for.
WE Hotel Toya, Dusit Collection has officially opened on the shores of Lake Tōya in Hokkaido, marking the debut of the Dusit Collection brand in Japan and the group’s third property in the country.
The lakeside retreat joins Dusit’s growing Japanese portfolio alongside ASAI Kyoto Shijo and the Michelin-Key recognised Dusit Thani Kyoto, cementing the Thai hospitality group’s strategic expansion across the Land of the Rising Sun.
But WE Hotel Toya is a different proposition entirely: an intimate, design-led escape set within the Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark, one of Hokkaido’s most dramatic volcanic landscapes.
A Design Pedigree to Match the Scenery
Originally opened in 2018, the hotel carries the unmistakable hand of Kengo Kuma & Associates, the architecture studio behind Tokyo’s Japan National Stadium and Scotland’s V&A Dundee. True to form, the design leans on natural materials, warm textures and a contemporary take on Japanese craftsmanship, creating an almost seamless dialogue between the interiors and the forests, mountains and caldera lake beyond.
The property comprises 55 lake-view guestrooms, each around 37-square-metres, plus three two-storey villas suited to families or small groups seeking extra space and privacy. Every room includes its own private open-air bath overlooking Lake Tōya, allowing guests to experience Japan’s tradition of outdoor bathing in complete seclusion, while a large communal bath offers panoramic lake views for a more sociable soak.
Where Japanese Craft Meets Thai Heritage
The hotel’s culinary programme has been reimagined to bridge Hokkaido’s larder with Dusit’s Thai roots. EZO Cuisine anchors the offering, spotlighting local producers and seasonal ingredients through Japanese cooking sharpened with international technique; breakfast pairs Japanese and Thai set menus featuring Hokkaido rice, dairy and seasonal produce, while dinner shifts to considered seasonal tasting menus.
For something more playful, The Noodle Bar serves up authentic Thai staples including Tom Yum noodles and northern Thai Khao Soi. TARU Bar, named for the Japanese wooden cask, draws on organic teas from Dusit’s own tea garden in Kyoto alongside sake, whisky and craft liqueurs, while Toya Bar rounds things out with cocktails and unhurried lakeside evenings.
Why It Matters
WE Hotel Toya, Dusit Collection gives travellers a compelling reason to venture beyond Hokkaido’s ski towns and into one of Japan’s most striking natural settings, backed by architectural credentials and a menu that genuinely reflects Dusit’s Thai-Japanese identity rather than simply borrowing a location.
For anyone plotting a Hokkaido itinerary beyond the usual powder-chasing, this lakeside hideaway just became the headline stop.
