Urban Beekeeping on the Hotel Rooftop:
Honey That Reflects the Four Seasons of Sapporo

The number of honeybees has drastically decreased worldwide, which is a problem that could lead to a global food crisis, as honeybees are essential for pollinating crops. By protecting honeybees we can sustainably secure our food.

Based on its experience in natural cultivation, Sapporo Park Hotel believes that vegetables cannot be grown without bees. In April this year, the hotel started beekeeping while taking safety concerns into consideration.

The bees collect nectar within a 2km radius from seasonal flowers and trees in the surrounding areas, including Nakajima Park and the Toyohira River, before returning to the hive on the hotel rooftop.

"We have acacia in the spring, linden and lilies in the summer, and many herbs, ” says Hiroyuki Honma, who is in charge of beekeeping. The first batch of honey was collected this July. "The first honey we collected, tasted clear and refreshing. It also has a subtle cherry blossom aroma," says Honma.

Honey is collected three times a year, and its taste changes with the season. The fact that the taste of honey changes is evidence of the diversity of nature in Sapporo City. The efforts to protect the environment through beekeeping have only just begun.