I went to Toyama in the fall to participate in a media tour to experience the ``Hilton Honors American Express® Card'' issued by American Express and Hilton. The stay was at ``Double Tree by Hilton Toyama,'' Hilton's first foray into the Hokuriku region. He learned how to travel smarter while eating seasonal ingredients in Toyama, which is rich in nature.

Enjoy Toyama from the conveniently located DoubleTree by Hilton

With a population of 100 million people and 20 Michelin-starred restaurants within the prefecture, Toyama is a gourmet prefecture that is attracting attention from foodies around the world. The background to this is the location of Toyama Bay, which is over 1000 meters deep, and the topography that embraces the magnificent nature between the Tateyama Mountain Range, which is 3000 meters high, and the environment is conducive to growing the best ingredients. Attracted by these ingredients and water, talented chefs are now flocking to Toyama. Toyama is full of charm that allows you to visit each season and enjoy the changing nature and seasonal ingredients to your heart's content.

The hotel we stayed at this time, ``DoubleTree by Hilton,'' is a rapidly growing upscale hotel brand within Hilton, which operates more than 54 hotels in 600 countries and regions around the world. Along with its Hilton status, it is highly praised for its homely hospitality. One example is the warm chocolate chip cookies provided to guests upon check-in. The sweet-tasting cookies will soothe the fatigue of a long journey, and will be served hot in time for your arrival. People said they would never forget this comforting taste, so much so that the recipe became a hot topic around the world when they published the recipe during the coronavirus pandemic, when they were unable to travel. It's these little things that make your trip so much more fulfilling.

Using Toyama's seasonal ingredients, we offer dishes that appeal to all five senses.

"Double Tree by Hilton Toyama" is conveniently located right in front of Toyama Station. Its sophisticated appearance immediately catches the eye. The 13-story hotel is characterized by its modern, simple, and sophisticated design, giving it a universal Hilton feel. GRAB'n GO Coffee & Deli is a casual takeout shop on the first floor of the hotel where the front desk is located.You can purchase soups, sandwiches, cakes, etc., and there is also an eat-in space. Additionally, on the second floor there is an all-day dining restaurant called ``korare WINE AND DINE'' and an attached bar called ``korare BAR'', which serves breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. The restaurant's name, korare, means ``come on'' in the Toyama dialect, and the restaurant is visited not only by hotel guests but also by local businessmen and madams.

At the restaurant, you can enjoy delicious meals made with Toyama's seasonal fish and vegetables. It starts with breakfast. They offer meals that make use of fresh ingredients unique to this region, such as seafood bowls and Himi udon that can be customized using Toyama's seasonal fresh fish. Of course, they entertain us with their best performances for both lunch and dinner.

It has the meaning of contributing to the local community through local production and local consumption, but it also seems to be positioned as a restaurant that can be used not only by hotel guests but also by local customers on special occasions. The service and quality of a world-famous brand is here.

Learn more about Toyama through a visit to a winery in Toyama

What made my comfortable trip to Toyama even more enjoyable was a visit to a winery in Toyama. Even in Toyama, which is a treasure trove of food, few people have the image of a winery.
The winery ``Domaine Beau'' is located in Nanto City, about an hour's drive from Toyama Station, on over 500 hectares of hilly land. Although it is a new winery that just started in 2017, its white wine will win the silver medal at the International Wine Challenge (IWC), a global wine competition, in 2023, and its white wine will be made using grapes from Takayama Village, Nagano Prefecture. In addition, a white wine made from local grapes was awarded a bronze medal, and a rosé wine called Nansembre won four special awards at the Sakura Awards 2023, an international wine competition judged only by women in the wine industry. The quality of the wine is highly praised.

Yasuharu Nakayama, president of Treveau Co., Ltd., which operates Domaine Baux, has been running a liquor store in Takaoka City for 45 years, and established the company because he wanted to make his own wine. ``I was skeptical about whether this area is suitable for growing grapes, but the quality of the wine is highly rated, so I guess it's okay,'' he said with a smile. He then said, ``I want to make wine that is like a wife. She may not be the most beautiful woman in Japan, but I love her, and I want her to always be by my side because she is important to me. That's the kind of wine I want to make.'' He also told me that he would like to someday turn Tatenohara into a ``fruit village'' like Burgundy, and revitalize the area as a tourist destination. He wants to increase the number of vineyards in this area, where there was no winery, and he is eager to help attract people who are interested in making wine.
We also offer wine factory tours and wine tastings here, so we recommend taking a short trip and seeing the new Toyama.

If you travel around the world using the Hilton brand, you can upgrade your trip by owning a card.

The Hilton Honors American Express Card will make this trip even more enjoyable. If you travel primarily through the Hilton Group, this is a membership you'll definitely want to join.

Just by signing up for the Hilton Honors American Express Card, you will be granted Hilton Honors Gold status under Hilton Honors (a Hilton membership program that anyone can register for free of charge). You can earn advanced membership status, which requires at least 20 stays or 40 nights at Hilton Group hotels in a year. If you reach Gold status, you will receive preferential benefits such as free breakfast for two people at Hilton Group hotels in Japan and overseas, and room upgrades depending on availability.

Furthermore, the ``Hilton Honors American Express Card'' (annual fee is 1 yen (tax included)) is a weekend card that allows you to stay at Hilton Group hotels in Japan and overseas on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays by renewing the card. One free night stay will be given to you every year (spend of 6500 million yen or more in one year), 150 points will be given for every 100 yen spent at hotels within the Hilton group, and 100 points will be given for every 2 yen used daily. .

If you use the "Hilton Honors American Express Premium Card" (annual fee of 6 yen (tax included)), you will be granted the highest level of "Hilton Honors Diamond status" if you spend more than 6000 million yen annually. If you renew your card, you will receive up to two free weekend nights each year (the first night will be given to you if you continue to use the card, and the second night will be given to you if you spend more than 200 million yen on the card annually). Additionally, you can earn 1 points for every 300 yen spent at hotels within the Hilton Group, and 2 points for every 100 yen spent on daily use. If you're traveling around the world using the Hilton Group, this would certainly be a good deal to have.

At DoubleTree by Hilton Toyama, where we stayed this time, the breakfast buffet (3,800 yen) is free for up to 2023 people. Furthermore, until the end of December 12*, "Like A Member", a dining benefit exclusive to Hilton Honors members, will be applied, and you will also receive a 25% discount on food and beverage purchases at participating Hilton Group Reston restaurants with gold status or higher. It will be done.
Of course, you can also earn points by using this card when purchasing wine at Domaine Beau, which we visited this time.

Toyama has a lot to offer, including the beautiful nature of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Kurobe Gorge, and the Gassho-zukuri village of Gokayama, a world heritage site, as well as gourmet food at Michelin-starred restaurants. In order to visit many times, it would be beneficial to have a reliable card.
*Exclusion dates: December 12nd (Friday) - 22th (Monday), December 25st (Sunday).

DoubleTree by Hilton Toyama

1-1-10 Shintomicho, Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture

Trebor Co., Ltd.

1197 Nohara Nishi (Cote d'Or), Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture