Flagship Hotel TSURUGA

 by Kazu
The  official site of Lake Akan Tsuruga Resort Spa, Tsuruga Wings is at 
http://www.tsuruga-g.com/tsuruga/    in English and
http://www.tsuruga.com/ in Japanese but let me explain about the history of Tsuruga.
Before that, reading the explanation on Tsuruga Group, I was wondering if the expression is a little bit curious.
"Guests of Lake Akan Tsuruga Resort Spa Tsuruga Wings are first greeted in lobby by the sight of two magnificent Japanese red-crowned crane carvings made by local master wood carver Masamitsu Takiguchi. Revered by the local Ainu people as the deity of the marsh, the Japanese red-crowned crane is also the namesake of the Tsuruga Group. The character tsuru means crane while ga means elegant. Much like these elegant and symbolic wooden carvings, the charms of the Group’s first hotel

 Lake Akan Tsuruga Resort Spa Tsuruga Wings can be found in its fusion of traditional Japanese aesthetics with Lake Akan’s own unique location and culture. " In this case, The name of the group, Tsuruga is the namesake of the Japanese red-crowned crane "tsuru" and the character of elegance, ga. Precisely speaking, the Japanese red-crowned crane is called tancho-zuru in Japanese but omitting such Japanese detail, I would like to know about the right expression making use of  "be the namesake of". For example, "My brother George is the name sake of George Washington."  is correct, I think. But the underlined expression is appropriate? Please give me the right answer. 

Now that I am searching the materials for the quiz of the month in August, that will be very difficult.The present to the winner is the bicycle that I got at the beer party, as I explained before. Though the bicycle doesn't have the gearbox,  it is so nice to ride and cruise in flat area of the town.   

These are the carvings  of the Japanese red-crowned white crane called "tancho-zuru" in Japanese. The guests are greeted by the staff of the hotel and these carvings in the lobby. 
Japanese traditional attire"Kimono" for females are exhibited in the showcase covered with artificial waterfall in the lobby.

 A kind of eagle owl called  Ezo Shimafukuro is also revered by the indigenous people Ainu in Hokkaido as the deity of the forest. To create the atmosphere of Ainu culture and to show its standpoint of view, what is like a alter of the owl is set in the hotel from the lobby to the spa.  
The souvenir shops are along the aisle from the lobby to the spa with the alter-like settings.These kind of shopping malls can be seen in other hot spring spa hotel and resort area but the twist of the hotel is the culture and arts of indigenous people Ainu in Hokkaido.  

 In order to increase the number of repeaters, the CEO of Tsuruga Group and its staff have to continue to contemplate what they should keep with themselves and what they should change and add in the facilities..
Round-shaped algae Marimo are listed on the endangered species and it is prohibited to take. These marimos are from Russia.

Marimos sink and rise to the surface of the water in Lake Akan depending on the amount of daylight.
Before the flagship hotel Tsuruga came into full flourish, the hotels in Hokkaido were in a 

dog-eat-dog situation. I mean the hoteliers in Hokkaido had to struggle to keep the price low without spoiling the quality of cuisine. The tourist agents beat the price and the hoteliers had to accept the  conditions to receive as many guests as they can. But such kind of deflation spiral spoiled the bottom lines of the books in the hotel of Hokkaido.
"Value added" is required to get out of the deflation spiral.
 The CEO of the hotel group may be inspired by the American Indian or Inuit in North America. Besides,  I also have the spear decorated with black feathers of eagles made for seance or black art. That was given by the indigenous people in the U.S.A..The name of the tribe is PUEBLO.

Inuit art is evaluated so highly in these days but the reputation was divided even in Canada because the art should be the expression of standing on their own and the sovereign spirits of the tribe. Freedom of the spirit is required to be called "art".
 Do you think the textiles and carvings of Ainu people are competitive on this globe, considering the price and quality?
The bottoms are the photos taken on top of the hotel, open air spa.   To be continued.