Pack your bags and book the next flight to Hokkaido, chocolate lovers! There's a brand new Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town! If you are a fan of the Hokkaido-based Royce chocolate, this place is a must-visit as it explores the process of chocolate-making and the history behind Royce! It takes about two hours to fully experience the area, and it is definitely worth it!
PS: While you're there, check out other beautiful attractions that are in Hokkaido as well!
How to get there (WIP)
The attraction is found at the ROYCE TOWN Station!
If you are heading there by train: From the JR Sapporo Station, take the JR Gakuen-Toshi Line (Sassho Line) for Hokkaido-Iryodaigakui. It takes around 30-40mins and costs ¥540.
#HHWT Tip: Use JR Hokkaido's website here to find your route, train timetables, price and more!
If you are coming by taxi: You can enter this address instead: 640-15 Bitoe, Tobetsu-cho, Ishikari-gun, Hokkaido 061-3775
Ticket Information
Tickets are priced pretty reasonably, with adults at 1200¥ and children at 500¥ (4 to 15 years old). Admission is based on reservation! So remember to book your tickets here!
The tickets can be reserved and purchased up to 1 hour before admission and can also be refunded up to 1 hour before the reservation time.
What to expect
Royce provides a map to help you navigate their town! The place is comprised of 3 floors! There are lifts available so families with prams or those with limited mobility would be able to experience this exhibition with little hindrance. We have attached the map in this article too!
Credits: Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town
For storage, there are lockers on the first floor for your luggage or any other bulky items that you may want to keep before going through the Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town. The lockers are free of charge so do make use of them!
1. Royce Chocolate Store
Credits: Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town
When you first walk in, you'll be greeted by an enormous space with one end occupied by the Royce Chocolate Store, while the other has a floor-to-ceiling glass wall that shows the mould production line of the famous Royce chocolates!
PS: This area is free and you do not need a ticket to enter!
Credits: Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town
The shop itself sells over 200 varieties of Royce chocolates and variants of it such as their baked goods, bread, soft serve ice cream and merchandise! Their exclusive "Farm to Bar" chocolates are only available at this outlet!
It would be best to check in with the staff if there is alcohol or gelatine in the products you intend to buy!
#HHWT Tip: If you need help differentiating which products are Muslim-friendly, and which are not, check out our comprehensive article about Royce chocolate!
Credits: Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town
In line with Japan's image, their Royce merchandise is adorable and appropriately themed. Look at the bear in a cacao pod, or the chocolate tin shaped like a tram.
2. Cocoa Farm Zone
Credits: Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town
Once you have purchased your ticket, head to the first part of the exhibition which showcases the cacao farm in Neira, Colombia. It is a recreation of Lloyd's Cacao Farm right in Hokkaido! Royce prides itself in its sustainable farming of cacao and only uses ethically-sourced ingredients throughout their production. This area will educate you on their first cacao farm in Colombia!
Credits: Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town
This area is interactive and provides many opportunities for you to touch, smell and hear how cacao production is like.
There is even a part of the exhibition where your whole body interacts with the exhibition too! It is an educational experience but it also has pretty Instagrammable spots that you can use to spruce up your IG profile page.
3. Factory Experience Zone
Credits: Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town
After filling up on knowledge about chocolate's origins and the processing of cacao, you will be led into the Royce factory floor where you will be able to see the humongous machines used to create the Royce chocolate we love today! You can not only watch, but also play around with the machines set-up around the area to understand and better visualise what is happening in the actual chocolate factory itself. It's like a behind the scenes of the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory!
Credits: Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town
The large pipes on the ceiling and different sections on the 'factory floor' immerse you as though you are going through the process itself. You will get to see the making of well-known Royce chocolate lines such as the Amande Chocolate, which is their chocolate-covered almonds covered with a variety of toppings such as powdered sugar or matcha.
4. Chocolate Workshop
Credits: Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town
One of the most-anticipated parts of the Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town would be the making of your own chocolate! However, to experience this you will need to buy a ticket from the vending machine in front of the workshop venue. The cost for both adults and children is 1500¥ and it cannot be reserved. We encourage our audience to ask the staff if there are any alcohol or gelatine-based ingredients used in the workshop. Please dine at your own discretion.
#HHWT Tip: Reach early in order to experience the exhibitions and be able to make your own chocolate! You can only reach the Workshop through the exhibitions (it's on the second floor) so make sure to book your admission tickets early and bee-line for the vending machine.
Credits: Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town
When you first enter, you will be given a hair net, apron and mask. You will also need to sanitise your hands before starting the workshop. Afterwards, take a tray with a mould already on it and head to the staff to fill it up with chocolate. Then it is time to add the toppings! You can choose from a variety available to create your very own one-of-a-kind chocolate bar that you can't find anywhere else.
Your chocolate will then be cooled and you can package it up in an adorable and exclusive packaging limited to the Cacao Town itself!
5. Royce Collection Street
Credits: Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town
Before you leave, you will through the Royce Collection Street that showcases the different types of packaging used by Royce throughout their 40 years in the business (since 1983)! To complement the historical vibe that the exhibition gives, Royce also features some artworks and even carvings of wooden bears. If you are as confused about it as I am, head down to Royce Cacao and Chocolate Town and tell us your thoughts on what do you think it all means.
Admission: Adult (1200¥) | Child (500¥) | Under 3 years old are free
Opening hours: Mon-Sun (10AM - 5PM)
Address: 640-15 Bitoe, Tobetsu, Ishikari District, Hokkaido 061-3775, Japan
