Noboribetsu Onsen in Hokkaido is a hot spring area close to Sapporo and Niseko. It’s also a very rare place that has a variety of spring types in one hot spring village, making it one of the charms of Noboribetsu Onsen that you can enjoy different beneficial effects by visiting multiple baths in one night.
In this post, we will introduce six recommended hotels full of charm at Noboribetsu Onsen. Please stop by when you come to Sapporo or Niseko.
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・What’s there in Noboribetsu Hot Spring?
・6 Recommended Hotels by category
What’s there in Noboribetsu Hot Spring?
Getting there
As you can see in the map above, Noboribetsu is close to Sapporo, Niseko and Chitose airport. From Sapporo, it takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes by train and bus. From Niseko, there is a bus operating only in winter connecting “Noboribetsu / Lake Toya” and “Niseko / Rusutsu”, arriving in about 1 hour and 30 minutes. You can get to Noboribetsu from New Chitose Airport in 70 minutes by “Donan Bus Hayabusa-go”. If you go by car, it’s about 10 minutes after getting off at Noboribetsu East IC on the Doo Expressway.
Hot Spring, Onsen
Noboribetsu Onsen is famous because hot water and intermittent springs are gushing out with the scent of sulfur from the trace of volcanic activity called Hell Valley, spreading a scene like another world.
Places to visit
There are many. The demon statue located at the center of the hot spring town is famous as a symbol of Noboribetsu Onsen. Near the demon statue, there are shrines and temples such as Enma-do and Kishinden. A little away from the hot spring town, “Noboribetsu Bear Park” is very famous especially among Hokkaido residents.
6 Recommendations by Hotel category
Noboribetsu has various types of accommodation facilities for hot spring hotels and inns (ryokan). Listed hotels are divided into three categories: Luxury, Upper Middle, and Economy, so please refer to them according to your budget.
1. Ryotei Hanayura
Category: Luxury
Ryokan Hanayura, located in Noboribetsu Onsen, a 15-minute bus ride from JR Noboribetsu Station, is a luxury ryokan where you can enjoy three types of natural hot springs and seasonal delicacies. All rooms have an open-air bath, where you can relax while enjoying the view of Noboribetsu’s nature. There are tourist attractions nearby, such as Noboribetsu Jigokudani and Noboribetsu Marine Park Nixe, where you can interact with nature and animals.
You can enjoy delicious Japanese food made with local ingredients for breakfast, and Kaiseki cuisine made with carefully selected ingredients from the mountains and the sea for dinner. The service is attentive and the atmosphere is calm. A point of recommendation is that there are staff who can speak English.
Noboribetsu Marine Park NIXE
2. Hotel Mahoroba
Category: Upper Middle
Hotel Mahoroba, located in Noboribetsu Onsen, is a hot spring resort where you can enjoy four types of spring quality, Japan’s largest open-air bath, and 31 hot water palaces. It is conveniently located 15 minutes by bus from JR Noboribetsu Station, and is easy to access tourist spots such as Noboribetsu Jigokudani and Noboribetsu Bear Park. The hotel has facilities such as a convenience store, karaoke, game corner, relaxation room, and souvenir shop.
You can enjoy Japanese and Western food and a buffet using seasonal vegetables. The all-you-can-eat crab is popular. The rooms are varied, such as Japanese-style rooms, Western-style rooms, and suite rooms with open-air baths, and you can spend a comfortable time. There are staff who can speak multiple languages.
Noboribetsu Bear Park Ticket
3. Dai-ichi Takimotokan
Category: Upper Middle
Daiichi Takimoto-kan, located in the center of Noboribetsu Onsen, is a historic hot spring inn with over 160 years of history. It is located about 13 minutes by car from Noboribetsu Station. The hotel has a 1,500-square-meter large bathhouse with five types of spring quality and 35 types of bathtubs, as well as a heated pool, beauty salon, game plaza, souvenir shop, and other facilities.
For meals, you can choose from a buffet of Japanese and Western food, or a crab kaiseki in your room. It has received high ratings for its hot springs, food, service, and especially the view from the bath and the mechanical clock. It can accommodate English and Chinese languages.
4. Yumoto Noboribetsu
Category: Upper Middle
Hotel Yumoto Noboribetsu, located in Noboribetsu Onsen, one of the best hot springs in Hokkaido, offers natural hot springs. You can enjoy four types of spring quality, five large and small bathtubs, as well as an open-air bath and a sauna, and enjoy the pride of the hot water.
It is also conveniently located about 15 minutes by car from JR Noboribetsu Station. You can enjoy the kaiseki cuisine made with care in your room, and relax in the spacious rooms with Simmons beds, including Japanese-Western bedrooms.
JR Hokkaido Rail Pass
5. Noboribetsu Grand Hotel
Category: Upper Middle
Noboribetsu Grand Hotel, located 15 minutes by car from JR Noboribetsu Station, offers a large bathhouse, an open-air bath, and free Wi-Fi in the lobby. In particular, there is a hot spring where you can enjoy three types of spring quality: sulfur spring, salt spring, and iron spring.
In addition, you can enjoy Japanese cuisine made with fresh local ingredients in your room for dinner. Breakfast is a buffet style at the restaurant, with about 30 types of Japanese and Western dishes. The hotel is recommended for its abundant hot springs and local ingredients.
6. Hotel Izumi
Category: Economy
Hotel Izumi, located 5 minutes by car from JR Noboribetsu Station, is a hotel with a spacious large bathhouse, a free park golf course, and a free shuttle “Yutara” from the station. There are tourist attractions around, such as Noboribetsu Marine Park Nixe, Chikyu Cape in Muroran, and Ainu Folk Museum, which can be accessed by car in a short time from the hotel.
There is also a natural hot spring with a source, where you can relax in an open-air bath overlooking the sea. The food is popular for its delicious Japanese food made with local seafood.
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