5 best hot spring spots in Hokkaido

Have you ever been to Hokkaido?
Recently, Hokkaido is getting more and more popular among visitors from foreign countries.
When foreign people intend to travel to Japan, they tend to visit Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka for the first time. However, they tend to choose Hokkaido for their 2nd trip to Japan seeking for something new.

Hokkaido has so different historical background compared with other regions of Japan.
Ainu people has been dominant in Hokkaido for a long time and built their own peculiar culture.
Many names of places in Hokkaido were named after their Ainu language such as Sapporo or Nemuro.

Hokkaido is also abundant with hot spring (onsen) wellsprings.
After many people started to visit Hokkaido as tourists, they developed onsen and hotels to invite more visitors.

In this article, I would like to introduce 5 most famous onsen spots in Hokkaido and their photos!

Sounkyo Onsen is located 1 hour away from Asahikawa Airport.
If you try to get there from Sapporo by car, it will take around 2 hours.

Sounkyo onsen is located at very unique location in the middle of big canyon.
The entire city is designed after mountain resort place of Canada and that makes Sounkyo onsen even more unique.

If someone ask me "where is the most famous onsen place in Hokkaido", I would instantly answer "Noboribetsu Onsen"
Noboribetsu onsen is almost a symbol of onsen place in Hokkaido.

Noboribetsu onsen is located only one hour away from Shin-chitose airport by car that makes this place even more famous onsen place.
There are tens of choices of nice hotels here.
You can check out these from the link below.

The most outstanding thing about Yunokawa Onsen is that this place is locate only 10 minute away from Hakodate station and Hakodate airport.
It means that Yunokawa onsen is urban style Onsen city.

You can visit the most famous sightseeing spots such as Goryokaku park and the night view of Mt.Hakodateyama.

Toyako Onsen is located nearby Lake Toyako as the name shows.
Even though this Yoyako Onsen city was greatly damaged by the volcanic eruption of Mt.Usu that occured at 2000.

If you want to spend a great time surrounded by the beautiful nature of Hokkaido.

Moreover, Toyako Onsen City is located in the middle of Sapporo city and Hakodate city.
Therefore, you can enjoy sapporo on the first day and spend nice and slow time at Toyako Onsen on the second day and visit Hakodate city the next day!

The Yunokawa onsen is the best place for the sightseeing for Hakodate city.
And Jozankei Onsen is the most awesome place for sightseeing for Sapporo city.

The address of Jozankei Onsen is "South ward, Sapporo city" that means Jozankei onsen is a almost a part of Sapporo city.
It is only 1 hour from the center of Sapporo city to Jozankei Onsen by car.

If you wish to enjoy onsen and Sapporo sightseeing both, I recommend you to visit Jozankei Onsen city.

Moreover, there is "Sapporo Kokusai Skiing Resort" that opens from the end of November to the Golden Week (from the end of April to the beginning of the May).
Thus, if you stay at Jozankei Onsen place at winter season, you can enjoy onsen and skiing both.