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[Aidomari Onsen in Rausu] Day Trip Onsen Can Be Enjoyed in Japan's Easternmost Hot Spring Place

July 12th, 2014

CONTENTS

Aidomari Onsen
List of Day Trip Onsen
- Aidomari Onsen
Accommodations

Aidomari Onsen

Aidomari Onsen (相泊温泉) is the Japan's easternmost hot spring place in Rausu town located in the Shiretoko peninsula, and is located around the end of Hokkaido Road 87, and the distance is around 25 km far away from the center of the Rausu. The hot springs as well as the Seseki Onsen were founded by Mr. Ichitraro Horiuchi (堀内市太郎). At present, here is famous as wild natural onsen on the seashore, and a lot of tourists come.

Only huts for harvesting kombu are built around the Aidomari Onsen. The Shiretoko Peninsula is well-known for hidden lands, and it is not easy access to here, so here is well-known for a secret onsen. Unfortunately, restraunts, cafes, cafes, souvenir shops and convenience stores are not built. As for the secret onsen in the Rausu, Kuma-no-Yu (熊の湯) and Seseki Onsen (セセキ温泉) are famous, too. In addition, there are famous tourist attractions such as Shiretoko Pass (知床峠), Lake Rausu (羅臼湖), Rausu Kunashiri Observatory Deck (羅臼国後展望塔) and Kujira-no-Mierugaoka Park (クジラの見える丘公園) in the Rausu. As for the restraunts, Roadside Station "Shiretoko Rausu (知床・らうす)" and Hamada Shoten (濱田商店) are popular in particular. Grilled Pike Congera Sea Eel Rice Bowl (黒ハモ丼) and Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream (知床深層水ソフトクリーム) that are served at the Roadside Station "Shiretoko Rausu" are local specialty foods. By the way, the Hokkaido Road 87 is sometimes closed to traffic by a natural disaster such as a landslip.

ヒカリゴケ　羅臼　知床国立公園 — It Is Prohibited Toutists from Entering at Luminous Moss

Shiretoko Pass

Shiretoko Pass (知床峠) at 738 m above sea level is a viewpoint across Rausu and Shari in Shiretoko Peninsula, and is located around the top of National Route 334 (a common name is Shiretoko Crossing Road (知床横断道路) with some curving road that Utoro connects Rausu. It is popular for good views with Kunashiri Island and Mt. Rausudake. Except a restroom, observatory decks and a parking lot, there is not a facility. The parking lot is used for hikers, too. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Article is here

Lake Rausu

Lake Rausu (羅臼湖) at 750 m above sea level is a freshwater lake at the foot of Mt. Chinishiridake (知西別岳), and the perimeter is about 6 km, and is the largest lake in the Shiretoko National Park. It used to be called Lake of Illusions because creeping pines growing thickly and bears kept people away. But trails are built at present and are opened to hikers from June to October, so even beginner hikers can enjoy a hiking. Except the Lake Rausu, there are 5 ponds (Ichi-no-Numa Pond (一の沼) - Go-no-Numa Pond (五の沼)) and Menashi-Boyodai Lookout (目梨望遥台), various sceneries such as a snow scenery in a spring, a green scenery in a summer and fall foliage in an autumn can be enjoyed. * There is not a trail to the Ichi-no-Numa Pond unfortunately, but the hikers can see the Ni-no-Numa Pond (二の沼) - Go-no-Numa Pond along the trails. Admission free. Article is here

Rausu Kunashiri Observatory Deck

Rausu Kunashiri Observatory Deck (羅臼国後展望塔) is a famous sunrise location that tourists can look over Rausu town in the south side of Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島). A building is built for the return of the Northern Territories on a hill at about 167 m above sea level. The first floor is the Four Northern Islands Museum (北方四島の資料館), and an observation deck is built on the rooftop. The Kunashiri Island can be seen from here if it is fine weather. Tourists can look over coming alongside drift ices in a winter, too. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Article is here

Grilled Pike Congera Sea Eel Rice Bowl

Shiretoko Restaurant (知床食堂) in Rausu town is a restaurant at second floor of roadside station "Shiretoko Rausu (知床・らうす)". I heard that Grilled Pike Congera Sea Eel Rice Bowl at this restaurant was very popular for riders that tour around Hokkaido, and I visited here. Except the grilled pike congera sea eel rice bowl, a seafood rice bowl (海鮮丼) and Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream (知床深層水ソフトクリーム) are popular, too. Article is here

Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream

Shiretoko Restaurant Shop (知床食堂売店) is on 1st floor of Shiretoko Restaurant in Rausu located in Shiretoko Peninsula, and is famous for serving Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream (知床深層水ソフトクリーム) and Deep Fried Atka Mackerel Humberger (ホッケフライバーガー). I have eaten Grilled Pike Congera Sea Eel Rice Bowl (黒ハモ丼) at the Shiretoko Restaurant, so I tried to eat the Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream this time. There is the shop in front of a parking lot, and there is a resting place, too. Other visitos bought the Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream successively, and after all it was popular. I lost no time in buying it at a window, too. The price is JPY 320. Article is here

List of Day Trip Onsen

The visitors can take a day trip bath only at the Aidomari Onsen.

Aidomari Onsen

Aidomari Onsen is a mixed bathing open-air bath for local fisherman or fisherwoman on the seashore. But it opens to the public because the wild open-air bath is very popular. The bath seems to bury itself underwater by a storm. It is really great at the mercy of nature. An entrance fee to a bath facility is free of charge. It is maintenanced by local people. Thanks!

Bathing season is almost from May to September. At the begining of the bathing season, the open-air bath is mixed bathing, but an onsen hut is built only during the kelp harvest season, from July to September, and the open-air bath turns into gender segregated bathrooms. By the way, it is sometimes destroyed by a storm, please check Facebook out before coming here.

There is 1 mixed bathing open-air bath. The concrete bath is the size that about 8 people can take a bath, and hot springs gush out from the bottom of the bath without oxidizing. Water temperature is very hot. A hose for cold water is provided, so it is allowed to add the water for lowering the water temperature. In the state of non the hut, tetrapods disturb a view a little, but bathers can forget daily life to see Kunashiri Island very much. In addition, a sense of openness can be felt, too.

The hot springs are sodium chloride spring, and are clear and colorless and have tastless and no smell. I supposed that the hot springs were salty, but I licked the hot springs, strangely enough it was not salty. Because there are no a shower and amenity goods, please take a bath after pouring the hot springs on your body to washed off your sweat and dirt. In addition, bathers can take a bath in wearing their swimsuits. There is not a dressing room. But a public restroom is provided near a parking lot, and the bathers can substitute the restroom for the dressing room.

Atmosphere of Aidomari Onsen Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Aidomari Onsen

Types of Hot Springs	Sodium chloride spring (Type: Weak alkaline, Osmotic Pressure: -, Spring Temperature Type: Warm spring)
Water temperature of Hot Spring Source	75 C
ph	6.1
Indications	Cut, Hemorrhoids, Burn, Neuralgia, Backache, Chronic rheumatism, Chronic dermatopathia, Anemia
Contraindications	Acute disease(when there is the heat in particular), Active tuberculosis, Malignant tumor, Severe heart disease, Respiratory failure, Renal insufficiency, Hemorrhagic disease, High anemia, Other diseases during condition of a patient progress generally
Indications of drinking	Not drinking
Facilities	Open-air bath(1)
Entrance fee to the bath facility	Free of charge
Business hours	From Sunrise to Sunset
Regular closing day	From October to April
Parking lot	A parking lot is provided (6 cars)
Telephone number	+81-153-87-2126
Home page	Home page is here
Mapcode	974 353 767*37

Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the south side of the Shiretoko Peninsula. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Rausu Daiichi Hotel(らうす第一ホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Mine-no-Yu(ホテル峰の湯)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Rausu-no-Yado Marumi(羅臼の宿まるみ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Sakaeya(ホテル栄屋)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Business Hotel Isaribi(ビジネスホテル漁火)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Pension Rausukl(ペンションラウスクル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Takashimaya Ryokan(高島屋旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Chishimaya Ryokan(千島屋旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Honma(民宿本間)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Nomura(民宿野むら)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Yonemaru(民宿よね丸)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Kannari(民宿かんなり)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Washi-no-Yado(民宿鷲の宿)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Ippukudozo(民宿いっぷくどうぞ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Rider House Okigaruya(ライダーハウスお気軽屋)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten

Booking.com

A page of Secret Onsen in Hokkaido is here

Secret Onsen in Hokkaido

A page of Shiretoko National Park is here

Shiretoko National Park

Map

Transportation to Aidomari Onsen

New Chitose Airport (新千歳空港) --> (Approximately 60 minutes by Plane) --> Nemuro-Nakashibetsu Airport (根室中標津空港) --> (Approximately 5 minutes on foot) --> Nemuro-Nakashibetsu kuko bus stop (根室中標津空港停留所) --> (Approximately 10 minutes by Nemuro kotsu [To Nemuro] (根室交通「根室行き」)) --> Nakashibetsu bus terminal (中標津バスターミナル) --> (Approximately 60 minutes by Akan bus [Kushiro-Rausu line / Kushiro-Shibetsu line: To Rausu] (阿寒バス「釧路羅臼線・釧路標津線：羅臼行き」) --> Rausu-eigyosho bus stop (羅臼営業所停留所) --> (Approximately 40 minutes by Akan bus [to Aidomari] (阿寒バス「相泊行き」)) --> Aidomari Onsen bus stop (相泊温泉停留所) --> (Approximately 10 minutes on foot) * Akan bus Rausu-utoro line is service only in a summer.