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[Benkei Onsen in Sobetsu] Day Trip Onsen Can Be Enjoyed at Kubonai Fureai Center

May 5th, 2014

CONTENTS

Benkei Onsen
- Lake Toya
- Orofure Pass Lookout
List of Day Trip Onsen
- Kubonai Fureai Center
List of Accommodations

Benkei Onsen

Benkei Onsen (弁景温泉) is a hot spring place in Sobetsu town near Lake Toya (洞爺湖). Kubonai Fureai Center (久保内ふれあいセンター) and Benkei Onsen Public Bath (弁景温泉共同浴場) for members only are built at the foot of Orofure Pass (オロフレ峠). Common visitors can take a bath only at Kubonai Fureai Center. It maybe difficult to find a building because the building facing Osaru River does not built along Hokkaido Road 2. A convenience store is not built around here. The distance is around 7 km away from the center of the Sobetsu, and Bakei Onsen (蟠渓温泉), Orofure Pass (オロフレ峠) and Orofure Ski Resort (オロフレスキー場) are relatively near here.

It is the origin of the Benkei Onsen that Mr. Rinnosuke Sakuma (作間林之助) found a hot spring gushing out place in 1879, and built an onsen hut named "Sakuma Onsen". He developed a road, too. After that, it was called "Benkei Onsen". At the peak period of Horobestu Sulfur Mine (幌別硫黄鉱山), some onsen ryokan are built, but those have closed a business after closing the mine.

Lake Toya

Lake Toya (洞爺湖) between Toyako town and Sobetsu town located in the northwestern part of Muroran city is the 3rd largest caldera lake in Japan after Lake Kussharo and Lake Shikotsu, and was born by large-scale eruptions 110,000 years ago. In Shikotsu-Toya National Park, the perimeter of the lake is about 43 km, and 58 sculptures are located around the lake, and those create scenes in accord with the lake. Geographical features of mountains and the lake have been authorized in the World Geopark. The lake is one of major tourist attractoions in Hokkaido, and a lot of international tourists come. Windsor Hotels Toya Resort & Spa that 34th G8 Summit (Hokkaido Toyako Summit) was held at is famous, too. Around the Lake Toya, there are Toyako Onsen Resort (洞爺湖温泉) that is a sightseeing base, Toya Silo Observation Deck (サイロ展望台), Ukimido Park (浮見堂公園), Toya Onsen (洞爺温泉), Nakatoya Onsen (仲洞爺温泉), Nakatoya Camping Ground (仲洞爺キャンプ場), Green Stay Toyako (グリーンステイ洞爺湖), Takarada Camping Ground (水辺の里財田キャンプ場), Sobetsu-cho Onsen (壮瞥町温泉), Mt. Showa-shinzan (昭和新山) and Mt. Usu (有珠山). Article is here

Orofure Pass Lookout

Orofure Pass (オロフレ峠) is a pass along Hokkaido Road 2 with a lot of sharp turns on Mt. Orofure with about 1230 m in height between Noboribetsu city and Sobetsu town, and Orofure Parking Lot Park (オロフレ駐車公園), Orofure Pass Lookout (オロフレ峠展望台) and a public restroom are at the Orofure Pass. The Orofure Pass Lookout is famous for seeing a conbination of Pacific Ocean and mountains. There is a trailhead to Mt. Orofure, so a lot of hikers come, too. The Hokkaido Road 2 is closed in the evening (17:00-09:00) from late November to late April. A view from Okei Parking Lot (黄渓駐車場) along the Hokkaido Road 2 is comforatable, too. The Hokkaido Road 2 has continuous sharp curves, so drive safety in a winter. Article is here

Orofure Pass Observatory in Noboribetsu — Comfortable View

List of Day Trip Onsen

Visitors can take a day trip bath at the Kubonai Fureai Center.

Kubonai Fureai Center

Kubonai Fureai Center is a hot spring facility for day trip onsen founded in 1993, and local people often use it, so it is not crowded. It is a little‐known place that high quality hot springs can be enjoyed. An entrance fee to a bath facility is JPY 420.

There is 1 indoor bath at a public bathroom. The tiled bathrrom is not large but cozy. The indoor bath is the size that about 4 people can take a bath, and uses natural free flowing hot springs (Water adds the hot springs or the hot springs are heated depending on temperature). The bath has a faucet for cold water, so it is allowed to add the water for lowering the water temperature. The hot springs overflow freely from the bath, and have smooth touch, so it is comfortable. This hot spring facility does not seem to be crowded, so bathers can enjoy relaxing.

The hot springs are calcium and sodium bicarbonate sulfate spring and sulfate spring, and are clear and colorless and have tasteless and no smell, and are not drinkable without getting a permission of the health center. The sum total of hot spring ingredients are 1.034 g/kg. Shampoos and body soaps are not provided at the bathroom, so the bathers must bring those. A restroom is installed at a dressing room. A cold water dispenser is provided on a corridor, and the visitors can drink it freely.

Atmosphere of Benkei Onsen Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Benkei Onsen

Types of Hot Springs	Calcium and sodium bicarbonate sulfate spring and sulfate spring (Type: Weak alkaline, Osmotic Pressure: Low, Spring Temperature Type: Extra hot spring
Water temperature of Hot Spring Source	67.8 C
ph	7.8
Indications	Neuralgia, Arthralgia, Muscular pain, Frozen shoulder, Motor paralysis, Tightening of the joint, Bruise, Sprain, Hemorrhoid, Chronic digestive diseases, Chronic skin diseases, Convalescent convalescence, Relieving fatigue, Healthy increase, Weak child, Arteriosclerosis, Chronic woman's diseases, Cold sensitivity, Cut, Burn
Contraindications	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	Chronic digestive diseases, Chronic constipation, Diabetes, Gout, Chronic gallbladder flame, Cholelithiasis, Obesity disease
Contraindications of drinking	Diarrhea, Kidney disease, High blood pressure and diseases accompanied by edema in general
Facilities	Indoor bath(1). Bathing segregate the sexes.
Entrance fee to the bath facility	Adult: JPY 420. Child: JPY 140. Infant: JPY 70.
Business hours	10:00-20:30
Regular closing day	Wednesday, Year-end and New Year holidays
Parking lot	A free parking is provided (20 cars)
Telephone number	+81-142-65-2010
Home page	Home page is here
Mapcode	321 565 875*27

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations around Benkei Onsen. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Onsen Ryokan Ikoiso(温泉旅館いこい荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Toya Kaawanami(洞爺かわなみ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Nakanoshima(ホテル中の島)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Showa Shinzan Youth Hostel(昭和新山ユースホステル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Ito Ryokan Hikari Onsen(伊藤旅館ひかり温泉)	Only Tel:+81-142-65-3000
Yunotoya(湯人家)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Bangakuso(蟠岳荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten