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[Hiratanai Onsen in Yakumo] Day Trip Onsen Can Be Enjoyed at Kuma-no-Yu That Is Famous for Mixed Bathing Natural Open-air Bath and Hiratanai-so That Is Famous for Savoring Abalone Dishes

September 7th, 2014

CONTENTS

Hiratanai Onsen
Day Trip Onsen
- Kuma-no-Yu
- Kumaishi Hiratanai-so
List of Accommodations

Hiratanai Onsen

Hiratanai Onsen (平田内温泉) is a hot spring place in Kumaishi, Yakumo town located in the northwestern part of Hakodate city. There are Kuma-no-Yu (熊の湯), a nature open-air bath, and Hiratanai-so (平田内荘). The Kuma-no-Yu in a mountain at about 250 m above sea level is one of secret onsen in Yakumo. Speaking of the Kuma-no-Yu, the Kuma-no-Yu in Rausu is more famous than here, but here is popular, too. But as the name suggests, no wonder that the bears appear here, so beware of the bears. * Kuma means a bear in Japanese. It is around 4 km towards the sea, and there Kumaishi Young People Trip Village (熊石青少年旅行村 * camping ground), Yakumo Kumaishi History Museum (八雲町熊石歴史記念館) and Hiratanai Ski Resort are around the Hiratanai-so. The distance is around 5 km away from the center of Kumaishi, and restraunts and a convenience store are built there.

The Hiratanai Onsen has a long history, and Mr. Takeshiro Matsuura (松浦武四郎) wrote a diary about Kenichi Onsen and the Hiratanai Onsen in Oshima Nisshi (渡島日誌) in the Edo period. Just like the Kenichi Onsen, Perhaps the Kuma-no-Yu was named after a damaged bear that soaked its body in a hot spring pond on the shore of the river, too.

Hiratanai Onsen in Kumaishi Yakumo Camping Ground — Camping Ground

The Yakumo is an unusual town with 2 seas, the Pacific Ocean and the sea of Japan. Famous tourist attractions in the Yakumo are Funkawan Panorama Park (噴火湾パノラマパーク) and Yakumo Ranch (八雲町育成牧場). Speaking of tasty restaurants in the Yakumo, Harvester Yakumo (ハーベスター八雲), Iseya Shokudo (伊勢屋食堂) and Elfin Motoyama Ranch Milk (エルフィン元山牧場牛乳) are popular in particular. I ate sushi and buckwheat noodles at Kameya (亀や) and Marumi Shokkudo (まるみ食堂). Those were so tasty.

Funkawan Panorama Park

Hills Station "Yakumo Panorama Museum" is a roadside station with an ocean view on a small hill in Yakumo town located in the northwest of Hakodate city and is next to Harvester Yakumo (ハーベスター八雲) that is known for a tasty chicken. There are Auto Resort Yakumo, Park Golf Course, Picnic Square, Flower Field at the Hills Station "Yakumo Panorama Museum" and those are composite facilities. Children seem to enjoy it, too. This is a place well-known for its scenic beauty particularly. Free admission. A parking lot is free of charge. Article is here

Kameya

Kameya (亀や) is a long-established sushi restaurant in Yakumo town located in the northwest part of Hakodate city and was founded in 1968. This sushi restraunt is famous for getting the Bib Gourmand in MICHELIN GUIDE Hokkaido 2012 Special Edition. There is a building near Yakumo station, but Kameya has no parking lot. Therefore I parked my car in the parking lot of Yakumo Station. Article is here

Marumi Shokudo

Marumi Shokudo (まるみ食堂) is a long-established restaurant in Yakumo town and was founded in 1958. A building is next to Yakumo station and they run an accommodation, too. I visited Yakumo, so I planned to eat Yakumo buckwheat noodles. However, in the first place I misunderstood about Yakumo buckwheat noodles. I thought that it was a kind of buckwheat noodles. Marumi Shokudo uses buckwheat flour produced in Horokanai. By the way, the Yakumo buckwheat noodles is a name of the restaurant. Article is here

Day Trip Onsen

Visitors can take a day trip bath at the Kuma-no-Yu and the Kumaishi Hiratanai-so.

Kuma-no-Yu

Kuma-no-Yu is a natural mixed bathing open-air bath, and is famous as a secret onsen. A lot of campers and riders come to take a bath from all over the Japan. It takes about 5 minutes from a parking lot on foot. An entrance fee to the bath facility is free of charge. A dressing room is near the bath, too. The Kuma-no-Yu is closed from late October to late April.

There is 1 open-air bath surrounded by rocks along Hiratanai River. Because it is not surrounded by blind fences, it has a good view and a sence of openness beside a mountain stream. Fresh green can be enjoyed in a summer, and fall foliage can be enjoyed in an autumn, so it is really secret onsen to be able to take a bath while enjoying nature of Hokkaido. Please take a bath after pouring the hot springs on yourself to wash off the sweat and the dirt.

The bath is the size that about 4 people can take a bath, and natural free flowing hot springs gush out from rocks, and overflowing hot springs flow to the river. Because the hot springs are considerably hot, the bathers must regulate water temperature with squirting water from a hose theirselves. By the way, horseflies or black flies may prevent you from relaxing in the summer.

The hot springs are sodium chloride spring, and are opaque and reddish brown and have salty taste and no smell. The bathers can take a bath in wearing swimsuits or with a bath towel covering body. A use of shampoo and soap is prohibited because water of the riber is polluted. Others put clothes, and baggage beside the bath whether it was in danger of the theft at the dressing room.

Atmosphere of Kuma-no-Yu Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Kuma-no-Yu

Types of Hot Springs	Sodium chloride spring (Type: Neutral, Osmotic Pressure: Low, Spring Temperature Type: Extra hot spring)
Water temperature of Hot Spring Source	72 C
ph	7.2
Indications	Rheumatic disease, Neuralgia, Backache, Disturbance of motility, Chronic skin diseases, Hemorrhoid, Frozen shoulder
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	Not drinking
Facilities	Mixed bathing open-air bath(1)
Entrance fee to the bath facility	Free of charge
Business hours	Open 24 hours
Regular closing day	From November to April
Parking lot	A free parking is provided (15 cars)
Telephone number	-
Home page	Home page is here
Mapcode	718 585 123*22

Kumaishi Hiratanai-so

Hiratanai-so is a small-sized long-established onsen ryokan founded in 1972, and is well-known for savoring abalone dishes produced in Kumaishi. An entrance fee to a bath facility is JPY 460. Restraunt "Hiratanai" (レストラン「ひらたない」) and a shop are at the building, too, and visitors for day trip bath can use the restraunt. A staying is possible, too.

There are 1 outdoor bath, 1 indoor bath, 1 whirlpool bath, 1 cold bath and 1 sauna at a public bathhouse. The sunny bathhouse with a lot of windows is feeling good. The outdoor bath and the indoor bath use free flowing hot spings with adding water, and the whirlpool bath uses deep ocean water.

平田内温泉 — Look of Bathhouse (Source: Kumaishi Hiratanai-so)

Hot springs are sodium chloride spring, and are clear and light yellow and have a little salty taste and no smell. Shampoos and body soaps are provided at the bathhouse. A restroom, free hair dryers and a cold water dispenser are installed at a dressing room.

Atmosphere of Kumaishi Hiratanai-so Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Kumaishi Hiratanai-so

Types of Hot Springs	Sodium chloride spring (Type: Neutral, Osmotic Pressure: Low, Spring Temperature Type: Extra hot spring)
Water temperature of Hot Spring Source	55.5 C
ph	-
Indications	Neuralgia, Muscular pain, Arthralgia, Frozen shoulder, Motor paralysis, Tightening of the joint, Bruise, Sprain, Hemorrhoid, Chronic digestive diseases, Convalescent convalescence, Relieving fatigue, Healthy increase, Weak child, Chronic skin diseases, Chronic women's diseases, Cold sensitivity, Cut, Burn
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	Chronic digestive diseases, Chronic constipation
Contraindications of drinking	Kidney disease, High blood pressure, and diseases accompanied by edema in general
Facilities	Outdoor bath(1), Indoor bath(3), Sauna(1). * Sex-Segregated Bathhouse.
Entrance fee to the bath facility	Adult: JPY 460. Elementary school student: JPY 200.
Business hours	11:00-22:00
Regular closing day	Irregular closing day
Parking lot	A free parking is provided (100 cars)
Telephone number	+81-1398-2-4126
Home page	Home page is here
Reservation	Jalan is here, Rakuten is here
Mapcode	718 466 693*41