[Tokachigawa Onsen in Otofuke] Day Trip Bath Can Be Enjoyed at Kira-no-Yu

Niseko Ekimae Onsen

Niseko Ekimae Onsen (ニセコ駅前温泉) is a hot spring place in Niseko town located in the southwestern part of Sapporo city. Only Kira-no-Yu (綺羅乃湯) is built in front of Niseko Station. Except Niseko Tourist Information Center, Hokkaido Lion Adventure and private houses, there is nothing around the Kira-no-Yu in particular. It is a little away from the center of the Niseko, and there are cafes, restaurants, convenience stores, Izakaya, bars with a surcharge at the center of the Niseko.

Niseko Onsenkyo Group passed a rigorous screening in 1958, and the Niseko Onsenkyo Group containing the Niseko Ekimae Onsen has been appointed by Minister for the Environment, and is one of 15 nation insurance hot spring resorts in Hokkaido. There are a lot of the hot spring places such as Niseko Goshiki Onsen (ニセコ五色温泉), Niseko Yumoto Onsen (ニセコ湯本温泉), Niseko Higashiyama Onsen (ニセコ東山温泉), Niseko Konbu Onsen (ニセコ昆布温泉), Niseko Yunosato Onsen (ニセコ湯の里温泉), Niseko Yakushi Onsen (ニセコ薬師温泉), Niseko Niimi Onsen (ニセコ新見温泉), Niseko Ekimae Onsen (ニセコ駅前温泉), Konbugawa Onsen (昆布川温泉), Niseko Weiss Onsen (ニセコワイス温泉), Hanazono Onsen (花園温泉), Hirafu Onsen (ひらふ温泉) and Kutchan Onsen (倶知安温泉) around the Niseko. Types of hot springs are different, and have a wide variety. It is said that Onsen lovers will go crazy for the hot springs. Niseko Yumeguri Onsen Pass (ニセコ湯巡りパス) is issued, and the ticket users can take a bath at 3-4 hot spring facilities.

There are Cherry Trees, Arishima Memorial Hall (有島記念館), Sakamoto Park, Shinsen-numa Swamp (神仙沼), Niseko Oyunuma Pond (ニセコ大湯沼) and Mishima's Moss Pink Garden (三島さんちの芝桜) around the Niseko Ekimae Onsen, too. In addition, various things can be enjoyed all the year round in the Niseko. For example, Cherry blossoms can be enjoyed in a spring, trecking, ski gondra, rafting and hot air ballooning can be enjoyed in a summer, fall foliage can be enjoyed in an autumn, and skiing, snowboarding and snowshoes can be enjoyed in the winter. Nonstop buses do not run from Sapporo to here, But Express Bus Niseko-go runs from Sapporo to Ikoi-no-Yuyado Iroha. In addition, Nicotto Bus (にこっとBUS) runs in the Niseko.

Shinsen-numa Swamp

Shinsen-numa Swamp (神仙沼) is the largest swamp at about 770 m above sea level in the Shinsen-numa Wetland in Kyowa town located in the western part of Sapporo city, and is well-known for a good place to see beautiful fall foliage, so a lot of visitors come. Mr. Toyomatsu Shimoda (下田豊松), the Japan's first chief scout, that was moved by a phrase "Everything is God, here is a place that a hermit lives in (皆が神、仙人の住みたまう所)" named it the Shinsen-numa Swamp. Shinsennuma Rest Station (神仙沼自然休養林休憩所) is at Shinsen-numa Parking Lot along Hokkaido Road 66, and light meals are served. It opens a business from late May to early November. The parking has Shinsen-numa Nature Forest Lookout (神仙沼自然休養林展望台) and a public restroom. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Article is here

Oyunuma Pond

Oyunuma Pond (大湯沼) is a hot spring bog at about 560 m above sea level in Niseko Yumoto Onsen (ニセコ湯本温泉), Rankoshi town located in the western part of Sapporo city, and is a hot spring source of the Niseko Yumoto Onsen, and adjoins Yukichichibu (雪秩父). It is smaller than a pond with the same name in Noboribetsu Onsen. The circumference of the pond is about 200 m, and the 1,000 liters per minute of hot springs are gushing out. The pond used to be a geyser in old days, but Anglo-Saxon Mining Company Howl Company drew sulfur too much in the Meiji period, and it was destroyed. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. There are Koyunuma pond (小湯沼), Chisenupuri Ski resort (チセヌプリスキー場), Oyunuma Nature Pavilion (大湯沼自然展示館) and Yumoto Onsen Campsite (湯本温泉野営場) around here. Article is here

Mishima's Moss Pink Garden

Mishima's Moss Pink Garden (三島さんちの芝桜) is a private garden in Niseko, Kutchan town located in the western part of Sapporo city, and is around 1 km away from Kuchan Station. After retirement from a farmer, Mr. Kazuo Mishima (三島和夫) has been planted the moss pink not to prevent tuning a agricultural land into a wasteland since the early 2000s. The moss pink is a perennial plant of the family polemoniaceae native of North America, and is a kind of the phlox. He has expanded the moss pink field every year, and now the park space is 4,000 m2. I was really surprised at the area of moss pink very much when I visited here. Admission free. A free parking lot and a restroom are provided, too. If the parking lot is full, visitors can park their cars at Kutosan Park Parking Lot (くとさんパーク駐車場) and Asahigaoka Park Parking Lot (旭ケ丘公園駐車場). Because the garden is thrown open to visitors in his good faith, the visiotrs follow a manner, and appreciate the moss pink. Article is here

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NISEKO

Niseko (ニセコ) is the general term for towns and villages around Mt. Yotei (羊蹄山) in the southwestern part of Sapporo city, and contains Niseko town (ニセコ町), Kutchan town (倶知安町), Kyogoku town (京極町), Makkari village (真狩村), Kimobetsu town (喜茂別町), Kyowa town (共和町), Rankoshi town (蘭越町) and Iwanai town (岩内町). The Niseko means "A river in a gorge" in Ainu language, and the origin of the word is Niseko Anbetsu River (ニセコアンベツ川). In a winter, skiing and snowboarding can be enjoyed, and rafting along Shiribetsu River (尻別川) can be enjoyed in a summer. It is one of the features that the Niseko has various nature such as the Mt. Yotei, Shinsen-numa Swamp (神仙沼) and Oyunuma Pond (大湯沼). In addition, tasty water from the Mt. Yotei and tasty ingredients are abundant. In a spring, cherry blossoms can be enjoyed, summer activities and nature can be enjoyed in a summer, fall foliage can be enjoyed in an autumn, and winter activities can be enjoyed in a winter, so tourists can enjoy the nature of Hokkaido including various onsen and tasty foods in Niseko throughout the year. Article is here