
- May 29th, 2014
- Onsen
- TouristSpots
- CentralArea
[Niseko Hirafu Onsen in Kutchan] Day Trip Bath Can Be Enjoyed in Ski Resort, too
CONTENTS
Niseko Hirafu Onsen
Niseko Hirafu Onsen (ニセコ比羅夫温泉) is a hot spring resort in Kutchan town located in the southwestern direction of Sapporo city, and is the largest resort in Niseko with various resorts. There is Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort (ニセコ グラン・ヒラフ) that is one of Niseko United, and is called "Niseko Mountain Resort (ニセコマウントリゾート)". About 80 accommodations such as hotels, onsen inn, pensions and condominium are built around the ski resort. Except the accommodations, cafes, restaurants, convenience stores, supermarket, souvenir shops, sports shops, bars and Izakaya are built, and the resort shifted from short-stay type to long-stay type, and convenience goods are sold, too. Niseko has a lot of good restaurants that has a good reputation, Hand-made Buckwheat Noodles Ichimura (手打蕎麦いちむら), Kamimura (カミムラ), An Dining (杏ダイニング), Ruhiel (ルヒエル), Graubunden (グラウビュンデン), Gokoro (ごころ) and Guzuguzu (ぐずぐず) are popular in particular around here.

Hirafu (比羅夫) is named after Mr. Hirafu Abeno (阿倍比羅夫), and he conquered barbarians around here according to Nihon-shoki (日本書紀 * the oldest chronicles of Japan). The Niseko Hirafu Onsen was also called "Yamada Onsen (山田温泉)" because Mr. Kunikichi Yamada (山田邦吉) discovered hot springs in 1894, and has the second oldest history after Niseko Yumoto Onsen in the Niseko district. After that, it is the origin of the Niseko Hirafu Onsen that Yamada Onsen opened a business in 1897. I did not know why the Yamada Onsen changed to Niseko Hirafu Onsen.

Niseko Onsenkyo Group passed a rigorous screening in 1958, and the Niseko Onsenkyo Group containing the Niseko Hirafu 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 Kyogoku Fukidashi Park (京極吹き出し公園), Cherry trees, 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 Hirafu Onsen, too. Although there is the hot spring resort at the foot of the ski resort, except skiing and snowboarding in a winter, 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 snowshoes can be enjoyed in the winter. By the way, Only in the winter, Nonstop ski bus (New chitose airport) and Nonstop ski bus (Sapporo) run between New Chitose Airport or Sapporo and the Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort. Express Bus Niseko-go runs from Sapporo to Ikoi-no-Yuyado Iroha.

Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort
Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort (ニセコグラン・ヒラフスキー場) is a large ski resort. 4 ski resorts, Niseko HANAZONO Ski Resort (ニセコHANAZONOスキー場), Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort (ニセコグラン・ヒラフスキー場), Niseko Village Ski Resort (ニセコビレッジスキー場) and Niseko Annupuri Kokusai Ski Resort (ニセコアンヌプリ国際スキー場) are on Mt. Niseko Annupuri (ニセコアンヌプリ) with 1308 m in height, and the Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort is the largst ski resort in 4 ski resorts. There are 24 ski cources, 12 ski lifts, Terrain Park and Mogul Run on the Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort with 1200 m in height, and a lot of tourists come to enjoy the powder snow. Read More

Niseko 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 direction 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. Read More

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 direction 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. Read More

Hand-made Buckwheat Noodles Ichimura
Hand-made Buckwheat Noodles Ichimura (手打蕎麦いちむら) is a famous buckwheat noodles restraunt in Kutchan town located in the northwestern direction of Sapporo city and was founded in 2002. The restraunt is famous for getting the Bib Gourmand in MICHELIN GUIDE Hokkaido 2012 Special Edition. There is a building near Niseko Grand Hirafu. Read More

NISEKO
Niseko (ニセコ) is the general term for towns and villages around Mt. Yotei (羊蹄山) in the southwestern direction 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. Read More

List of Day Trip Onsen
Visitors can take a day trip bath at Hotel Niseko Alpen (ホテルニセコアルペン), Yumoto Niseko Prince Hotel Hirafutei(湯元ニセコプリンスホテルひらふ亭) and The Vale Niseko. The Onsen-no-Yado Yukoro is a little far away from the Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort. On the other hand, accommodations without taking a day trip bath are Eki-no-Yado Hirafu, Etupirika, Kimamaya Boutique Hotel, Pension Grandpapa, Shiki Niseko, Chalet Ivy, Niseko Park Hotel, Niseko Yubokumin, Famille Inn Ramina, Pension Alice, Pension Arrow Wood, Pension Woody Note, Bliss Lodging, MY ecolodge, Pension Hinoatarubasho, Pension Fu, Pension Proomin, Pension Locomotion, Ramat Niseko, Lodge Koropokkuru, Heritage Niseko, Ki Niseko, Vacation Niseko, Ski Japan Travel, Niseko Country Resort, Niseko Hirafu Rental Cottage, The Orchards Niseko, The Red Ski House and etc.

Hotel Niseko Alpen
Hotel Niseko Alpen is a large-sized onsen hotel that has opened a business since 1988 nearby the Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort, and owns a hot spring source. Tokyu Resort Service corp runs it at present. An entrance fee to the bath facility is JPY 1000. A staying is possible, too. Japanese restaurant "Shokusai HIRAFU" (日本料理店「食彩 比羅夫」), The ”Slalom” Restaurant (レストラン「スラローム」), Sweets and Café, a souvenir shop and a convenience store are at the building, too, and visitors for day trip bath can use the those. In addition, a bedrock bath and a 25 m pool are provided, too. An extra cost of the bedrock bath is JPY 1000 per 50 minutes from 13:00 to 14:00, and is JPY 1500 per 50 minutes from 15:00 to 21:00. About the pool, a fee for adult is JPY 800, and a fee for child is JPY 400. A coin-operated laundry is provided, too.

They have 2 buildings, Main Building (本館) and New Building (新館), and large public bathhouses for men or women are on the 1st basement floor of the New Building. There are 1 outdoor bath, 1 indoor bath, 1 cold bath and 1 sauna at the bathhouse. The outdoor bath is surrounded by wooden fences, so a sense of openness can not be felt.


The hot springs are sodium and magnesium bicarbonate chloride sulfate spring, and are slightly opaque and light green and have a little salty taste and slightly oil smell. The sum total of the hot spring ingredients are 4.216 g/kg. Shampoos and body soaps are provided at the bathhouse. A restroom and free hair dryers are installed at a dressing room.
Advertisement
Types of Hot Springs | Sodium and magnesium bicarbonate chloride sulfate spring (Type: Neutral, Osmotic Pressure: Low, Spring Temperature Type: Extra hot spring) |
---|---|
Water temperature of Hot Spring Source | 44.1 C |
ph | 5.7 |
Indications | Neuralgia, Muscular pain, Arthralgia, Frozen shoulder, Motor paralysis, Tightening of the joint, Bruise, Sprain, Chronic digestive diseases, Hemorrhoids, Cold sensitivity, Convalescent convalescence, Healthy increase, Cut, Burn, Chronic skin diseases, Weak child, Chronic women's diseases, Arteriosclerosis |
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 | Outdoor bath(1), Indoor bath(2), Sauna(1). * Sex-Segregated Bathhouse. |
Entrance fee to the bath facility | Adult: JPY 1000. Child: JPY 400. |
Business hours | 13:00-22:00 |
Regular closing day | Open all year round |
Parking lot | A parking lot is provided (120 cars) |
Telephone number | +81-136-22-1105 |
Home page | Home page is here |
Reservation | Booking.com is here, ![]() |
Mapcode | 398 414 040*22 |
Yumoto Niseko Prince Hotel Hirafutei
Yumoto Niseko Prince Hotel Hirafutei is a large-sized onsen hotel founded in 1977 near the Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort, and owns a hot spring source. Yunokawa Prince Hotel runs it. An entrance fee to the bath facility is JPY 1200. They serve early morning onsen from 07:00 to 10:30, too. A staying is possible, too.

Large public bathhouses are on the 3rd floor, and are divided into 2 bathhouses, the bathhouse named Urashima (うらしま) for men and bathhouse named Otohime (おとひめ) for women. There are 1 outdoor bath, 2 indoor baths, 1 cold bath and 1 sauna at each bathhouses. Mt. Niseko Annupuri can be seen from the outdoor bath for men, and Mt. Yotei can be seen from the outdoor bath for women.



Hot springs are sodium chloride carbonated spring, and are slightly opaque and light green and have a little salty taste and slightly oil smell. The sum total of the hot spring ingredients are 3.827 g/kg. The meta-silicic acid content is 254.3 mg/kg. It is said that the hot springs including the meta-silicic acid with over 200 mg/kg is effective for beautiful skin. Shampoos and body soaps are provided at the bathhouse. A restroom and free hair dryers are installed in a dressing room.
Types of Hot Springs | Sodium chloride carbonated spring (Type: Neutral, Osmotic Pressure: Low, Spring Temperature Type: Extra hot spring) |
---|---|
Water temperature of Hot Spring Source | 63.1 C |
ph | 6.7 |
Indications | Neuralgia, Muscular pain, Arthralgia, Frozen shoulder, Motor paralysis, Tightening of the joint, Bruise, Sprain, Chronic digestive diseases, Hemorrhoids, Cold sensitivity, Convalescent convalescence, Healthy increase, Weak child, Chronic skin diseases, Chronic women's diseases, 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 | Not drinking |
Facilities | Outdoor bath(1), Indoor bath(3) Sauna(1). * Sex-Segregated Bathhouse. |
Entrance fee to the bath facility | Adult: JPY 1200. Child: JPY 600. |
Business hours | 07:00-10:30, 13:30-23:00 |
Regular closing day | Open all year round |
Parking lot | A parking lot is provided (100 cars) |
Telephone number | +81-136-23-2239 |
Home page | Home page is here |
Reservation | Booking.com is here, ![]() |
Mapcode | 398 384 797*02 |
The Vale Niseko
The Vale Niseko is a middle-sized condominium that has opend a business since 2009 along Hokkaido Road 343 relatively near the Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort, and owns a hot spring source. NISADE inc. runs it. The Vale Niseko has won 4 times World's Best Ski Boutique Hotel, so is world-class accommodation. The appearance and the interior decoration designed by Hokkaido Nikken Skkei are very cool, and a building is built in a semi‐Western style. An entrance fee to the bath facility is JPY 1300. Opening season for day trip bath is around from late April to early May and from July to September. A staying is possible, too.

There are 1 outdoor bath, 1 indoor bath and 1 sauna at a public bathhouse, and the baths use 100% natural free flowing hot springs. The outdoor bath is surrounded by walls, so a sense of openness can not be felt. The hot springs are calcium and sodium bicarbonate chloride spring, and are slightly opaque and light green and have a little salty taste and slightly oil smell. Shampoos and body soaps are provided at the bathhouse.

Atmosphere of The Vale Niseko Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of The Vale Niseko
Types of Hot Springs | Calcium and sodium bicarbonate chloride spring (Type: Neutral, Osmotic Pressure: Low, Spring Temperature Type: Extra hot spring) |
---|---|
Water temperature of Hot Spring Source | 47.7 C |
ph | 6.6 |
Indications | Neuralgia, Muscular pain, Arthralgia, Frozen shoulder, Motor paralysis, Tightening of the joint, Bruise, Sprain, Chronic digestive diseases, Hemorrhoids, Cold sensitivity, Convalescent convalescence, Relieving fatigue, Healthy increase, Cut, Burn, Chronic skin diseases, Weak child, Arteriosclerosis |
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 | I do not know whether it is drinkable. |
Facilities | Outdoor bath (1), Indoor bath (1), Sauna (1). * Sex-Segregated Bathhouse. |
Entrance fee to the bath facility | Adult: JPY 1300. Child: JPY 800. |
Business hours | 13:00-21:00 |
Regular closing day | From October to late April, From middle May to June |
Parking lot | A parking lot is provided (23 cars) |
Telephone number | +81-136-21-5811 |
Home page | Home page is here |
Reservation | Booking.com is here, ![]() |
Mapcode | 398 384 625*68 |
[Closing Down] Onsen-no-Yado Yukoro
Yukoro is a small-sized onsen inn founded in 1993, and own a hot spring souce, and is a little away from the the Niseko Grand Hirafu Ski Resort, and is well-known for using 100% natural free flowing hot springs. An entrance fee to the bath facility is JPY 600. All over the world for day trip bath come to enjoy taking a bath. A staying is possible, too. Unfortunately, They closed a business in May, 2018.

They have 2 buildings, Main Building and Annex Building, and public bathhoses for men or women are at the Annex Building. There are 1 open-air bath and 1 indoor bath at the bathhouse. The bathhouse is small but cozy. It is said that the open-air bath is comfortable while seeing snow, and visitors for hotel guests or staying in Hirafu seem to enjoy drinking while bathing. It sounds good. The hot springs are sodium chloride carbonated spring, and are slightly opaque and light green and have a little salty taste and slightly oil smell. Shampoos and body soaps are provided at the bathhouse. A restroom and free hair dryers are installed at a dressing room.
Atmosphere of Onsen-no-Yado Yukoro Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Onsen-no-Yado Yukoro
Types of Hot Springs | Sodium chloride carbonated spring (Type: Neutral, Osmotic Pressure: Low, Spring Temperature Type: Extra hot spring) |
---|---|
Water temperature of Hot Spring Source | 66.4 C |
ph | 6.8 |
Indications | Neuralgia, Muscular pain, Arthralgia, Frozen shoulder, Motor paralysis, Tightening of the joint, Bruise, Sprain, Chronic digestive diseases, Hemorrhoid, Cold sensitivity, Convalescent convalescence, Relieving fatigue, Healthy increase, Cut, Burn, Chronic skin diseases, Weak child, Arteriosclerosis |
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, Diabetes, Gou, Liver disease |
Contraindications of drinking | Kidney disease, High blood pressure, diseases accompanied by edema in general |
Facilities | Open-air bath(1), Indoor bath(1). * Sex-Segregated Bathhouse. |
Entrance fee to the bath facility | Adult: JPY 600. Child: JPY 300. |
Business hours | Summer season: weekday 17:00-21:30, Saturday, Sunday and National holiday 14:00-21:30 Winter season: 14:00-22:30 |
Regular closing day | Summer season: Tuesday |
Parking lot | A free parking is provided (30 cars) |
Telephone number | +81-136-23-3434 |
Home page | Home page is not provided |
Mapcode | 398 385 434*48 |
List of Accommodations
Refer to following websites for the accommodations around Niseko Hirafu Onsen. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.
A page of Niseko is here
Niseko
By the way, Club Tourism (クラブツーリズム), a Japanese tour travel agency, provides various types of tours such as day trip tours or ordinary tours. In the case of bus tours, tourists do not drive their cars themselves, so they can savor alcohol. Choosen tourist attractions are national parks such as Rishiri and Rebun, Shiretoko, and popular tourist places such as Furano and Biei, and some activities such as hiking and fruit picking are also enjoyed depending on seasons. If you are interested in tour trips, you should visit the club tourism's website for details.
Those Are Posts Often Read by Visitors!
Recent Posts
Tag
Japanese Travel Agency
I refer Japanese travel agency to readers.
If you think about a travel to Hokkaido, I hope the following is useful for you.
Today's Special Articles
Today's special articles are below.
Comment