[Orofure Pass Lookout in Noboribetsu] Beautiful Pacific Ocean and Mountains

Orofure Pass

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.
Mt. Orofure Hiking Guide Map in Japanese

Movie of Mt. Orofure Hiking

The Orofure means "River with red underwater" in Ainu language, and was named after a red tributary oozed out by iron ore of Shiramizu River near here. At the foot of the Mt. Orofure, Noboribetsu Karurusu Onsen (登別カルルス温泉) and Sunlaiva Ski Resort (サンバイラスキー場) are at the noboribetsu side, and Benkei Onsen (弁景温泉) and Orofure Ski Resort (オロフレスキー場) are at the Sobetsu side. Fresh green and hiking can be enjoyed in a summer, fall foliage can be enjoyed in an autumn, and snow views and skiing and snowboarding can be enjoyed in the winter. Beautiful trees covered with hoar frost can be seen from January to February. A restaurant, a cafe and a convenience store are not built near here.

Movie of Trees Covered with Hoar Frost along Orofure Pass

Noboribetsu Karurusu Onsen

Noboribetsu Karurusu Onsen (登別カルルス温泉) is a hot spring place at about 350 m above sea level in the most remote of Noboribetsu city, and is close to Noboribetsu Onsen, most famous onsen in Hokkaido, in Shikotsu-Toya National Park. There are Suzuki Ryokan (鈴木旅館), Orofure-so (オロフレ荘) and Sanseikan (山静館) along Noboribetsu river, and Hotel Iwai (ホテル岩井) is built on a small hill. There are Orofure Pass (オロフレ峠), Sunlaiva Ski Resort (サンバイラスキー場), Karurusu Sportsland (カルルスサンスポーツランド), Lake Tachibana (橘湖) and Keifuen Park (渓楓園) around the Noboribetsu Karurusu Onsen. Unfortunately, restraunts, cafes, cafes, souvenir shops and convenience stores are not built. Speaking of the Noboribetsu Karurusu Onsen, BATHCLIN bathing powder is famous. That is milky white hot water, and it reminds Japanese people of the hot springs like Noboribestu Onsen, but the hot springs are actually clear and colorless. Read More

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. Read More

By the way, Noboribetsu Onsen Express Bus Air Port (高速登別温泉エアポート号) runs between New Chitose Airport and the Noboribetsu Onsen, and Express Bus Onsen (高速おんせん号) runs between Sapporo and the Noboribetsu Onsen.

List of Means of Transportation

Highway buses run between the Noboribetsu and the Sapporo or New Chitose Airport. Refer to following the means of the transportation. As for car rental comparison websites, you can compare vehicle rental prices on Tabi-Plaza Rental Car Reservation (旅ぷらざレンタカー予約), Jalan Rental Car (じゃらんレンタカー) and Rakutem Travel Rental Car (楽天トラベルレンタカー).

Donan Bus(道南バス)	From New Chitose Airport to Noboribetsu Onsen	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Donan Bus(道南バス)	From Noboribetsu Onsen to New Chitose Airport	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Donan Bus(道南バス)	From Sapporo to Noboribetsu Onsen	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Donan Bus(道南バス)	From Noboribetsu Onsen to Sapporo	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Station Rent-a-car(駅レンタカー)	Their office is at the Noboribetsu Station.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Nico Nico Rent-a-car(ニコニコレンタカー)	Their office is near the Noboribetsu Station.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten

Shikotsu-Toya National Park

Shikotsu-Toya National Park (支笏洞爺国立公園) has Lake Shikotsu (支笏湖), the 2nd largest caldera lake in Japan, and Lake Toya (洞爺湖), the 3rd largest caldera lake in the Japan, in the southwestern part of Hokkaido. In the national park, there are unique mountains such as Mt. Usu (有珠山), Mt. Tarumae (樽前山) and Mt. Showa-shinzan (昭和新山), and here is a tourist attraction on behalf of Hokkaido containing Noboribetsu Onsen (登別温泉) and Jozankei Onsen (定山渓温泉) in the 3 major onsen in the Hokkaido. Because it is easy to access the tourist attracions from New Chitose Airport and Sapporo city, the Shikotsu-Toya National Park gets popularity from tourists. The Shikotsu-Toya National Park is roughly divided into 5 areas, Yoteizan Area, Toyako Area, Noboribetsu Area, Shikotsuko Area and Jozankei Area. The area is 99,473 ha in total, it is very vast. It blows my mind why it adds the Yoteizan Area and the Jozankei Area, but I googled it, but I could not find. Read More

Orofure Pass Lookout

The Orofure Pass Lookout is a viewing point at about 930 m in height around the mountaintop of the Mt. Orofure, and the Pacific Ocean, Lake Kuttara, Lake Toya and Mt. Yotei can be seen. Another name is "Daikanbou (大観望 * Great View)". A former road covered with grass has decadent beautifulness. Unfortunately, the Lake Kuttara, the Lake Toya and the Mt. Yotei could not be seen clearly when I visited here. A beautiful sea of clouds might be seen in the moring or the late afternoon, June. The Orofure Pass Lookout is closed from late November to early June. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. By the way, white soil is chosen as the 100 best geological feature in Hokkaido.

Atmosphere of Orofure Pass Lookout Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Orofure Pass Lookout

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Noboribetsu. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Karurusu Onsen

Suzuki Ryokan(鈴木旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Iwai(ホテル岩井)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Yumoto Orofure-so(湯元オロフレ荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Mori-no-Yu Sanseikan(森の湯山静館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten

Shin-noboribetsu Onsen

Ryokan Shiki(旅館四季)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Rental Villa Yuga(大型貸別荘 優雅)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten

Noboribetsu Onsen

Dai-ichi Takimotokan(第一滝本館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Noboribetsu Grand Hotel(登別グランドホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Mahoroba(ホテルまほろば)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Noboribetsu Sekisuitei(登別石水亭)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Noboribetsu Manseikaku(登別万世閣)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Yumoto Noboribetsu(ホテルゆもと登別)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Park Hotel Miyabitei(名湯の宿パークホテル雅亭)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Takimoto Inn(滝本イン)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Noboribetsu Onsen Kyo Takinoya(登別温泉郷 滝乃家)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Kashoutei Hanaya(花鐘亭はなや)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Oyado Kiyomizuya(御やど 清水屋)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Tamanoyu(玉乃湯)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Boro Noguchi Noboribetsu(望楼NOGUCHI登別)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Ryotei Hanayura(旅亭 花ゆら)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten

Noboribetsu

Hotel Heian(ホテル平安)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Noboribetsu Guest House Aka-to-Ao(登別ゲストハウス赤と青)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
GUEST HOUSE ROMAN(ゲストハウス ロマン)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Oimatsu Ryokan(老松旅館)	Only Tel: +18-0143-85-2745
Hatago Nomuraya(旅籠のむら屋)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Ryoso Izumi Villa(旅荘いずみヴィラ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten