
- November 22nd, 2015
- Onsen
- Little-KnownGoodSpots
- EasternArea
[Osoushi Onsen in Shintoku] Day Trip Bath and Highest Alkaline Hot Springs with Ph 10 in Hokkaido Can Be Enjoyed at Shikanoyu-so
CONTENTS
Osoushi Onsen
Osoushi Onsen (オソウシ温泉) is a hot spring place in Shintoku town located in the northwestern direction of Obihiro city. Only Shikanoyu-so (鹿乃湯荘) has opened a business in a mountain of Estern Daisetsu Area, Daisetuzan National Park. The Shikanoyu-so has highest alkaline hot springs (ph 10) in Hokkaido, and the strong alkaline hot springs like soapy water with smooth and slippery touch is famous. A secret onsen in the heart of the mountain is popular for a lot of onsen lovers, too. The Shikanoyu-so is hard to be founded, and is around 6 km distance through a forestry road from Hokkaido Road 718 (北海道道718号). Drive carefully because the narrow road is rough. In addition, careful of bears and deers across the road. Unfortunately, restraunts, cafes, souvenir shops and convenience stores are not built. It is out of signal area.

Osuushi means “a river with falls” in Ainu language. Mr. Aoi Koizumi (小泉碧) bought a right in the Meiji period, and Mr. Chozo Ito (伊藤長造) built a hot spring inn and maneged it, and it was called “Ito Onsen”. After that, the hot spring inn was closed down and opened in succession, and a transport company in Sapporo runs it at present. There are Lake Iwasa (岩佐湖) and Tokachi Dam (十勝ダム) near the Osoushi Onsen.
Daisetsuzan National Park
Daisetsuzan National Park (大雪山国立公園) in the center of Hokkaido is the largest national park in Japan, the size of 226,764 ha, and has been designed as the national park since 1934, and is the oldest national park in the Hokkaido along with Akan Mashu National Park (阿寒摩周国立公園). A mountain named Daisetsuzan does not exist, and the whole area including the mountains with over 2,000 m above sea level such as Mt. Asahidake (旭岳), the highest mountain in Hokkaido, Mt. Kurodake (黒岳), Mt. Aibestudake (愛別岳), Mt. Tomuraushi (トムラウシ山) is collectively called “Daisetsuzan”, and those are called “A roof of the Hokkaido” ,too. Rare nature such as active volcanoes, Lare Columnar joints, a sea of trees and permafrost even in the Hokkaido can be seen. About 250 types of alpine plants grow naturally, and various forms of life such as brown bear, blakiston’s fish owl, dolly varden and pine grosbeak inhabit here. By the way, A right notation is “Daisetsuzan”, but local people often call “Taisetsuzan”. Read More

List of Day Trip Onsen
The visitors can take a day trip bath only at the Shikanoyu-so.
Shikanoyu-so
Shikanoyu-so is a small-sized onsen ryokan founded in 1978 along a stream. A Japanese Akita Dog named Ken (ケン) came to welcome when I arrived at the Shikanoyu-so. He barked very much, but an maneger’s wife said “He does not bite you”. He plays a role as a watchdog effectively. A building is old, but it has cleaness because it is cleaned well. An entrance fee to the bath facility is JPY 600. A staying is possible, too.




There are 2 indoor baths, 1 open-air bath and 1 mixed bathing open-air bath at a small public bathhouse. The large indoor bath is the size that about 6 people can take a bath, and uses heated hot springs. The small indoor bath is the size that 1 person can take a bath, and uses fresh free flowing hot springs without adding heat. The water temperature of a hot spring source is 26.9 C, so you should think it is a cold bath. The maneger’s wife said “You should take a bath at the small indoor bath after you warm your body at the large indoor bath”.





In addition, In a winter, the open-air baths are not cleaned and are closed, but the bathers can take a bath at the open-air baths. The open-air bath is the size that about 6 people can take a bath. The hot springs were cold when I took a bath, but the bathers can take a bath in a summer. The mixed bathing open-air bath is the size that about 10 peopel can take a bath. Water temperature is from 39 C to 40 C. A tower that the raw hot springs gush out from a hot spring source is collected beside the mixed bathing open-air bath, and the free flowing hot springs flow from there. Osoushi River flows before bather’s eyes, and a view is nice. A sense of openness can be enjoyed. But the hot springs are lukewarm in a winter.
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The hot springs are simple sulfur spring, and are clear and colorless and have tasteless and slighly sulfur smell. The hot springs with strong alkaline (ph 10) have very slippery and smooth touch. The hot springs of the bathhouse is not suitable for drinking, and drinkable hot springs are served at a corridor. When I drunk the hot springs at Japanese resting room, it tasted sulfur like cross eggs. It seems to effective for Diabetes, Gout and Constipation. The sum total of the hot spring ingredients are 0.235 g/kg. The bathers do not seem to feel dizzy because of low water temperature, and it is suitable for taking a long bath. There is not a restroom at a dressing room. You should get a wash beforehand at the restroom along the corridor. Shampoos and body soaps are provided at the bathhouse.




Atmosphere of Osoushi Onsen Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Osoushi Onsen
Spring quality | Simple sulfur spring (Type: Alkaline, Osmotic Pressure: Low, Spring Temperature Type: Warm hot spring) |
---|---|
Water temperature of Hot Spring Source | 26.9 C |
ph | 10.0 |
Indication | 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, Chronic dermatitis, Chronic woman’s diseases, Cut, Diabetes |
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, Sensitive person of the skin, Person of the photoallergy, Other diseases during condition of a patient progress generally |
Indications of drinking | Diabetes, Gout, Constipation |
Contraindications of drinking | Diarrhea |
Facilities | Mixed bathing open-air bath(1), Gender segregated open-air bath(1), Gender segregated indoor bath(2). |
Entrance fee to the bath facility | Adult: JPY 600. Children under elementary school age: JPY 300. |
Business hours | 10:00-20:00 |
Regular closing day | Irregular closing day |
Parking lot | A parking lot is provided (10 cars) |
Telephone number | +81-156-65-3338 |
Home page | Home page is here |
Reservation | ![]() |
Mapcode | 702 220 654*47 |
List of Accommodations
Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Osoushi Onsen. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.
A page of Secret Onsen in Hokkaido is here
Secret Onsen in Hokkaido
A page of Daisetsuzan National Park is here
Daisetsuzan National Park
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.
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