[Rausu Onsen] Day Trip Onsen and Kuma-no-Yu Can Be Enjoyed

Shiretoko Pass

Shiretoko Pass (知床峠) is a popular viewing point at 738 m above sea level between Rausu town and Shari town in Shiretoko Peninsula, and is located around the top of National Route 334 (the common name is Shiretoko Crossing Road (知床横断道路)) connecting Utoro with Rausu, the length of 27 km in total, with some sharp curves. Good views of Kunashiri Island (国後島) and Mt. Rausudake (羅臼岳) can be seen if the weather is fine. The place has sometimes foggy days, and you are lucky if the weather is fine. Observatory decks, a public restroom and a parking lot are built on the site. The parking lot is used for Lake Rausu hikers, too. * It takes 20-30 minutes from here to an entrance of the lake on foot. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. The road is closed to traffic from early November to late April. Read More

Lake Rausu

Lake Rausu (羅臼湖) is a freshwater lake at 740 m above sea level in the foot of Mt. Chinishiridake (知西別岳), and the perimeter is about 4 km, and the maximum depth is 2 m, and is the largest lake in the Shiretoko National Park. The lake used to be called a phantom lake because creeping pines growing thickly and a lot of bears had been kept people away. But trails are built at present, and are opened to hikers from June to October, so even beginner hikers can enjoy hiking. Except the Lake Rausu, there are 5 ponds (from Ichi-no-Numa Pond (一の沼) to Go-no-Numa Pond (五の沼)) and Menashi-Boyodai Lookout (目梨望遥台), and various sceneries such as a snow scenery in a spring, a fresh green in a summer and fall foliage in an autumn can be enjoyed. * Unfortunately, a trail to the Ichi-no-Numa Pond is not built, but hikers can see from the Ni-no-Numa Pond (二の沼) to the Go-no-Numa Pond along the trails. Admission free. Read More

Rausu Kunashiri Observatory Deck

Rausu Kunashiri Observatory Deck (羅臼国後展望塔) is a resource center in Rausu town, Shiretoko Peninsula, and is built for the return of Northern Territories on a hill at about 167 m above sea level, and is well-known as a good place to see the sunrise. Four Northern Islands Museum (北方四島の資料館) is on the 1st floor, an observation deck is built on the rooftop. The Rausu Kunashiri Observatory Deck and a parking lot are on the site. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. By the way, a road to the Rausu Kunashiri Observatory Deck is narrow and slope, so drive safety. Read More

Grilled Pike Congera Sea Eel Rice Bowl

Shiretoko Restaurant (知床食堂) in Rausu town is a restaurant at second floor of roadside station "Shiretoko Rausu (知床・らうす)". I heard that Grilled Pike Congera Sea Eel Rice Bowl at this restaurant was very popular for riders that tour around Hokkaido, and I visited here. Except the grilled pike congera sea eel rice bowl, a seafood rice bowl (海鮮丼) and Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream (知床深層水ソフトクリーム) are popular, too. Read More

Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream

Shiretoko Restaurant Shop (知床食堂売店) is on 1st floor of Shiretoko Restaurant in Rausu located in Shiretoko Peninsula, and is famous for serving Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream (知床深層水ソフトクリーム) and Deep Fried Atka Mackerel Humberger (ホッケフライバーガー). I have eaten Grilled Pike Congera Sea Eel Rice Bowl (黒ハモ丼) at the Shiretoko Restaurant, so I tried to eat the Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream this time. There is the shop in front of a parking lot, and there is a resting place, too. Other visitos bought the Shiretoko Deep Ocean Water Soft Serve Ice Cream successively, and after all it was popular. I lost no time in buying it at a window, too. The price is JPY 320. Read More

Shiretoko National Park

Shiretoko National Park (知床国立公園) at the northeastern edge of Japan main land is a national park between Shari town and Rausu town in the the northeastern part of Hokkaido. Most northern part of Shiretoko Peninsula has been desinged as the national park since 1964, and has also been designed World Natural Heritage Site, one of only 4 world natural heritage sites in Japan, since 2005. In the national park, there are Shiretoko Mountain Range (知床連山) such as Mt. Rausudake (羅臼岳), Mt. Chinishibetsudake (知西別岳), Mt. Iou (硫黄山) and Mt. Shiretokodake (知床岳), and here is a tourist attraction on behalf of Hokkaido containing some hot spring places such as Aidomari Onsen (相泊温泉), Seseki Onsen (瀬石温泉), Rausu Onsen (羅臼温泉) and Iwaobetsu Onsen (岩尾別温泉). The Shiretoko National Park is roughly divided into 2 areas, Shari Area and Rausu Area. The area is about 39,000 ha in total. A deep forest that wild animals such as Brown Bears, Yezo Deers and Blakiston's Hish-owls inhabit, Steep cliffs with about 100 m in height that separet the sea from mountains, the sea that marine life such as Salmons and Whales swim in, and those closely related to each other create great nature views. Because the Shiretoko means "The end of the earth" in Ainu language, I can understand the reason that it is said to be an unexplored region. Read More

Kuma-no-Yu

Kuma-no-Yu is an open-air bath nearby the Shiretoko National Park Rausu Onsen Camping Ground, and is well-known for a secret onsen. A building surrounded by trees is built on a small hill. Local fishermen mainly use here as a social meeting place, and local people, campers and tourists come, too. However, I visited here on the day, and something was wrong with the hot springs, and I was not able to take a bath. After that, I visited here several times, and I took a bath at last. An entrance fee to the bath facility is small token of appreciation.

Local people manages it, and cleans from 05:00 to 07:00 every day, so visitors that come during the time must help clean it. In additio, they have 10 rules, For example, to take a bath before bathers must pour the hot springs on yourself with a wash basin to rinse off your surface dirt and sweat before entering the bath, and it prohibits the bathers from soaking a towel into the open-air bath, so after reading 10 rules for taking a bath, please take a bath.

There are 1 open-air bath at bath areas for men or women. I took a bath at the bath area for men. The bath area for women is surrounded by walls, but the bath area for men is surrounded by nothing. A sense of openness is amazing! Starry sky seems to be beautiful in the evening. The concrete open-air bath for men (* mixed bathing is available) is the size that about 5 people can take a bath, and uses natural free flowing hot springs with adding water.

The bathers should pour the hot springs on yourself several times to get used to pretty hot springs before taking a bath because the hot springs are pretty hot springs. It has water from a hose, so it is allowed to add the water for lowering the water temperature. But the bathers may get in trouble with the local fishermen if they lower too water temperature, so the bathers had better get other bather's consent.

The hot springs are sulfur and sodium chloride spring, and are light milky white and have salty taste and sulfur smell, and are drinkable. A hot spring gushing out place for drinking hot springs is beside the open-air bath, and water temperature is around 60 C, so the bathers had better bring a cup. It tasted like slighly soup. The sum total of the hot spring ingredients are 3.881 g/kg. By the way, it is prohibited the bathers from taking a bath in wearing their swimsuits or covereing their body with bath towels.

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

Movie of Kuma-no-Yu

Rausu Daiichi Hotel

Rausu Daiichi Hotel is a middle-sized onsen hotel. An entrance fee to the bath facility is JPY 500. A staying is possible, too. A souvenir shop and a coin-operated laundry are at the building.

There are 1 outdoor bath and 2 indoor baths at a public bathhouse. The sunny tiled bathhouse is small but cozy. The outdoor bath is surrounded by rocks.

Hot springs are sulfur and sodium chloride spring, and are light milky white and have salty taste and sulfur smell. Shampoos and body soaps are provided at the bathhouse.

Types of Hot Springs	Sulfur and sodium chloride spring (Type: Alkaline, Osmotic Pressure: Low, Spring Temperature Type: Extra hot spring)
Water temperature of Hot Spring Source	77.4 C
ph	7.2
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, Chronic women's diseases, 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, Other diseases during condition of a patient progress generally, Sensitive skin, Photoallergy
Indications of drinking	Chronic digestive diseases, Chronic constipation, Diabetes, Gout
Contraindications of drinking	Kidney disease, High blood pressure, Diarrhea and diseases accompanied by edema in general
Facilities	Outdoor bath(1), Indoor bath(2). * Sex-Segregated Bathhouse.
Entrance fee to the bath facility	Adult: JPY 500. Child: JPY 300.
Business hours	13:00-22:00
Regular closing day	Irregular closing day
Parking lot	A free parking lot is provided (30 cars)
Telephone number	+81-153-87-2259
Home page	Home page is here
Reservation	Booking.com is here, Jalan is here, Rakuten is here
Mapcode	757 410 344*37

Hotel Mine-no-Yu

Hotel Mine-no-Yu is a small-sized onsen hotel founded in 1978. An entrance fee to the bath facility is JPY 500. A staying is possible, too.

There are 2 outdoor baths and 3 indoor baths at a public bathhouse. The sunny tiled bathhouse is small but cozy. The outdoor baths are surrounded by rocks.

Hot springs are sulfur and sodium chloride spring, and are light milky white and have salty taste and sulfur smell. Shampoos and body soaps are provided at the bathhouse.

Types of Hot Springs	Sulfur and sodium chloride spring (Type: Neutral, Osmotic Pressure: Low, Spring Temperature Type: Extra hot spring)
Water temperature of Hot Spring Source	77.4 C
ph	7.2
Indications	Neuralgia, Muscular pain, Arthralgia, Frozen shoulder, Motor paralysis
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, Sensitive skin, Photoallergy
Indications of drinking	Not Drinking
Facilities	Outdoor bath(2), Indoor bath(2). * Sex-Segregated Bathhouse.
Entrance fee to the bath facility	Adult: JPY 500. Child: JPY 300. Infant: JPY 200.
Business hours	13:00-21:00
Regular closing day	Irregular closing day
Parking lot	A free parking lot is provided (30 cars)
Telephone number	+81-153-87-3001
Home page	Home page is here
Reservation	Jalan is here