[Shakotan Onsen] Day Trip Bath and Very Good View Can Be Enjoyed at Misaki-no-Yu Shakotan

Cape Kamui

Cape Kamui (神威岬) is a cape with steep cliff in Shakotan Peninsula (積丹半島). A goddess named Charenka (チャレンカ) that was a jealous goddess lived at Cape Kamui in the Ainu period, it was said that the sea was stormy and fishermen died if she was jealous, it was a place that women were forbidden. There is Kamui-misaki Lighthouse (神威岬灯台) on the tip and tourists can look over Rosokuiwa rock (ロウソク岩 * Japanese candle-shaped rock) and the Sea of Japan (日本海) from there. A natural trail called Charenka Path (チャレンカの道) with about 800 m in length is built at 80 m above see level from an entrance to the tip, but this is a considerably thrilling trail. It is a terrible trail for people with acrophobia. It takes about 30 minutes from a parking lot to the tip on foot. A bus guide that happened to be there said June in the best season. Wild flowers begin to bloom in June. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Read More

Shimamui Coast

Shimamui Coast (島武意海岸) is a superb coast chosen as "100 Best Beaches in Japan (日本の渚・百選)" in Cape Shakotan (積丹岬). Tourists can look over the Shimamui Coast from cliffs at about 100 m above sea level, and it is splendid. The tourists will take their breath away toward a scenery under their eyes after passing through a tunnel and approaching to an exit. There are 2 observatory places in a neighborhood of exit and the tourists can look over. Furthermore, it takes about 10 minutes from an observatory deck to the shore on foot. It is hard to go down stairways because the stairways are rough, but visitors can see the beautiful sea up close. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Read More

Sea Urchin Rice Bowl

Misaki (みさき) is a restaurant in Shakotan and was founded in 1973. An owner is a fisherman and is famous for eating a seafood dish. It opens only during summer season (from late April to October). Because a fresh sea urchin can be eaten from mid June when the sea urchin fishing is released, visitors seem to increase. Because it started a bussiness at 09:00, 6 groups of visitors have already lined up when I arrived around 08:40. It is really popular. Read More

Shakotan Peninsula

Shakotan Peninsula (積丹半島) is a peninsula located in the northwestern part of Otaru city, and has been designated as Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-National Park (ニセコ積丹小樽海岸国定公園) because of a precious complicated coastline with steep cliffs. The sea of the Shakotan is very beautiful, and looks clear blue, so everybody call Shakotan Blue (シャコタンブルー). A traffic used to be inconvenient in the old days, and tourists rarely visited here. People are easy to access the Shakotan Peninsula as well as Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島) at present, but it is called an unexplored region because it would not develop very much. Read More

Misaki-no-Yu Shakotan

Misaki-no-Yu Shakotan is a hot spring facility for day trip bath, and has opened a business since 2002. It is well-known for a good view from an open-air bath, and the setting sun is beautiful in particular. Winter scenery is popular for overseas people, too. An entrance fee to the bath facility is JPY 620. A restaurant and a shop are at a building, too, and meals such as a salmon roe rice bowl and a ramen are served.

There are 2 open-air baths, 2 indoor baths, 1 whirlpool bath, 1 cold bath and 1 sauna at a large public bathhouse. Bathers can look at the open-air bath through large windows. The large indoor bath is the size that about 10 people can take a bath, and the small indoor bath is the size that about 4 people can take a bath, and the whirlpool bath is the size that about 2 people can take a bath. By the way, a photography is prohibited at the bathhouse. Bad luck!

There are 2 open-air baths surrounded by rocks at the outside, and those do not have a roof. Because here is famous for enjoying a good view, a sence of openness can be enjoyed very much, too. I think that tourists will not lose anything to enjoy this comfortableness. The small open-air bath beside a wall is the size that about 3 people can take a bath, and a view is not good from here. The large open-air bath is the size that about 10 people can take a bath, and the sea of Japan opens before bather's eye. I could not help murmuring "this is heaven!". Cape Kamui comes into sight if it is fine weather.

Hot springs are sodium chloride bicarbonate spring, and are clear and colorless and have salty taste and no smell. It tasted very salty when I licked the hot springs. Unfortunately, the hot springs are not drinkable. Shampoos and body soaps are provided at the bathhouse. A restroom and free hair dryers are installed at the dressing room.

Atmosphere of Misaki-no-Yu Shakotan Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Misaki-no-Yu Shakotan