[Weiss Onsen in Kyowa] Day Trip Bath Can Be Enjoyed at Entrance of Niseko

Weiss Onsen

Weiss Onsen (ワイス温泉) is a hot spring place in Kyowa town located in the southwestern part of Sapporo city. A mountain was named after Mt. Weisshorn in Alps, Switzerland because the mountain near the Kyowa looked like the Mt. Weisshorn (there are various opinions), and the Weiss in the foot of Mt. Weisshorn was named after Mt. Weisshorn. Only Weiss Onsen is built along National Route 5 at 73 m above sea level. Except the Weiss Onsen, there are private houses and Masukin Shokudo (升金食堂), Unfortunately, cafes, souvenir shops and convenience stores are not built. But Suetsugu Shokai (末次商会) that is famous for Tunnel-mochi Rice Cake (トンネル餅) and Gentlemen (じぇんとるめん) that is famous for getting the Bib Gourmand in MICHELIN GUIDE Hokkaido 2012 Special Edition are relatively near.

Niseko Onsenkyo Group passed a rigorous screening in 1958, and Niseko Onsenkyo Group around the Weiss 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), Shinsen-numa Swamp (神仙沼), Niseko Oyunuma Pond (ニセコ大湯沼) and Moss Pink at Mishima Private Garden (三島さんちの芝桜) around the Weiss Onsen, too. In addition, Suetsugu Shokai (末次商会) that sells Tunnel-mochi Rice Cake and Kyowa Ramen Gentlemen (じぇんとるめん) that got the Bib Gourmand in MICHELIN GUIDE Hokkaido 2012 Special Edition are relatively close. By the way, Nonstop buses do not run from Sapporo to here, But Express Bus Niseko-go runs from Sapporo to Ikoi-no-Yuyado Iroha.

Shinsen-numa Wetland and Shinsen-numa Swamp

Shinsen-numa Wetland (神仙沼湿原) and Shinsen-numa Swamp (神仙沼) is at 770 m above sea level are in Kyowa town located in the western part of Sapporo city. Wooden paths are built from Shinsen-numa parking lot to Shinsen-numa Swamp, and visiotrs can arrive at Shinsen-numa Wetland and Shinsen-numa Swamp for approximately 20 minutes, and the paths lead for Naganuma swamp (長沼) halfway is built. The visitors can reach to the Shinsen-numa Wetland and the Shinsen-numa Swamp from Oyachi (大谷地) parking lot, too, and it take approximately 30 minutes. The visitors can see the state that woodland horsetail, the endangered species, grows wild from Oyachi parking lot. The Oyachi parking lot has no facilities, but there is a resting station at Shinsen-numa parking lot, the visitors can take a meal and a break. There is a restroom, too. Article is here

Niseko Oyunuma Pond

Oyunuma Pond (大湯沼) is a hot spring bog at the Niseko Yumoto Onsen (ニセコ湯本温泉) in Rankoshi town located in the western part of Sapporo city and is hot spring source of Yumoto Onsen. The circumference of the pond is about 200 m and the 1000 liters of the hot springs per minute are gushing out. Oyunuma Pond was a geyser in old days, but Anglo-Saxon mining company called Howl Company drew sulfur too much in the Meiji period and it was not geyser. Walking paths are built around the pond, and visitors can see the state that the hot springs are gushing out. The visitors can go around for about 10 minutes. Article is here

Moss Pink at Mishima Private garden

Mishima's Moss Pink (三島さんちの芝桜) is a private garden in Niseko, Kutchan town located in the western part of Sapporo city. Mr. Mishima has been planted the moss pink after retirement from farmer in the early 2000s. The area that the moss pink was planted seems to be 4,000 m2 now. I was really surprised at the area of moss pink very much when I visited here. These flowers are best viewed from late May to mid June. There is no charge for admission. A free parking lot and a restroom are provided, too. Because the garden is thrown open to visitors in his good faith, the visiotrs follow a manner, and let's appreciate the moss pink. Article is here

Kyogoku Fukidashi Park

Fukidashi Park (ふきだし公園) is in Niseko, Kyogoku town located in the western part of Sapporo city and is adjacent to roadside station "Home of Famous Mineral Water (名水の郷きょうごく)". Mt. Yotei (羊蹄山) mineral waters of 80,000 tons a day have been gushing out around upstream, and the mineral waters have been building up around downstream, and there are two ponds. These mineral waters are famous for tasty water that was chosen as 100 selections of Japanese famous mineral water. After rain and snow which fell around Mt. Yotei are filtered into the underground for nearly 70 years, those seem to gush out. Those waters contain abundant minerals. It is cold with 6 degrees Celsius on the average, and the taste is mellow. Article is here

Tunnel-mochi Rice Cake

Suetsugu Shokai (末次商会) is a Japanese confectionery store near Kozawa station (小沢駅) in Kozawa, Kyowa town and is famous for selling Kozawa's local specialty sweets "Tunnel-mochi Rice Cake (トンネル餅)". The Tunnel-mochi Rice Cake was made in commemoration of the completion of Inaho Tunnel for Hakodate Main Line with great difficulty construction by the founder, Mr. Kyutaro Nishimura (西村久太郎), in 1904. This is the longtime seller Japanese sweet more than 110 years. By the way, the son of Mr. Kyutaro Nishimura is Mr. Keiyu Nishimura (西村計雄), Japanese painter, and Keiyu Nishimura Memory Museum (西村計雄記念美術館) is built in the Kyowa town. Article is here

Kyowa Ramen Gentlemen

Gentlemen (じぇんとるめん) is a popular ramen restraunt in Kyowa town (Niseko) and was founded in 2007. It is famous for getting the Bib Gourmand in MICHELIN GUIDE Hokkaido 2012 Special Edition. A building is black and red outstanding appearance. Many buildings in Niseko have this decoration. Probably those will be in vogue. Article is here