Did you know that there is a hot spring station in Iwamizawa City, not a gas station? Anyone can fill up a tank of hot spring water and take it home with them. The name of the hot spring is "Ponne-yu," which sounds cute, but it is of high quality and rare spring water, and it seems to be quite popular!

The hot spring stand is located on the side of the road (Route 38) in Manji, Kurisawa-cho, Iwamizawa City. The hut with a large sign saying "Ponne Yu" is the destination of this trip. The strong sulfur smell, which is comparable to that of a regular hot spring facility, naturally builds up anticipation.

Wondering where the hot spring water comes from, I lifted up what looked like a hose, and the hot spring water just came gushing out with incredible force. This is the legendary Ponne Bath.

It is colorless and transparent, with a temperature of about 10℃. The spring quality is a weak alkaline sulfur spring, which is rare even in Hokkaido, and is said to be effective against atopic dermatitis, chronic eczema, and poor circulation.

If you want to enjoy hot spring water at home, if your bathtub is 200 liters, the general guide is to fill it about 70% with slightly hot water and add 1-2 bottles of hot spring water that you have brought home in a 20 liter plastic container. Please note that using hot spring water as is can cause damage to the bath heater or pipes.

Anyone can fill up the water and take it home, but there is a donation slot at the stand where visitors can put in the amount at their discretion. Please help maintain this high-quality hot spring.

But why is there a hot spring stand along this road? Apparently, there were originally several hot springs gushing out from cracks in the rocks in this area. So a group of volunteers came up with a plan to lay pipes from the spring in the mountains to residential areas so that people could draw hot spring water.

Photo courtesy of Iwamizawa City Tourism Association

Photo courtesy of Iwamizawa City Tourism Association

The pipes were laid over a distance of 4km. Despite various mishaps, such as the hose coming loose due to melting snow and being bitten by a bear, they managed to get the hot spring water to reach the residential area. So we can all benefit from it.

Apparently, many people from other cities come to collect water from Ponneyu after hearing about its excellent spring quality. If you have business in Iwamizawa, why not bring a plastic container and stop by the hot spring stand? Of course, don't forget to bring a donation to put in at the reception!

<Interview cooperation> Iwamizawa City Tourism Association Location: 1F Iwamizawa Station Complex, 1-1 Ariake-cho Minami, Iwamizawa City, Hokkaido Contact: 0126-22-3470 Official website: https://iwamizawa-kankou.jp/

<Photo shoot> LaufenK