Located on the outskirts of Sapporo, Hokkaido, Jozankei Onsen is a popular hot spring resort where you can enjoy the beautiful nature and hot springs of the four seasons. Easily accessible from Sapporo city and New Chitose Airport, many hot spring inns line the Toyohira River valley, offering spectacular seasonal views of fresh greenery, autumn leaves, and snowy landscapes. Here, we'll introduce six carefully selected hot spring inns in Jozankei Onsen that are perfect for families and couples visiting during your sightseeing trip.

Jozankei Onsen, located along the Toyohira River valley

First, we will introduce basic information about Jozankei Onsen, such as the quality of its spring water, its characteristics, and how to get there. After that, we will introduce recommended hotels and inns.

The spring water keeps your skin moist and keeps you warm

Jozankei Onsen has 56 hot spring sources around the hot spring town, including along the Toyohira River. The hot springs that flow from both locations are sodium chloride springs (neutral, hypotonic, high temperature springs), which are colorless and transparent and contain a lot of salt. When you bathe, the salt adheres to your body and prevents sweat from evaporating, which has a heat-retaining effect, leaving your body warm and your skin feeling moisturized after bathing. Near Jozankei Onsen, there are also Koganeyu Onsen, Hoheikyo Onsen, and Usube Onsen (Oku-Jozankei Onsen), each of which has a different spring quality.

Steam rises from the banks of the Toyohira River

The hot spring town also has a foot bath spot and a hot spring tub where you can make hot spring eggs.

The history of Jozankei Onsen dates back to 1866, when the mountain ascetic monk Miizumi Jozan discovered a hot spring source while being guided by Ainu people and established a hot spring resort. With its abundant hot spring water and beautiful natural scenery throughout the seasons, it developed as a hot spring town and has been called Sapporo's inner sanctum. In recent years, the number of foreign tourists has increased, and new hot spring accommodation facilities have sprouted, with cafes and other restaurants opening one after another, further increasing its appeal. Another attractive and popular point is its easy access from Sapporo city and New Chitose Airport.

Futami Tsuribashi Bridge is a famous scenic spot that can be reached in just a few minutes on foot from Jozankei Onsen Town.

Access to Jozankei Onsen is generally by car, bus, or taxi. If you go by car, it takes about 50 minutes from downtown Sapporo, about 80 minutes from New Chitose Airport, and about 60 minutes to downtown Otaru. National Route 230, which runs from downtown Sapporo to Jozankei Onsen, is easy to drive on as it has two lanes on each side all the way to the hot spring town.

Jozankei Onsen Kappa Liner

If you're traveling by public transportation, we recommend the reservation-only "Jozankei Onsen Kappa Liner" bus, which runs from Sapporo Station to Jozankei Onsen via Susukino. It's a direct express bus from Sapporo Station to the hot spring town in about 60 minutes. Alternatively, there's a local bus that runs from Sapporo Station to Jozankei Onsen via Susukino (about 80 minutes), and a local bus that runs from Makomanai Station on the Namboku Subway Line to Jozankei Onsen (about 47 minutes).

There are many hot spring hotels and inns in Jozankei Onsen. All of them are wonderful, but we have carefully selected six that have unique features such as baths, rooms, and cuisine.

Jozankei Manseikaku Hotel Milione

Jozankei Manseikaku Hotel Milione is a resort hotel with a total of 296 rooms. Located along National Route 230, it is easily accessible and enjoys a great location with a view of the Toyohira River valley directly below from the hotel. Another great feature is the free shuttle bus (reservation required, exclusive to hotel guests) that departs and arrives at Sapporo Station.

A Japanese-style bath with a mural of wildflowers

The hot springs include a large public bath with an open-air bath and sauna, and some guest rooms have a hot spring panoramic bath that can be enjoyed in your room.The spacious public bath has two large indoor baths, one for men and one for women, as well as one open-air bath and one loyly sauna.

The open-air bath was renovated in 2024

The open-air bath is covered by a roof, so you can bathe comfortably even on rainy or snowy days, and above the outer privacy wall you can see the mountains that line the Jozankei valley. There is a shampoo bar where you can choose your favorite shampoo and conditioner, and the powder room attached to the changing room has a separate partition, so you can enjoy a comfortable bath time.

Hybrid Loyly Sauna

There are various types of guest rooms, including Western-style and Japanese-style rooms, but for those who value privacy and a sense of exclusivity, a room with a hot spring observation bath is best. The Western-style room with a hot spring observation bath is a spacious room of approximately 80 m², with a soft impression enveloped in the warmth of wood on the walls and floors, allowing you to spend a luxurious and relaxing time. From the hot spring observation bath located by the window, you can look out over the Jozankei valley and mountain range below, and enjoy a spectacular view that is different from the view from the open-air bath in the large public bath.

Western-style room with hot spring panoramic bath

Western-style room with hot spring panoramic bath

In addition to Western-style rooms and rooms with hot spring panoramic baths that combine Japanese and Western styles, there are a variety of other types of rooms available, including rooms with panoramic saunas, Western-style rooms, Japanese-style rooms, and Japanese-modern rooms with a Western feel but tatami flooring.

Dinner buffet image

Dinner and breakfast are served at the buffet restaurant, which is based on a "marche-style" concept. There are about 80 different dishes, from Japanese, Western and Chinese cuisine, and you can enjoy freshly prepared sushi, beef steak, stone-baked pizza, and more, all prepared in the restaurant's live kitchen.

Live Kitchen

Rice balls are also served for breakfast.

Guests staying in rooms with a panoramic sauna or hot spring panoramic bath can enjoy a private dining area where they can enjoy creative seasonal kaiseki cuisine made with carefully selected ingredients in a private setting. You can be sure to enjoy a premium stay along with the hot springs.

*Photo provided by Jozankei Manseikaku Hotel Milione

Flowering maple

Hanamomiji is an annex of Shikanoyu, a long-established inn in Jozankei Onsen, and is a hot spring inn located close to the Toyohira River. Located in the center of Jozankei Onsen town, it is an easy stroll to see souvenir shops, Tsukimi Bridge, which overlooks the Toyohira River valley and the hot spring town, and Jozangensen Park, where you can enjoy foot baths and making hot spring eggs. There is also a free shuttle bus (reservation required for guests only) that departs and arrives at Sapporo Station, making it easily accessible.

The view of the valley from the large public bath "Fugetsu" on the top floor is spectacular

The view from the open-air bath at "Fugetsu" is also amazing

The hot spring water is a blend of three springs, with Shika no Yu being a particularly famous hot spring with its source springing up directly below the large bath along the Toyohira River. Guests can use three baths: Fugetsu, an observation bath on the top 12th floor; Momiji Yu, an impressive open-air bath reminiscent of a Japanese garden; and the large bath at the sister building Shika no Yu (which also has an open-air bath and sauna). There are also three private baths with different atmospheres.

"Momijiyu" where autumn leaves and snowy scenery shine

There are three types of private baths: "Ten-no-yu" on the top floor of the building, where you can enjoy a view of the mountains; "Maru-yu" with a ceramic bathtub made from Shigaraki ware; and "Kaku-yu" made of cypress for a luxurious feel. Each bath is 60 minutes and requires a reservation, but there is also an accommodation plan that includes a ticket for one private bath, so if you would like to use it, you can be sure to choose this plan. The three large public baths are attractive, but the private baths are the best. Be sure to try out the different baths in the hotel!

Heavenly Bath

Maruyu

boiling water

There are several types of Japanese-style rooms that can accommodate 3 to 6 people, as well as Western-style twin rooms with shower rooms on the higher-class floor "Kokonoe," and twin and suite rooms on the top-class premium floor "urara" where you can enjoy free-flowing hot spring water in your room. The appeal of this hotel is that you can choose from a variety of room types depending on how you want to spend your time.

Kokonoe's guest room, "Yamanami Twin"

"Urara" guest room "Premier Suite"

For dinner, guests can enjoy a Japanese kaiseki meal, and for breakfast, a buffet of around 50 Japanese and Western dishes. The number of dishes and ingredients in the Japanese kaiseki dinner vary depending on the accommodation plan and room, but all courses feature a variety of dishes made with seasonal ingredients, including carefully selected seafood from Hokkaido. Guests staying on the "urara" floor can enjoy a special kaiseki meal in a semi-private dining room on the exclusive dining floor. If you want to fully enjoy both the hot springs and the meal in a private setting, be sure to check out the "urara" accommodation plan.

A special kaiseki meal "Ayane" exclusively for guests staying at "Kokonoe"

Breakfast features a selection of Japanese and Western dishes made with local ingredients, including sashimi, side dishes, bread, and salads.

*Photo provided by Shikanoyu Group

Jozankei Daiichi Hotel Suizantei

Jozankei Daiichi Hotel Suizantei is an accommodation facility where all guest rooms are equipped with hot springs. In addition to bathing in the hot springs in your room, you can also enjoy the hot springs to your heart's content in the large public bath. There is also a free shuttle bus (reservations required, exclusive to guests) from Odori Nishi 5-chome in downtown Sapporo, making it easy to get to even if you don't have a car. Please note that this facility is exclusively for elementary school students and above, so if you have small children, you can relax and enjoy this adult hot spring inn once they are older.

Indoor bath of the large public bath "Hisen-no-yu"

Open-air bath at the large public bath "Katsuraginoyu"

The hot spring water comes from the hotel's own source. There are three springs that gush forth from the riverbed of the Toyohira River that flows through Jozankei Onsen Town, and you can bathe in the rich hot spring water, which is a blend of springs with different salt and iron content. There are two large baths, Hisen-no-yu and Katsuragi-no-yu, which are switched for men and women depending on the time of day, so you'll definitely want to enjoy both baths. Both have indoor and outdoor baths, as well as a sauna with an auto-louver that activates every 15 minutes, and you can spend a relaxing time in the spacious baths.

The open-air bath at the detached bathhouse "Morinoyu"

If you want to enjoy the atmosphere of a traditional hot spring resort, be sure to check out the detached bathhouse, Mori no Yu. There is an indoor bath with dim lighting and an open-air bath that makes you feel like you're in the forest, both of which are fed directly from the hot spring. As it is a place to enjoy bathing, there are no amenities provided and no showers. There is also a post-bath area where soothing music is played, allowing you to spend a comfortable and relaxing time in the bath while feeling the original Japanese scenery.

The view from the private bath is refreshing

The rooms range in size from 45 square meters to 160 square meters, and each has a different bathtub shape, atmosphere, and window view. All rooms have their own hot spring water in the bathtub, and some rooms even have private saunas.

Comfortable rooms with private saunas

The bathroom in the guest room with a panoramic bath is, of course, a hot spring.

An example of a spacious guest room

Dinner is a dinner-style meal, and breakfast is Japanese cuisine, allowing you to relax and enjoy your meal. All dishes are made with plenty of seafood from Hokkaido, including Otaru and Funka Bay, as well as vegetables from our own farm and meat from a butcher shop in Jozankei.

Image of the dinner "Suizan Gozen"

There are three dining areas. The restaurant-style "Kuwanoki" offers a variety of seating options, including table seating, sunken kotatsu tables, tatami rooms, and counter seating where you can see the charcoal cooking; "Shoan" offers semi-private rooms with a more private feel; and "Yuai Shichiseki," a special dining area with only four table seats and three private rooms. When making a reservation, you can choose from several meal types, such as "Suizan Gozen" and "Shichiseki no Zen."

Restaurant "Shoan"

Special dining area "Yuso Shichiseki"

The hotel also has a lounge with free self-service coffee and tea, a gift shop, and a bookstore. There are about 2,500 books on display, and they are available for purchase. There are even private rooms where you can stretch out and read. It might be a stylish idea to relax with a book while soaking in the hot springs, just like a great writer.

Furoya Bookstore

*Photo provided by Jozankei Daiichi Hotel Suizantei

Yuraku Thatched Hut

Yuraku Soan is a Japanese-style hot spring inn in a great location overlooking the Toyohira River valley, the hot spring town, and the mountains. It is easily accessible from National Route 230, and there is also a free shuttle bus (reservation required, exclusive to guests) that departs and arrives at Sapporo Station, making it easy to get to.

The front desk also has a purely Japanese look.

The charm of this hot spring inn is that you can enjoy the hot springs in a variety of baths, including an indoor cypress bath and an open-air bath where you can enjoy the hot springs while looking out at the mountain scenery, as well as a rock bath, an open-air tub bath, a bedrock bath, a sauna, and a private open-air bath.

Cypress indoor bath in the large public bath

Open-air bath in the large communal bath

The private open-air baths have four different types of bathtubs, and if they are available, you can use any of them without making a reservation, which is a great point. What's more, there is no additional charge for using the private baths, and you can use them as many times as you like. Depending on the timing, you might be able to try all four types!

Private bath "Kan" cypress bath

Private rock bath "Jaku"

Private bath "Sei" with cypress bath

Private bath "Yu" ceramic bath

You can enjoy the hot springs not only in the large public bath and private open-air bath. All guest rooms are equipped with private hot spring baths made of cypress, so you can enjoy the hot springs in your room. There are twin, deluxe twin, triple, and quadruple rooms, and while all rooms have the functionality of a Western-style room, such as a bed and sofa, they also have tatami flooring, giving them a Japanese atmosphere.

Twin room example

Hot spring in guest room

Meals are made with carefully selected ingredients from the sea and mountains of Hokkaido, and guests can enjoy a Japanese kaiseki dinner and a Japanese set meal for breakfast. Both dinner and breakfast are available with Japanese and Western-style meals for children up to elementary school age, making it convenient for families with children. The restaurant has counter seats by the window overlooking the Jozankei mountains, as well as private and semi-private rooms and a raised area.

Dinner image

Breakfast image

The facility also has a tea room where staff will make matcha for you, and a yukata shop where you can borrow a wide variety of colorful yukatas for use in the building free of charge, so you can spend a day immersed in the hot springs while experiencing the Japanese atmosphere with all five senses.This hot spring inn is recommended for those who want to spend a relaxing time while also being comfortable.

*Photo provided by Yuraku Soan

Jozankei Tsuruga Resort Spa Mori no Uta

Jozankei Tsuruga Resort Spa Mori no Uta is a resort spa and hotel nestled in the forest. Although it is close to National Route 230, where convenience stores are lined up, it is located in a natural setting surrounded by greenery and snow-covered forests. There is also a free shuttle bus (reservation required for hotel guests only) from Makomanai Subway Station, making it an easy facility to visit.

A large public bath with a high ceiling and bright sunlight coming in through the windows

An open-air bath with rocks

The baths are of course hot spring water. The bright and spacious large communal bath has an indoor bath, an open-air bath, a sauna with self-louvering, and a women-only bedrock bath spa. There are also plenty of beauty and relaxation options, including treatment spas such as facials, traditional Thai massages, and hydrogen bars.

Image of a deluxe Japanese-Western room

In addition to Japanese-Western style rooms and twin Western-style rooms, there are also rooms with a bedrock bath and rooms where you can bring your dog. There is also a separate maisonette-type cottage with an open-air hot spring bath on a wooden deck that is connected to the living room. It is a luxurious space that gives off a very strong sense of privacy.

Spacious living room in a separate guest room

The open-air bath in the separate guest room is, of course, a private bath.

The hot springs and guest rooms are wonderful, but the dinner and breakfast you can enjoy at the buffet restaurant "Mori Buffet" are also excellent! In the restaurant's open kitchen, the chef will grill meat right in front of you and pizza baked in the oven, and the creative cuisine corner offers a variety of Japanese and Western dishes.

Buffet restaurant "Mori Buffet"

Chef serves freshly cooked, hot food

In addition to dishes made with fresh vegetables, fish, and meat, the hotel also offers a wide selection of freshly made sweets made specially by the hotel's pastry lab. You'll definitely want to try everything.

There is such a wide variety of sweets on display that it's hard to decide which one to try.

Breakfast features a wide variety of hotel-made bread.

The hotel's lobby, the "Forest Lounge," features a fireplace where you can roast your own marshmallows, a library where you can enjoy reading, and live harp concerts four times a day. Enjoy resort life in a refined atmosphere.

*Photo provided by Tsuruga Resort

Hatagoya Jozankei Shoten

Hatagoya Jozankei Shoten is a hot spring accommodation facility for guests aged 13 and over, with the concept of "More freedom. More carefree." It is a sister facility of Jozankei Daiichi Hotel Suizantei, and offers capsule rooms, which are rare in the Jozankei hot spring area. You can also use the free shuttle bus (reservations required, exclusive to guests) of Jozankei Daiichi Hotel Suizantei, which departs from Odori Nishi 5-chome in downtown Sapporo.

The large public bath where you can enjoy the hot springs has an indoor bath and an open-air bath, as well as a sauna and a cold bath.

Shampoo, conditioner, body soap, cotton swabs, and a hairdryer are provided in the bath area, but amenities and other services provided with lodging are kept to a minimum. The concept is a "free" and "carefree" stay, so you can bring what you need with you, or buy what you like from the various items on sale at the shop on site. The shop sells toothbrushes, soap, and other items, as well as souvenir sake, sake cups, and T-shirts by various designers.

A fun shop to browse

There are five types of guest rooms available. In addition to Western-style and Japanese-style rooms, there are two types of small rooms called "Hatagononaka," and the detached "Kazemachi Onsen Apartment," a 45-square-meter log cabin with its own hot spring.

Image of a Japanese-style room

"Hatagononaka" is similar to a capsule room, but compared to the typical capsule rooms available, it is larger in size and has a ceiling high enough to stand inside, making it surprisingly spacious. "Hatagononaka" comes in two types: a women-only type with multiple individual spaces lined up in a large room, and a group type with individual spaces for three people in one room, making it easy for friends to use.

"Hatagononaka" image

The detached building on the premises also includes the Kazemachi Onsen Apartment, a log cabin with a hot spring and a capacity of three people. Recommended for those who want to enjoy a sense of privacy and a stay that feels like living in Jozankei Onsen. You can enjoy the hot spring in a bathtub with the scent of cypress.

Yakiniku course "Rokudan" image

Meals are provided by the butcher shop within the inn. For dinner, you can choose the "Rokudan" yakiniku course, and for breakfast, you can choose between curry or rice porridge. The butcher shop is a specialty store that supplies meat to hotels in Jozankei Onsen and yakiniku restaurants in Sapporo, so you can be sure of the quality and flavor of the meat.

Image of curry for breakfast

Image of porridge for breakfast

There is also a liquor store, "Sakuraya Jozankei Shoten," within the facility, with a wide selection of alcoholic beverages. The drink counter has about 30 types of alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, and you can enjoy custom-made drinks and snacks anywhere except the large bath, so it is recommended for a relaxing time during or after a meal.

The liquor store's brewery always has around 100 brands of sake in stock.

*Photo provided by Hatagoya Jozankei Shoten

Image of the waters of Jozankei Onsen

Jozankei Onsen is a major hot spring resort that can be reached in less than an hour from downtown Sapporo. The Jozankei area is famous for its autumn foliage, and is usually quite crowded in the fall, but the green scenery is also beautiful in the spring and summer, and in the winter you can enjoy the open-air baths with a view of the snow. You'll never get bored no matter what time of year you visit. There are many accommodation options, including hot spring hotels and inns, all of which offer excellent facilities and meals. Be sure to choose your favorite accommodation and relax in the hot springs.

*All information listed is current as of December 2024. *Each event may be subject to change or cancellation, so please check the official website before participating.

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