Tokachigawa Onsen, located in Otofuke Town in eastern Hokkaido, is a hot spring area famous for its amber-colored moor hot springs. It is also known as the "beauty bath" because the spring water is gentle on the skin like lotion. It is easily accessible from Obihiro in about 20 minutes by car or bus, making it an ideal base for sightseeing in eastern Hokkaido. There are many inns in Tokachigawa Onsen where you can enjoy the moor hot springs, but this time we will introduce four particularly recommended inns.

We will introduce basic information about Tokachigawa Onsen, such as its spring quality, characteristics, and access. After that, we will introduce recommended hot spring hotels and inns.

Enjoy the mall hot springs at Tokachigawa Onsen

The main feature of Tokachigawa Onsen is the amber-colored alkaline spring water known as moor hot spring. Because it contains salt and humic substances, which are plant-based components, it is said to be gentle on the skin and has effects such as improving skin condition and improving sensitivity to cold.

Plant-based springs are actually quite valuable. Generally, most hot springs are caused by volcanic activity, so the majority of springs contain a lot of minerals such as iron and sulfur. Unlike other hot springs, the main component of the water at Tokachigawa Onsen is not minerals caused by volcanic activity, but organic matter from plants.

The area around Tokachigawa Onsen is rich in nature and is famous as a place where swans come to visit.

In ancient times, the Tokachi River basin was a marshland where straw, reeds and other plants grew naturally. Over thousands of years, these plants accumulated, forming peat and lignite layers mixed with plant-based organic matter in the ground. Furthermore, when groundwater heated by geothermal energy from deep underground passed through the peat and lignite layers, the plant-based organic matter seeped out and mixed with them, becoming the moor hot springs.

Similar moor hot springs can be found in Tokachigawa Onsen and the nearby city of Obihiro, but because the hot spring layers in the ground around Tokachigawa Onsen are located at a relatively shallow depth, the source temperature is higher than in the surrounding areas.

Because it is easily accessible, many people come to enjoy the baths on day trips and foot baths in addition to staying overnight.

Tokachigawa Onsen is generally accessed by bus or car. If you use public transport, take the Tokachi Bus bound for Tokachigawa Onsen, which departs from Obihiro Station. The journey takes about 30 minutes to Tokachigawa Onsen and about 40 minutes to Obihiro Station. In addition, some of the Tokachi Milky Liner intercity express buses that connect New Chitose Airport and Obihiro Station depart and arrive at Tokachigawa Onsen via Obihiro Station. Being able to get to New Chitose Airport without having to transfer is convenient for travelers from outside Hokkaido.

If you are traveling by car, take the Otofuke Obihiro Interchange on the Doto Expressway (Hokkaido Cross-Island Expressway). It takes about 20 minutes from the Otofuke Obihiro Interchange to Tokachigawa Onsen.

There are several hot spring hotels and inns in Tokachigawa Onsen. Although all of them are wonderful, we have carefully selected four that have distinctive features such as baths, rooms, and cuisine.

Sasai Hotel

"Tokachigawa Onsen Sasai Hotel" is a long-established hot spring hotel that has been with Tokachigawa Onsen throughout its history. It is said that Tokachigawa Onsen began its history as a hot spring resort and spa in 1900 (Meiji 33), when the naturally gushing water was heated and used by nearby residents. Later, in 1913 (Taisho 2), the source of the spring was dug down and the hot spring inn "Sasai Onsen" was opened. Sasai Onsen was the predecessor to Sasai Hotel, which opened in 1926 (Taisho 15).

Indoor bath

Open-air bath

The large public bath, where you can enjoy the privately-sourced moor hot spring, has a cypress bath, a tub bath, an open-air bath, a waterfall bath, and a sauna. You can enjoy a variety of bathing methods, such as being surrounded by the scent of cypress, feeling like you have the hot spring all to yourself in the tub bath, or bathing in the open air with a sense of freedom.

Pot bath

There are several types of Western-style twin rooms with a Japanese touch, as well as Japanese-style rooms with tatami flooring and Western-style rooms with carpeting. Several rooms were renovated in 2022, giving them a new feel.

Executive Japanese Twin Room

Superior Japanese Twin Room

Meals are served buffet-style, with dishes made from local ingredients and seasonal produce. Dinner features a wide variety of Japanese, Western and Chinese dishes, so you'll have a hard time deciding what to eat. Must-try dishes include the freshly fried tempura and beef steak, which are prepared right in front of you by the chef in the restaurant's open kitchen. If you make a reservation in advance, you can order a special course meal instead of a buffet style dinner.

Image of a dinner with a variety of dishes

The taste of food freshly made right in front of you is exceptional!

Breakfast is served buffet style and you can enjoy a variety of dishes, but the French toast is especially recommended. It's fluffy yet moist, with a melt-in-your-mouth flavor that's addictive.

French toast for breakfast

*Photo provided by Tokachigawa Onsen Sasai Hotel

Tokachigawa Moor Hot Springs Seijakubo

Tokachigawa Mall Onsen Seijakubo is a lodging facility that has an open-air hot spring bath and a garden in every guest room, giving it a sense of privacy, luxury, and exclusivity. The facility opened at the end of August 2022, and you can feel the newness everywhere. It is especially recommended for those who want to escape from everyday life and spend a luxurious time in a hideaway.

The large open-air bath (foreground) and indoor bath (back)

There is also a loyly sauna.

The brown moor hot spring can be enjoyed in all guest rooms, and can also be bathed in the large public bath. If you want to soak in the hot spring in a spacious bathtub with a feeling of freedom, you can do so in the large public bath, but if you want to bathe freely without worrying about other people's eyes, you can enjoy it in your guest room. The hot spring in the guest rooms is a free-flowing spring, so you can feel the blessings of the earth gushing out from the source on your bare skin.

The hot spring in the guest room is a very luxurious space.

There are 24 guest rooms in total, all of which are over 50㎡ in size and have a spacious layout.

All of the buildings at Tokachigawa Moor Onsen Seijakubo are single-story buildings. The lobby, large bath, restaurant, and other facilities surround a courtyard, and a long corridor connects them in a U-shape. The public space is inside the corridor, and the guest rooms are lined up on the outside. Each room is independent and arranged in a style that seems to protrude outward, so you can spend your time alone in peace without being too conscious of the surroundings.

The rooms are designed to be "detached" and all have an open-air hot spring bath and a garden.

Meals are made with an abundance of ingredients from Hokkaido and seasonal ingredients from all over Japan. For dinner, you can choose from a creative Japanese kaiseki dinner that combines the tastes of various cuisines based on Japanese cuisine, or a teppanyaki course. Enjoy it with local alcohol, such as Hokkaido wine. In the morning, you can enjoy a very elaborate Japanese breakfast.

Image of creative Japanese banquet dinner

Teppanyaki image

Breakfast image

This hot spring lodging facility has the feel of a hideaway for adults, and is perfect for those who want to spend some quiet, relaxing time by themselves.

*Photo provided by Tokachigawa Moor Onsen Seijakubo

Tokachigawa Onsen Kangetsuen

"Tokachigawa Onsen Kangetsuen" is a long-established hot spring hotel on the banks of the Tokachi River that boasts a great view. It has been welcoming hot spring guests for many years since shortly after Tokachigawa Onsen was established. In addition to being able to enjoy the moor hot spring, the cuisine, which incorporates plenty of local seasonal ingredients, is also highly rated.

You can enjoy the mall hot springs that flow directly from the source.

The large public bath, where you can enjoy the mall hot spring water that is as gentle on the skin as lotion, also has a large bath, a reclining bath, a walking bath, and other baths. You can also enjoy the magnificent Tokachi scenery from the open-air bath surrounded by rocks.

An open-air bath with a sense of openness

If you value privacy when bathing in a hot spring, you can enjoy the moor hot spring in a special room with an open-air observation bath or a room with an open-air bath, where the hot spring water is drawn into the room. From the open-air observation bath, you can look out over the majestic flow of the Tokachi River and the Tokachi Plain, and enjoy the view of the wide sky.

The view from the open-air observation bath is refreshing!

In addition to these rooms with open-air baths, there are also standard Japanese-style rooms, Japanese-Western style rooms, and Japanese-Western suites with private saunas. Choose a room based on the number of people, the occasion, and your preferences, such as the style of accommodation you want to have, or whether you want to use the hot springs or sauna privately.

Image of the interior of a special room with an open-air observation bath

At Tokachigawa Onsen Kangetsuen, the hot springs are as appealing as the food. You can enjoy dishes made with an abundance of Tokachi produce, including wheat, red beans, potatoes, cheese, pork, beef, chicken, and other meats, as well as the bounty of the land and sea.

A restaurant overlooking the Tokachi River

For dinner, you can choose between a buffet-style meal in the restaurant or a Japanese banquet meal in the dining area. The buffet offers a wide variety of Japanese, Western and Chinese dishes, and you can enjoy freshly cooked food in the live kitchen. There is also a wide selection of items on display in the sweets tower and salad corner.

The special pizza for dinner is full of toppings and melty cheese.

Breakfast is also served buffet style, and in addition to Japanese dishes such as seafood bowls that you can make yourself, there are many Western dishes on the menu and a wide variety of breads. The policy is to be particular about conveying the local food culture, such as the faces and history of the producers, in each dish for dinner and breakfast. Enjoy the hospitality of seasonal delicacies.

Image of breakfast bread

*Photo provided by Tokachigawa Onsen Kangetsuen

Tokachigawa Onsen Fuji Hotel

Tokachigawa Onsen Fuji Hotel is a lodging facility where you can enjoy 100% free-flowing moor hot springs that gush out from its own hot spring source. It is the only hotel in the Tokachigawa Onsen area that also has a private hot spring bath. It is especially recommended for those who want to enjoy the high-quality spring water at their leisure, as if they were going to a close friend's house, rather than luxury or luxury.

Large communal bath

Although the large public bath does not have an open-air bath, it is well-known for the good quality of its spring water. The hot spring water that springs from our own independent hot spring source is poured directly into the bathtub without adding water or heating. The amber-colored water that quietly overflows from the bathtub is proof that fresh water is constantly being poured in. The large public bath is open except during late night hours, so you can enjoy the high-quality water at your leisure, both at night and in the morning.

A continuous supply of moor hot spring water into the bath

The private baths can be reserved by the hour and are also 100% natural hot spring water. Recommended for those who want to bathe without worrying about the eyes of others.

Image of a Japanese-Western style room

Family Room

The guest rooms are mainly Japanese-style rooms and Japanese-Western style rooms, but there are also family rooms and Western-style rooms. There are no rooms with hot springs, but all rooms except for those with a capacity of 1 person are equipped with a unit bath or shower room.

Dinner image

The dish name "Only the plate is huge! Choice of three appetizers and pickles" is a bit fun.

Dinner is a creative Japanese-Western meal, and you can enjoy a delicious and fun-filled original menu without being limited to Japanese or Western cuisine. Breakfast is a buffet that combines Japanese, Western and Chinese cuisine (there may be a set menu on some days). You can taste dishes that are full of hospitality, with a sense of homemade fun from the head chef and staff.

There is also a children's menu available.

This hot spring hotel, where the staff's consideration and enthusiasm can be felt everywhere, is recommended for those who want to enjoy a high-quality moor hot spring in a relaxed atmosphere.

*Photo provided by Tokachigawa Onsen Fuji Hotel

Image of Moor Onsen hot spring water

Tokachigawa Onsen is a hot spring area with an abundance of hot spring water with plant-based spring quality that is rare even in the world. There are various types of hot spring accommodation facilities, so choose the facility that suits your taste based on the style of accommodation and atmosphere. All of the hot spring hotels and inns recommended this time allow you to enjoy moor hot springs, and all of them have a good reputation for their meals. Stay at Tokachigawa Onsen, take a bath, and have beautiful skin.

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