Explore One of Japan’s Leading Hot Spring Areas! 11 Popular Things to Do in Noboribetsu

If you want to fully enjoy Noboribetsu, summer or fall is recommended.
Noboribetsu stays relatively cool even in summer, making it comfortable for visiting sightseeing spots.
Noboribetsu Jigoku Matsuri is also held on the last Saturday and Sunday of August.
This unique festival, where Enma Daio rides on a float Approx. 6m high designed like a demon and people dressed as demons parade through the streets, is something you can only experience in Noboribetsu in summer.
In fall, scenic spots are colored with autumn leaves, adding vivid color to the dramatic landscape.
The hot spring town also becomes even more atmospheric in autumn, making walks there even more enjoyable.

Noboribetsu is easy to access not only from Sapporo, but also from New Chitose Airport.
The table below summarizes the fastest route and travel time, so please use it as a reference.
You can also get there in Approx. 1 hour 30 minutes by taking a local train without transferring to the Limited Express Hokuto 8 at Minami-Chitose Station.

One of Noboribetsu’s most popular attractions, Jigokudani is an explosion crater formed by volcanic activity on Mt. Hiyori.
The valley, with a diameter of 450m and an area of Approx. 11ha, remains volcanically active today and is also known as the source of Noboribetsu Onsen, which boasts 10,000 tons of hot spring water a day.
The sight of bare rock faces with numerous vents and fumaroles releasing white steam truly looks like hell.
A walking path has been developed around the area, allowing visitors to explore it in about 20 minutes and see the hot spring water gushing out and flowing up close.

Located at the summit of Shihorei at an elevation of 550m, Noboribetsu Bear Park can be reached in Approx. 7 minutes by ropeway from the lower station in the Noboribetsu Onsen area.
More than 60 Ezo brown bears live here in lively surroundings. The bears are displayed in separate areas for males and females.
At Daiichi Bokujyo, the area with the male bears, there is a glass-walled room called the “Human Cage,” where you can observe the bears moving around all around you.

This aquarium centers on Nixe Castle, modeled after the real Egeskov Castle in Denmark, and displays Approx. 400 species and 20,000 creatures.
The interior of the beautiful brick-style castle building is used entirely as an aquarium.
At the entrance, Napoleon fish swimming in a large pillar-shaped tank called the Crystal Tower, standing 8m tall, welcome visitors.

A vermilion arch bridge spanning Noboribetsu Valley, with a total length of 240m.
Its distinctive feature is a structure called a “reverse Lohse bridge,” in which pillars are built on top of the arch to support the bridge.
The deepest point from the bridge down to the valley floor is Approx. 120m, making it the highest bridge in Hokkaido.
Looking down from the sidewalk to the valley floor, you will likely catch your breath at its overwhelming height.
From the observation deck at the foot of the bridge, you can take in beautiful views created by the valley through the four seasons and Shin-Noboribetsu Ohashi Bridge.
The autumn scenery, when the valley is wrapped in vivid fall colors, is especially stunning and makes the red bridge stand out even more.

Oyunuma in Noboribetsu Onsen is a gourd-shaped pond with a circumference of 1km, formed from a crater left when part of the mountain was blown away by an eruption of Mt. Hiyori.
High-temperature sulfur spring water at around 130°C gushes out, and the surface temperature of the pond reaches from 40°C to 50°C.
The rising steam blends with the surrounding nature, creating beautiful scenery unique to a hot spring area.
There is an observation deck along the walking trail that continues from Noboribetsu Jigokudani, where you can enjoy sweeping views of Oyunuma and the surrounding mountains while the scent of sulfur fills the air.

Located next to Oyunuma, Oku no Yu is also part of a crater left when part of the mountain was blown away by an eruption of Mt. Hiyori.
It is a cone-shaped pond with an extremely high surface temperature of 75°C to 85°C, where sulfur spring water gushes out forcefully in an impressive display.
The strong scent of sulfur in the air makes you feel even more clearly that you are visiting a hot spring destination.

A natural footbath that uses hot spring water flowing out from Oyunuma in Noboribetsu Onsen.
It is located Approx. 30 minutes away on a forest walking trail that starts from the Noboribetsu Park Service Center near Noboribetsu Jigokudani.
Soaking your feet in the river-like flow of hot spring water while enjoying a forest bath is sure to help you relax both body and mind. Another nice point is that it is free to use.
Be sure to bring a towel or something similar to dry your feet.

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura is a theme park that recreates a townscape from the Edo period (1603–1868).
It offers a wide range of hands-on facilities, including the Taiken Dojo, where you can try ninja training such as shuriken throwing and archery, Edo-ya, where you can paint a kokeshi doll and take it home as a souvenir, and Yugi-kan, which recreates a traditional festival game hall.
There is also a ninja residence and theater where you can watch ninja shows and samurai performances, both full of action.
Other highlights include a museum and an authentic Japanese garden, making it an appealing place to experience Japanese history and culture while having fun.
You can also rent kimono or ninja costumes and walk around the park in them.

A mountain pass located on the border between Sobetsu Town and Noboribetsu City in Hokkaido.
There is an observation deck at an elevation of Approx. 940m, offering a sweeping panorama of Mt. Yotei, Lake Toya, and Funka Bay.
In summer, alpine flowers bloom in abundance, while fall brings autumn leaves and winter brings magical frost-covered trees. It is one of Noboribetsu’s finest scenic spots, and if weather conditions are right, you may also see a sea of clouds.
However, since the road is closed at night during winter, you should be careful about the season and time of your visit.

Sengen Park is located in the center of the Noboribetsu Onsen area.
With its unique demon statues, iron club monument, and geyser that erupts hot spring water and steam Approx. every 3 hours, it is a spot you will definitely want to stop by when strolling through the hot spring town.
Noboribetsu Onsen has long been home to legends of demons, which are believed to be guardian deities protecting the hot springs.
The appeal of Sengen Park lies in how it lets you feel the distinctive character and history unique to Noboribetsu Onsen.

Noboribetsu is famous as a hot spring destination, but it is also home to one of Hokkaido’s leading fishing ports.
Onsen Ichiba, located in the Noboribetsu Onsen area, is a great place to enjoy fresh seafood landed at Noboribetsu’s fishing port.
At the dining area inside the market, you can enjoy seafood rice bowls, teppanyaki, sashimi, and other dishes made with fresh seafood.
Popular menu items also include Jigoku no Kanimeshi, where the spiciness of kimchi pairs perfectly with the flavor of crab, and Noboribetsu Enma Yakisoba, Noboribetsu’s first local specialty dish.
Another plus is the wide selection of alcoholic drinks, including local sake from Hokkaido and Noboribetsu craft beer.
You can also shop for souvenirs here, with Noboribetsu-brand items and Hokkaido specialty products available for sale.

Noboribetsu Manseikaku is located in the Noboribetsu Onsen area, Approx. 20 minutes by bus from JR Noboribetsu Station.
Its spacious indoor bath and open-air bath with a feeling of openness let you enjoy milky white hot spring water with a sulfur scent.
The hotel also puts effort into its sauna facilities, with a Finnish-style loyly sauna available.
In the sauna room made with domestic cypress and white birch, you can comfortably work up a sweat while surrounded by the scent of wood. Another nice feature is the unusual cold bath that uses hot spring water after your sauna session.
It also offers plenty of relaxing spaces, including a variety of guest room types to suit different travel styles and a retro-modern café where you can enjoy the hotel’s original blend coffee.
There is also a paid shuttle bus from Sapporo by reservation only, making access convenient.

A hot spring inn in the Noboribetsu Onsen area that offers a relaxing space and restful time.
Its biggest features are the Sky Large Public Bath, where you can enjoy views of Noboribetsu’s rich natural scenery through the windows, and the Sky Open-Air Bath, where you can soak in the hot springs in an airy setting.
There are also private baths and private stone saunas, where families and couples can relax freely in a private space.
Another part of its appeal is that you can choose between buffet dining and kaiseki meals depending on the occasion.
After enjoying the hot springs and meals, relax and unwind from your trip in a guest room with views of Noboribetsu’s natural scenery through the window.

At Takinoya Bekkan Tamanoyu, a lobby filled with the warmth of wood welcomes travelers.
The inn also features elegant Japanese-style spaces throughout, and the guest rooms offer a relaxing place to unwind while soaking in the atmosphere of travel.
The large public bath also has an open-air bath, where you can soak in milky white hot spring water while gazing up at the starry sky of Noboribetsu.
Another pleasant feature is the private bath, where families and couples can enjoy their own time together.
For dinner, guests can savor a kaiseki meal made with carefully selected Hokkaido ingredients chosen by the head chef.
Enjoy these dishes, which bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients, in a calm and restful setting.

A long-established inn in Noboribetsu Onsen with more than 160 years of history. Its proud large public bath spans an expansive area of Approx. 1,500 tsubo and features 35 baths in total for men and women, soothing all who visit.
Enjoy a luxurious bath-hopping experience in the spacious large public bath and open-air bath with a feeling of openness, where you can experience five types of spring water, including sulfur spring and glauber’s salt spring.
Another memorable touch is the optional service, rare even nationwide, that lets you enjoy drinks in the open-air bath.

Founded in 1938, this hotel is affectionately known as the “guest house of Noboribetsu Onsen.”
Its two large public baths feature striking Roman-style dome ceilings. Each has four baths of different sizes, where you can enjoy three types of spring water: sulfur spring, salt spring, and iron spring.
The open-air bath, where you can feel nature through the flowing waterfall and the changing seasonal beauty of the garden, was renovated in 2022.
A new “Oni Sauna,” themed around the demon, the symbol of Noboribetsu, was also added under the supervision of a famous professional sauna expert, and it has earned a reputation for offering an exceptional sauna experience with its 110-degree auto-loyly heat.

A hot spring resort located in Noboribetsu Onsen, one of Japan’s leading hot spring areas, created by volcanic activity Approx. 10,000 years ago.
Nestled in the mountains, it offers a luxurious stay while letting you fully enjoy the surrounding natural beauty.
It features one of the largest bath facilities in Noboribetsu Onsen, where you can enjoy four of the 11 spring water types for which Noboribetsu Onsen is famous: acidic iron spring, simple sulfur spring, salt spring, and sulfur spring. There are 31 baths across the facilities on the basement first floor and second floor, making it possible to enjoy bath-hopping without leaving the hotel.