Photo: Soica2001 (talk) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Kogane Onsen

Hokkaido · 黄金温泉

Kogane Onsen is a hot spring town in Hokkaido, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 48.9°C, hot. It measures pH 6.8 — close to neutral. Officially the water is classed as chloride spring, bicarbonate spring and sulfate spring.

Getting there

From Sapporoabout 1½ h

JR PassCovers the train

Train to Konbu Station (JR)

Fly into New Chitose. Times are rough estimates worked out from station locations, not a timetable — check the exact route on Google Maps.

Chloride springBicarbonate springSulfate spring

The water here

Chloride spring 塩化物泉

Salty water. The salt leaves a thin film on the skin, so you stay warm well after leaving the bath.

Bicarbonate spring 炭酸水素塩泉

Smooth, slightly slippery water. Often nicknamed bihada-no-yu, the water for beautiful skin.

Sulfate spring 硫酸塩泉

Clear water with a faintly bitter taste. Known for holding heat.

More photographs

From Wikimedia Commons. Tap a photo for the photographer and licence.

Things to see nearby

Niseko Tokyu Grand HIRAFUSki area · 8.7 km

Nisekoan NupuriMountain · 7.1 km

Niseko Moiwa Ski ResortSki area · 4.8 km

Places from Wikidata, photographs from Wikimedia Commons. Distances are in a straight line from the town.

With tattoos

Many public baths still turn away visible tattoos, and the rule is set by each bath, not by the town. The reliable way round it is to bathe privately: a room with its own open-air bath, or an inn with a private bath you can book for yourselves.

Rooms with an open-air bath — Hokkaido Inns with a private bath — Hokkaido