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

Kojōhama Onsen

Hokkaido · 虎杖浜温泉

Kojōhama Onsen is a hot spring town in Hokkaido, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 30–58°C, hot. Officially the water is classed as chloride spring, sulfate spring and sulfur spring.

Getting there

From Sapporoabout 1½ h

CarNot needed

JR PassMost of the way

Train to Kojōhama Station (JR)
Change for Takeura Station — a private line, not covered by the JR Pass
A short walk

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

Chloride springSulfate springSulfur 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.

Sulfate spring 硫酸塩泉

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

Sulfur spring 硫黄泉

The classic rotten-egg smell and milky white water. It can tarnish silver jewellery, so take it off.

More photographs

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

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