Hot Springs by Train: Noboribetsu — One of Hokkaido’s Finest Hot Spring Towns Where Demons Await. A Journey of Rich Mineral Waters and Local Gourmet Food

Getting to Noboribetsu Onsen, Hokkaido

How to Enjoy Noboribetsu Onsen, Hokkaido

Stay | Noboribetsu Onsenkyo Takinoya

Noboribetsu Onsen is renowned for a variety of springs with different mineral compositions. The moment you step into the hot spring town, you’re wrapped in its distinctive atmosphere, with the scent of sulfur drifting through the air and white steam rising all around.
There are nine different types of springs, including sulfur, salt, iron, acidic iron, alunite, sodium sulfate, and radium springs. Each is said to bring its own benefits, such as smoother skin, antibacterial, and warming.

At Takinoya, guests can enjoy four different hot spring sources: sulfur, iron, salt, and radium. Said to help with skin conditions, cuts, poor circulation, and rheumatism, the inn takes pride in its silky, high-heat-retaining water, long known as a “beauty bath” for the glow it leaves on skin.
A calm atmosphere spreads throughout the interior from the lounge, where floor-to-ceiling windows look out over the Japanese garden, naturally putting the mind at ease.
Dinner is a kaiseki course brightened by seasonal ingredients such as Noboribetsu wagyu beef, souhachi flounder, and hairy crab from Funka Bay. Savor the flavors of Noboribetsu at leisure in a private dining room overlooking the Japanese garden.

Noboribetsu Onsenkyo Takinoya

Address: 162 Noboribetsu Onsen-cho, Noboribetsu, Hokkaido
Inquiries: 0143-84-2222
Access: 15 min. by bus from JR Minami-Chitose Station
Price: From ¥38,500 per person (1 night, 2 meals)
URL: http://www.takinoya.co.jp/

Eat | Onsen Ichiba

Onsen Ichiba got its start in 1999 as a wholesaler supplying local inns. Today it’s known as the place to taste seafood from Noboribetsu and around Hokkaido at its absolute freshest.

Wanting guests to taste seafood at the peak of its freshness, the restaurant keeps its ingredients alive in a chilled, UV-sterilized tank and only takes them out once an order comes in to prepare them into sashimi, rice bowls, or grilled dishes. The result is Hokkaido seafood you can enjoy truly fresh.

Don’t miss the true taste of summer either: hairy crab. At Noboribetsu fishing port, trap-fishing for hairy crab starts on July 11, marking the start of the season across Hokkaido. The crabs are at their meatiest of the year, packed with rich, sweet crab miso (tomalley), and can be enjoyed through mid-August.

There’s plenty more to try, too, from the seafood-piled Ten-Topping Maehama rice bowl to rich Jersey-milk soft serve ice cream. These are flavors that can only be found in Hokkaido.

Onsen Ichiba

Address: 50 Noboribetsu Onsen-cho, Noboribetsu, Hokkaido
Inquiries: 0143-84-2560
Hours: 11:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. (last order)
Closed: Open all year round
Access: 16 min. by bus from JR Noboribetsu Station
URL: http://www.onsenichiba.com/

Eat  |  KONKON

The restaurant’s signature soup curry comes in 12 varieties, each one generously packed with local ingredients. Favorites include the Seared Noboribetsu Pork Belly Curry (¥1,760) and the Noboribetsu Pork Hamburg Steak Curry (¥1,760). The Enma Curry, a lavish seafood version loaded with oysters, rock nori seaweed, and maitake mushrooms, is a real feast for the eyes as well.

The shop’s famous pudding gets its rich, creamy flavor from Hokkaido milk and eggs from Shiraoi. In particular, the Seared Pudding Parfait, built around a whole “Dosanko Pudding,” has a caramelized top paired with a tangy haskap-berry jam from Tomakomai for a bright accent.

This shop is the fully renewed incarnation of Dosanko Pudding, a beloved Noboribetsu Onsen sweets shop. The major renewal work was completed in June 2026. The interior looks stylish at first glance, but look closer and hot-spring motifs turn up everywhere: the entrance is tiled to evoke an old-fashioned public bathhouse, while the large gourd-shaped tables draw their design from Lake Oyunuma, the scenic spot in Noboribetsu’s Jigokudani. Even the color and texture of the tables are chosen to echo the look of the local sulfur springs.

KONKON

Address: 76 Noboribetsu Onsen-cho, Noboribetsu, Hokkaido
Inquiries: Instagram @dosanko_pudding2022
Hours: 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. (closes early if sold out)
Closed: Open all year round
Access: 16 min. by bus from JR Noboribetsu Station
URL: https://konkon-official.com/

See  |  The Demon Fireworks of Noboribetsu’s Jigokudani

Jigokudani is an explosion-made crater roughly 450 meters across and 11 hectares in scale, formed by the volcanic activity of Mount Hiyoriyama. Steam rises constantly from its floor, giving the place an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere.

Set against this backdrop, the Demon Fireworks have become a beloved part of the Noboribetsu summer. A ritual begun to wish for happiness and carry away people’s misfortunes, the fireworks trace their origin to a local legend about the “yukijin,” demon spirits said to dwell in Jigokudani.

Red and blue demons dance to the beat of taiko drums, putting on a spectacular show with tezutsu hanabi (hand-held fireworks). The fireworks going off right beside the crowd make an unforgettable the sense of power and closeness.

After taking in the volcano-like bursts of the demon fireworks lighting up the night sky, be sure to also stroll the illuminated “Path of Demon Fire” leading deeper into the venue, and get a photo with the yukijin themselves.

Demon Fireworks at Noboribetsu’s Jigokudani

Address: Noboribetsu Onsen-cho, Noboribetsu, Hokkaido
Inquiries: 0143-84-3311
Hours: About 20 minutes, from 8:00 p.m. *Dates: September 3, 10, 17, and 24, 2026 (Thursdays only)
Access: 15 min. by bus from JR Noboribetsu Station
Price: ¥500 for adults
URL: https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot1005/

Let the Hot Springs, the Food, and So Much More Sooth Your Soul

Noboribetsu Onsen is counted among Hokkaido’s three great hot spring towns. Demons lurk around every corner here, and part of the fun of wandering its streets is the chance of stumbling across one of these mischievous characters. Take a leisurely soak in exceptional hot spring water, savor fresh seafood to your heart’s content, and watch the demon fireworks up close as summer draws to a close. Do all that, and you’ll have experienced the very best of Hokkaido.

About the Author
Maki Maeda

Photos courtesy of: Noboribetsu Onsen Takinoya, Onsen Ichiba, KONKON, and the Noboribetsu International Tourism & Convention Association