Tokachigawa Onsen is one of the most famous hot spring regions of Hokkaido. It sits alongside the Tokachi River, which flows through the great plains of the Tokachi Subprefecture in Doto.

It hosts many hot spring hotels and footbath facilities and is most known for its “moor onsen,” a kind of alkaline amber-colored hot spring said to improve poor circulation and beautify the skin.

These benefits are born from the saline, vegetative qualities of the water, which is packed with humic substances. This, plus the town’s decent accessibility, has made Tokachigawa Onsen one of the most popular hot spring destinations for tourists both in and outside Japan.

The majority of hot springs in Japan are created by volcanic geothermal spring water and contain an abundance of minerals.

However, the hot springs at Tokachigawa Onsen are different and instead have a base of organic plant matter.

Long ago, the area surrounding the Tokachi River was a wetland filled with naturally-growing reeds and more. However, over tens of thousands of years of accumulation, these plants became peat and lignite layers in the ground.

After subterranean water with minerals seeping from bedrock layers was heated by geothermal energy, it rose and passed through these layers of peat and lignite and mixed with the organic plant matter to eventually emerge from the ground in what is called “moor onsen.”

In this sense, we owe the hot springs of Tokachigawa Onsen to the abundant nature of eons past.

According to local accommodations, Tokachigawa Onsen has its origins in 1900, with locals boiling the tepid water naturally welling from the ground for use. However, it is also said that the indigenous Ainu people of Hokkaido spoke of springs in the wetland long before this, calling them the “medicine swamps.”

In the early 1900s, numerous excavation projects saw the official founding of the hot spring town, and the area was eventually named “Tokachigawa Onsen” around 1930. Hot spring inns, restaurants, souvenir stores, and more began popping up, while transportation systems were established as it grew famous for its moor onsen.

While undergoing renovations and both increases and decreases in size, the town has continued to thrive to this day. Recently, in addition to bathing, it has been gaining attention as a burgeoning resort region full of seasonal activities and adventure potential.

While Tokachigawa Onsen does not have a railway, local bus services head to the town from Obihiro, which is the central city in Tokachi Subprefecture. A direct highway bus from New Chitose Airport makes it possible to visit without driving.

Let’s take a look at how to get to Tokachigawa Onsen in more detail:

From New Chitose Airport
・New Chitose Airport is the largest airport in Hokkaido and has both domestic and international flights.
・Tokachigawa Onsen can be reached from New Chitose Airport on the “Tokachi Milky Liner” highway bus heading to Obihiro or via Obihiro to Tokachigawa Onsen (approx. 3 hrs, booking required).
・If you’d prefer to drive, you can easily rent a car at one of the many agencies around the airport. Use the Doto Expressway and get off at the Otofuke-Obihiro IC, which will take around 2 hrs and 20 mins.

From Tokachi-Obihiro Airport
・While it doesn’t have nearly as many flights as New Chitose, Tokachi-Obihiro Airport is still the closest airport to Tokachigawa Onsen, only a 30-minute drive away.
・From here, you can take the Airport Access Bus heading to Obihiro Station, after which you’ll get off at Obihiro Station and change to a local bus heading for Tokachigawa Onsen at the bus terminal in front of the station (approx. 30 mins, no booking required).

From Sapporo
・You can get from Sapporo to Obihiro Station via limited express train or on the “Potato Liner” highway bus (approx. 3 hrs 30-55 mins, booking required).
・From here, take the local bus heading for Tokachigawa Onsen, as mentioned above.
・If you’re going by car, use the Do-o Expressway and Doto Expressway and get off at the Otofuke-Obihiro IC, which will take approx. 3 hrs.

Use the Japan Rail Pass to Explore Hokkaido on the cheap!
・Plan on visiting Hokkaido for five days or more? We recommend purchasing the JR Hokkaido Rail Pass for a deal on transportation. This pass allows foreign travelers to freely ride train services run by Japan Rail (JR). You can use the JR limited express train to reach Obihiro Station, after which you’ll switch to a local bus heading for Tokachigawa Onsen.
・If Hokkaido is just one of the places you intend to visit, you may consider getting a JR Pass, which lets you save on JR trains and Shinkansen throughout Japan.

Along with the hot spring town itself, there’s plenty of sightseeing to do around Tokachigawa Onsen. Let’s take a look!

This spa resort facility sits in the center of the hot spring town and allows visitors to bathe in the moor onsen while wearing a swimsuit.

The Hinata-no-Marche shop here sells local produce, knick-knacks, and souvenirs, along with a bakery, cafe, restaurant, and workshop hosting interactive ice cream and cheese-making experiences.

Some of the most popular Tokachigawa Onsen souvenirs include the “Moor no Nukumori” bathing cosmetics, which are made with ingredients sourced from moor onsen (25g, 10 pack, 1,676 yen), along with the “Tokachigawa Moor Onsen Mask” (3 pack, 1,200 yen).

This is the factory and store of the famous Tokachi confectioners Ryugetsu. Here you can purchase both western and Japanese-style sweets, dine at the cafe, tour the factory, and even join sweet-making workshops. Located near the Oto-Obihiro Interchange, it takes only a minute to reach after exiting the highway and is a 20-minute drive from the hot springs town.

One of the biggest events in Tokachigawa Onsen, Sairinka is a sound and lights show held annually between late January and late February at Tokachigaoka Park, a 10-minute walk from the hot spring town.

It celebrates the coming of the migrating swans of winter with around 600 LEDs and light bulbs controlled by a stage lighting system to synchronize with sound, weaving together an enchanting space illuminating the night-time snow.

Float up to 30 meters in the sky on an anchored hot air balloon ride! You’ll be able to look out over the expansive Tokachi Plains from up high and even witness ice fog over the Tokachi River along with the snow-covered Hidaka Mountains, depending on the weather.

While the entire experience lasts just five minutes, you’ll feel exhilaration and satisfaction sticking with you the whole day. In winter, generally, rides only run on days with group bookings; however, on these days, individual customers are also welcome to ride.

Tokachigawa Onsen is also a fantastic place to base yourself while sightseeing around the Tokachi Subprefecture and Doto region.

Several famous spots like the Taushubetsu River Bridge in Lake Nukabira and the midwinter jewelry ice of Otsu Beach are reachable in under an hour, while other places like Lake Akan and the Kushiro Marsh are two hours away by car.

From the sizable assortment of hot spring hotels and traditional inns in Tokachigawa Onsen, we’ve selected three that we think are particularly remarkable!

From a hotel celebrated for its cuisine, to a brand-new, swanky resort opened in 2022, and finally, Tokachigawa Onsen’s sole private reservable bath accommodation (which is also cheap!), we’re certain at least one of these will suit your style!

Kangetsuen is an old hot spring hotel established shortly after the founding of Tokachigawa Onsen. Having undergone numerous renovations, it continues to thrive to this day. It allows guests to bathe in the slippery waters of moor onsen and relish renowned original dishes made from a plethora of local and seasonal ingredients.

Moor onsen are available in the shared baths and in some of the guest rooms. The large shared bath facility also boasts a lie-down bath, jacuzzi, sauna, and open-air outdoor bath. Of these, the shared bath, jacuzzi, and open-air bath are moor onsen and can all be used by both overnight guests along with day-trippers.

Guest rooms include standard traditional Japanese-style rooms and Japanese-Western fusion rooms, alongside rooms with views, deluxe rooms with private open-air baths and scenic baths, plus Japanese-Western suites with their own saunas.

From some of these rooms, the Tokachi River can be seen below from some of these rooms, while the Hidaka Mountains spread out in the distance. Other rooms allow you to soak blissfully in moor onsen in utter privacy, or sweat your stress out in a private sauna. The only difficulty is deciding which room to settle on!

Another reason for staying at Kangetsuen is the food. The morning breakfast buffet flaunts a fantastic assortment of scrumptious dishes, praised extravagantly in online reviews. In the words of the hotel, “we aim to create food showcasing local cuisine culture where you can picture the face and feel the history of the producers.”

The produce, livestock, and seafood used here are primarily sourced from within the Tokachi Subprefecture. This includes wheat and potatoes, plus meats like pork, beef, and chicken alongside cheese and fresh fish hauled in from South Tokachi. Dinner is served in the restaurant and is either a buffet or meals of original, creative dishes.

The wide range of souvenirs on sale at Kangetsuen is also popular. In particular, their original thin-skinned manju “Hanakangetsu,” a pleasant light snack, and the moor onsen-based beauty products, which recreate the benefits of hot springs at home, sell like hotcakes.

Multilingual Support
・Japanese, English

Seijyakubow is a brand-new luxury accommodation that opened in August 2022. With the concept of “privacy,” all rooms flaunt individual open-air hot springs and gardens, allowing guests to unwind in their own unique spaces.

The complex is all one-story, with a lobby, restaurant, and shared hot spring encompassing a courtyard in the center. This is further surrounded by an elongated corridor with rooms lined up around the exterior, weaving together a unique formation.

There are a total of 24 guest rooms, all with over 50m² of space and shaped like independent buildings popping out into the wilderness. The geothermal water pumped into each hot spring is all from moor onsen, and they are secluded enough to enjoy without concern for those next door.

Along with private baths, moor onsen can be enjoyed in the large shared hot spring bath too. It is unavailable to day-trippers, so all those bathing are overnight guests. You can first spread yourself out in the spacious, grand bathtub, then relish a spot of privacy and soak without reserve in your own room.

Meals include generous helpings of ingredients sourced from all over Hokkaido and crafted into creative dishes based on traditional Japanese cooking but with a diverse range of techniques and flavors. For dinner, you can choose between the “Original Japanese Kaiseki” course in the dining hall or a teppanyaki course in the specialized teppanyaki restaurant, along with either a Japanese or Western-style breakfast.

While the newness of this hot spring accommodation facility means that reviews are yet to emerge, we’re certain that its secluded, peaceful ambiance will guarantee success!

Multilingual Support
・Japanese, English

Fuji Hotel is the only accommodation facility in Tokachigawa Onsen with private reservable baths, making it ideal for those wishing to bathe without worrying about strangers. Plus, the price is very affordable, making it suitable for those seeking luxury on a budget!

Along with the private reservable baths, Fuji Hotel also boasts a large shared hot spring, which both overnight guests and day-trip visitors can use. Both are filled with moor onsen water from a source owned directly by the hotel.

The water is free from dilution, artificial heating, and recirculation, ensuring that nothing but goodness from beneath the ground is enjoyed. While there is only one bathtub in the shared hot spring, the exceptional quality draws in visitors from across Japan.

The reservable private bath is recommended for families, older people, or those who prefer to bathe solo. It can be booked by the hour, costing 2,000 yen for two people and 2,500 yen for 3-4 people. Reservations can be made from 10 am the same day.

There are a total of 32 guest rooms, with capacities of 1-2 guests, 2-4 guests, and more. Rooms include Japanese-style tatami matting with futon beds, plus Japanese-Western fusion-style rooms with up to two beds. There are no hot springs inside the rooms, but they are equipped with showers or baths (excluding single rooms).

Dinners are Japanese set meals featuring original dishes with a Western edge, while breakfast is a buffet, all meticulously prepared by hand with love and warmth.

While the staff here mostly speak only Japanese, their affable personalities and heartfelt service ensure you’ll feel right at home. At the same time, the luxury hot springs are bound to invite total relaxation.

Multilingual Support
・Japanese only