Volcanoes, onsens, and Japan’s first geopark
Hanging out around active volcanoes, and the calderas of volcanoes that previously blew themselves up, has certain advantages. One clear benefit is that the hot magma associated with active volcanism heats groundwater that can rise to the surface to create hot springs.
Hokkaido is crazy with hot springs. In Japan, onsen refers to the springs themselves and to the hotels and resorts that use the springs to develop an array of pools for client use. We spent 13 nights in Hokkaido and stayed on hotels with onsens every night. Most of them were at the national parks I’ve described in past posts and where the source of the water was immediately evident.
Noboribetsu Onsen
A few days ago, we stayed at Noboribetsu Onsen in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park (S-TNP; see location of the park in my last post: https://landscapes-revealed.net/daisetsuzan-national-park-the-rooftop-of-hokkaido/). Here is a map of the park with locations referred to in this post.
The Daliichi Takimotokan Hotel we stayed at in Noboribetsu has the largest onsen in Hokkaido, and is one of the most famous in Japan. Click on this link to see photos of the various pools in the onsen: https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/spa/. I couldn’t take photos, but the hotel could do so when no one is in the pools.
Because there are different mineral springs, the pools have five types of chemistry: sulphur, alum, ferrous sulphate, salt, and sodium (bicarbonate). In the hotel, there are 35 different baths encompassing 5000 m2 of space, including indoor and outdoor pools. The web site shows the layout of the baths and the five types of springs. There are also dry and moist saunas. We experienced many good onsens, but this one was the best.
There are protocols that must be followed in the onsen. Here they are, in case you find yourself in Japan and want to use one. It felt a little daunting at first, but after a few times it became just a wonderful experience that we savored each evening. We typically enjoyed soaking in the evening, after dinner, but we sometimes chose a pre-dinner soak, especially when the outdoor pools had scenic vistas.
- The yukata. Each hotel room comes outfitted with yukatas—kimono-like robes—and slippers. These should be worn to the onsen, but guests can also wear them to dinner! This took a little getting used to, but it’s quite a pleasure to change into this comfortable outfit for the evening.
- What to take to the onsen. Hotels usually provide a small bag for items such as room key and cosmetics. Sometimes towels are taken from the room and other times they are provided in the onsen. You must have two towels: a regular bath towel and a small hand towel.
- Pre-onsen. Once at the exterior of the onsen, slippers must be removed. Baskets and/or lockers are provided in the changing room for the remaining items, including your large towel and yukata. The only thing you can take into the onsen is the small hand towel. It is essential that you be naked.
- In the onsen. When entering the onsen you will see bathing stations where you must soap up and wash completely. Shampoo and soap are provided, as are a bucket and stool. There is a mirror and a shower head on a flexible hose; rinse thoroughly after soaping up. The hand towel can be used for bathing, but once done, it should be wrung out, folded up and put on one’s head. It should not enter the pool water, and the head is a convenient storing place! Then enjoy the variety of pool types and soak until the body is fully relaxed.
- Post onsen. When done with soaking, you should dry off as best you can with the damp hand towel and proceed to the changing room. There you can retrieve your large towel, dry completely and put back on your yukata. Mirrored stations with seats, blow-dryers, and beauty products are available. Proceed back to your room.
Toya–Usu UNESCO Global Geopark
Toyako is a short train ride west from Noboribetsu (see map above). It is part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. In 2015 this part of the park was established as Japan’s first Geopark—the Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark, a place where visitors enjoy nature, culture, food and the awesome power of volcanoes. The Lake Toya caldera was created about 110,000 years ago by a huge eruption. Nakajima Island in the center of the lake are lava domes erupted 50–40,000 years ago. Most famously, Mt. Usu, a satellite volcano on the edge of the caldera, began erupting about 20,000 years ago.
The volcano is famous because of its regularity and because the local authorities have successfully evacuated thousands of people from the area when eruptions were expected. The last eruption was in 2000-01. The park’s Visitor Center has excellent explanations of Usu’s volcanic history and an adjacent Volcanic Science Center has a film about the 1997 eruption that spewed thick layers of ash and pumice over the area and caused considerable damage but little loss of life.
Hokadate and return to Honshu
Our last stop in Hokkaido was Hakodate, a coastal port town that in 1859 was the first Japanese town to open to international trade, along with Nagasaki and Yokohama. Since then, Hakodate has been a base for foreign trade, a northern-seas fishery, and the southern entrance to Hokkaido. It is famous for its preserved buildings from the late 19th century. We went there because the shinkansen (bullet) train now extends into Hokkaido at Hakodate. Japan Rail plans to extend the shinkansen line to Sapporo by 1931.
