Noboribetsu Onsen 登別温泉

amandagoss
Jul 13, 2016
2 min read

Next stop was Noboribetsu onsen (登別温泉), and although it was only a short stop (less than 24hours) I wanted to make the most of it. So after the train we went to Date Jidaimura (伊達時代村) which is a theme park modelled on Japans Edo period. So what is the Edo period? Well it occurred between 1603 – 1867 when Japan was under the rule of the Tokogawa shogunate, which was the last feudal Japanese military government. It wasn’t until after the Edo period ended that Japan modernized. At the theme park we watched the culture show. This was based on ‘Oiran Docyu’, which is a procession of a top ranked prostitute and her assistants in the Edo period. We also saw the ninja shows. Ninjas were essentially Japans secret agents who had skills called ‘Ninjyutsu’. One of the strangest things at the theme park was the O-nyanko Cat Temple, which was like a haunted house ride but instead of monsters it had cats to scare you! Which was more hilarious than horrifying.

After visiting the theme park, we made our way to the hotel. The first thing I saw as we made our way into town on the bus was a red yukijin (demon), who had a particularly angry look on his face. He also wielded a spiked club. However he is actually a welcome demon, who locals believe will protect the hot springs, ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune to humans. Overall there are nine demon statues in the town but only the Enma Do Shinto Shrine, can be traced back to the Edo period. Enma who is regarded as the King of Hell, stands at the gates of Hell itself and decides which of six paths a person takes. Whether it be going to heaven or hell, being reincarnated or reborn. Enma ultimately has the final say.

The hotel we stayed at was the Dai-ichi Takimotokan. This grand hotel lived up to it’s name, even having a small shopping arcade inside. The focal point for this hotel though is the onsen. With multiple baths to pick from it was an amazing way to relax. I particularly enjoyed the outdoor baths which all had a scenic view of Jigokudani (地獄谷) or as it’s referred to ‘hell valley’. Jigokudani is the main source of Noboribetsu’s hot springs. It is the site where Mount Kuttara erupted more than 20,000 years ago, leaving behind a sulfuric caldera. All I could smell was sulfur as we walked through the valley in the afternoon and it is one of the main minerals in the hot springs.

A small group of us were feeling adventurous and decided to explore some of the many hiking trails. I must say it was well worth it. We found the stunning Oyunuma Lake (大湯沼) and a natural foot bath in which we could soak our feet and relax. My only regret when leaving Noboribetsu Onsen was that we didn’t stay longer.