Noboribetsu Onsen

This hot spring area, one of the country’s foremost, is blessed with an abundance of high quality hot spring waters. There are nine varieties of source springs found in the area, each with its own coloration and purported health benefits, including sulfur springs, chloride springs, alum springs, sulfate springs, melanterite springs, iron springs, acidic springs, alkaline springs, and radium springs. In the indigenous Ainu language, “nupur pet” means “white, cloudy river” or “dark colored river;” believed to be the phrase from which the Japanese place name “Noboribetsu” is derived. It also alludes to the area’s abundance of hot water, which is so great that it even changes the color of the river. Many people come here to enjoy the area’s distinctive and atmospheric hot spring hotels and inns, and to enjoy a day trip spent sampling different bathhouses. The area offers plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, including picturesque Noboribetsu Jigokudani (Hell Valley), Oyunuma Pond, and Tessen Pond, plus destinations like famous scenery, historic sites, and theme parks.