Noboribetsu Onsen Activities
Noboribetsu is a nice side destination whilst in Hokkaido for a ski or snowboard trip, because it offers a few different activities.
Onsen
It seems essential to sample the onsen whilst in Noboribetsu. An easy way to do this is to stay at a hotel with nice onsen baths, so you can wander in your yukata from your room to the baths or soak in your private onsen in your room.
Otherwise it’s possible for non-guests to bathe at some of the ryokan at certain times.
Expensive but worth it for the indoor baths is Dai-ichi Takimotokan. The indoor section for each gender has lots of different baths including a walking reflexology pool, massage waterfalls that pound your back and shoulders, and baths that overlook Hell Valley. There are also a few outdoor baths that just look out onto snow banks. Some of the baths have a full milky colour, others are clear, whilst some baths are just partially milky. Dai-ichi Hotel also has a swimming pool where you wear a bathing suit.
The Noboribetsu Grand Hotel has various different baths, including the strange Roman style baths.
Or there is the Sagiriyu locals’ public onsen.
Other Noboribetsu Activities
Visit the tourist office so you can get the latest information on any upcoming events or which trails are open at Hell Valley. During winter, various activities require walking on snowy or icy paths. Don’t turn up to Noboribetsu in your stilletos or converse sneakers. Wear good shoes, and spikes on your shoes may not go astray if you don’t have much experience with walking on ice and snow.
Hell Valley is a highlight of Noboribetsu activities, and the trail head is located about 5 minutes walk from the centre of Noboribetsu Onsen. Depending on the amount of snow, some trails may be closed. From the car park there are wooden walkways to follow and viewing platforms where you can check out the volcanic rocks, steaming vents, and geysers. The main geyser pool may not be that obvious if it’s covered in snow, but you might be lucky enough to see Tessen Ike sending jets of water into the air.
Take a look at the Yuzawa Shrine, which is near the entrance of Hell Valley, just opposite Daiichi Takimotokan.
From Hell Valley, access to the Oyunuma Pond may be possible, which is a particularly stinky onsen, but it’s too hot to dip your toes in and it smells too bad too!
The Oyunuma River is a hot stream which can look spectacular during winter when the steam rises up. This is where you can have a foot bath. If there’s a lot of snow, the connecting trails may be closed but there is another entry point to get to the natural hot spring footbath river.
The Date Jidaimura Village is a historical theme park that represents a traditional Japanese Edo-period street, so it’s nice to look at the architecture from yesteryear and get an appreciation of the history of the era. If you want to get really touristy you can rent a costume so you can look like a ninja or oiran/courtesan. The Date Jidai Village sits between the onsen village and the coast.
The Noboribetsu area also has an Ainu museum, where you can enjoy Ainu performances and learn about the indigenous culture.
If you don’t get to see the geysers in Hell Valley, there is a small one in Sengen Park in town where you may luck in with a viewing.
It’s also possible to go snowmobiling in Noboribetsu or riding on an ATV quad bike during lean snow periods.
Many tourists go crazy for the Enmado Shrine in the main street, Gokuraku Street. Enma the hell king was constructed for a festival and sits in a gawdy shrine. He’s mechanical and at certain times of the day he moves his hands and his eyes light up – can’t say that I got too excited by that!
Shops
Gokuraku Dori Shoten Gai, aka shopping street, is popular with many of the tourists that swarm upon Noboribetsu Onsen. It has some classic Japanese souvenir shops along with a few boutique shops and many of them offer tax free shopping.