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HOKKAIDO Noboribetsu, Upopoy, & Around Scenic wilderness, easily accessible from the airport

The Noboribetsu region and the nearby Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park serve as a hub for exploring Hokkaido’s wilderness and natural landscapes, along with Ainu history and culture. Visitors can experience the beauty of volcanic landscapes, pristine nature, and the rich cultural heritage of the indigenous Ainu people.

The Noboribetsu area is renowned for its geothermal activity, volcanoes, and hot springs, including the popular Noboribetsu Onsen , and Karurusu Onsen in the backcountry.

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Visitors can also enjoy the peaceful beauty of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park, which is home to the hot springs of Lake Toya, the pristine waters of Lake Kuttara , and two of Japan’s most active volcanoes, Mt. Usu, and Mt. Showa-Shinzan .

Don’t forget to take home an authentic Ainu artifact as a souvenir!

Don't Miss

  • Experience traditional Ainu culture and performing arts at Upopoy
  • Soak in the hot springs of Noboribetsu Onsen and Karurusu Onsen
  • Admire the scenery reflected on the clear waters of Lake Kuttara

How to Get There

• For Noboribetsu area

-By Train

To access the Noboribetsu area by train from New Chitose Airport, take the train to Minami-Chitose Station and transfer for the express train to JR Noboribetsu Station.

Noboribetsu Onsen is located around eight kilometers from JR Noboribetsu Station and is best accessed via car or bus from the station.

-By bus

The Express Hayabusa-go bus to Noboribetsu Onsen takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes from New Chitose Airport (requires booking in advance on the website; an English website is available).

Karurusu Onsen is approximately a 20-minute bus ride from Noboribetsu Onsen. Lake Kuttara is approximately a 15-minute drive from the center of Noboribetsu Onsen and is best reached by rental car or taxi.

• For Upopoy area

-By Train

To get to the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park from New Chitose Airport, take the train from JR New Chitose Airport Station to JR Shiraoi Station. Upopoy is around a 10-minute walk from the North Exit of JR Shiraoi Station.

From JR Noboribetsu Station, the express train to JR Shiraoi Station takes 12 minutes and visitors can walk to the museum from there.

Explore a variety of hot springs in Noboribetsu and Karurusu Onsen

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The onsen (hot springs) of Noboribetsu are unique because it is one of the few places in Japan that has such a variety of different kinds of hot springs. Fed by the volcanic Jigokudani (Hell Valley) , the area boasts nine distinct types of mineral-rich waters, each with its own therapeutic qualities.

At Jigokudani, visitors can witness the source of these mineral-rich waters as they rise from beneath the earth’s surface. More than 10,000 tons of naturally infused water flows, supplying the hotels and inns of the onsen town with healing, mineral-packed hot springs.

Some springs are renowned for their healing properties, while others are enriched with salts and metals believed to provide various health benefits. This unique combination makes Noboribetsu a must-visit destination for those seeking relaxation and wellness through the natural power of hot springs.

Many of Noboribetsu’s hotel hot spring facilities are open to both overnight guests and day visitors, making it an accessible destination even if just for a day trip.

The area around Jigokudani is designated as a national natural monument and the Noboribetsu Primeval Forest is home to around 60 kinds of trees and 110 kinds of plants. Visitors here can take a tranquil walk through this timeless forest where giant Japanese oak trees stand as living symbols of history.

Karurusu Onsen, located in the backcountry of Noboribetsu, offers visitors a more secluded hot spring experience compared to Noboribetsu Onsen.

Karurusu Onsen is known for its peaceful atmosphere and natural beauty, located in a valley surrounded by mountains and forests whose trees transform from vibrant green to autumn colors as the seasons change.

The hot springs here are rich in minerals, particularly radium, and are believed to have healing properties that relieve fatigue and improve health.

Beautiful scenery reflected on the lake's surface

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Lake Kuttara located in Shikotsu-Toya National Park is the ideal spot to experience Hokkaido’s stunning natural landscapes and wildlife. The unusually shaped circular lake, formed in the caldera of a volcano, is famous for its clear and clean waters. Remarkably, Lake Kuttara is not fed by any rivers or streams, making its untouched beauty even more unique.

The lake can be admired from the water by renting a kayak, or from the fan-shaped Lake Kuttara Senkei Observatory perched 320 meters above. The lake's mirror-like surface reflects the surrounding landscape, offering photo opportunities that shift with the changing seasons.

Wildlife enthusiasts may be able to spot freshwater crayfish and salamanders in the lake thanks to the clarity of the water, while on the shore animals such as foxes, tanuki, squirrels and deer are common.

Mysterious Gorges and Smoking Volcanoes

Explore the natural wonders of Western Hokkaido with a hike through Tarumae Garo , a steep gorge carved by the Tarumae River, its walls draped in vibrant green moss. For a more dramatic sight, get up close to the lava dome and steaming sulfur vents of Mt. Tarumae , an active volcano that offers a fascinating glimpse into the power of nature.

Experience traditional Ainu culture and performing arts

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Photo: Courtesy of The Foundation for Ainu Culture

 

The Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park is a facility dedicated to promoting Ainu history and culture. The Ainu are an indigenous people from the northern region of the Japanese archipelago, with a distinctive culture and unique language.

The Ainu or aynu, which means humans in the Ainu language, have a reciprocal relationship with “kamuy” (spirit-deities) playing a central role in their culture and beliefs. Kamuy are animals, plants, natural phenomena and myriad other things, that are particularly important to humans.

At Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park, visitors can immerse themselves in the Ainu way of life by visiting the museum’s permanent exhibition room and a reconstructed Ainu village known as a “kotan”, featuring Ainu houses called “cise”.

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Photo: Courtesy of The Foundation for Ainu Culture

 

Visitors can also learn about Ainu crafts, observe demonstrations, participate in wood carving and embroidery workshops at the Crafts Studio, or watch traditional Ainu dance and other performing arts at the Cultural Exchange Hall.

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Cape Chikyu (Sea of clouds)

 

Muroran City in southwestern Hokkaido was historically an industrial city that has since transformed into a port and tourist destination. Known for dolphin and whale watching and spectacular night views of factories from Mt. Sokuryo, Muroran is also home to one of the largest suspension bridges in eastern Japan. Nearby, Cape Chikyu offers breathtaking views, towering cliffs, and is a nesting site for rare peregrine falcons. Enjoy the views at Cape Chikyu, one of Hokkaido’s stunning nature spots.

Beautiful scenery reflected on the lake's surface

4_Viewfromthe_gondola2

Lake Kuttara located in Shikotsu-Toya National Park is the ideal spot to experience Hokkaido’s stunning natural landscapes and wildlife. The unusually shaped circular lake, formed in the caldera of a volcano, is famous for its clear and clean waters. Remarkably, Lake Kuttara is not fed by any rivers or streams, making its untouched beauty even more unique.

The lake can be admired from the water by renting a kayak, or from the fan-shaped Lake Kuttara Senkei Observatory perched 320 meters above. The lake's mirror-like surface reflects the surrounding landscape, offering photo opportunities that shift with the changing seasons.

Wildlife enthusiasts may be able to spot freshwater crayfish and salamanders in the lake thanks to the clarity of the water, while on the shore animals such as foxes, tanuki, squirrels and deer are common.

Mysterious Gorges and Smoking Volcanoes

Explore the natural wonders of Western Hokkaido with a hike through Tarumae Garo , a steep gorge carved by the Tarumae River, its walls draped in vibrant green moss. For a more dramatic sight, get up close to the lava dome and steaming sulfur vents of Mt. Tarumae , an active volcano that offers a fascinating glimpse into the power of nature.

Experience traditional Ainu culture and performing arts

5_34_ParkDancePerformance1Dance

Photo: Courtesy of The Foundation for Ainu Culture

 

The Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park is a facility dedicated to promoting Ainu history and culture. The Ainu are an indigenous people from the northern region of the Japanese archipelago, with a distinctive culture and unique language.

The Ainu or aynu, which means humans in the Ainu language, have a reciprocal relationship with “kamuy” (spirit-deities) playing a central role in their culture and beliefs. Kamuy are animals, plants, natural phenomena and myriad other things, that are particularly important to humans.

At Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park, visitors can immerse themselves in the Ainu way of life by visiting the museum’s permanent exhibition room and a reconstructed Ainu village known as a “kotan”, featuring Ainu houses called “cise”.

6_37_ParkDancePerformance4Dance

Photo: Courtesy of The Foundation for Ainu Culture

 

Visitors can also learn about Ainu crafts, observe demonstrations, participate in wood carving and embroidery workshops at the Crafts Studio, or watch traditional Ainu dance and other performing arts at the Cultural Exchange Hall.

7_CapeEarthSeaofClouds02

Cape Chikyu (Sea of clouds)

 

Muroran City in southwestern Hokkaido was historically an industrial city that has since transformed into a port and tourist destination. Known for dolphin and whale watching and spectacular night views of factories from Mt. Sokuryo, Muroran is also home to one of the largest suspension bridges in eastern Japan. Nearby, Cape Chikyu offers breathtaking views, towering cliffs, and is a nesting site for rare peregrine falcons. Enjoy the views at Cape Chikyu, one of Hokkaido’s stunning nature spots.

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