Tokachigawa Onsen Sanyoan - common area & bar

We just recently returned from a trip to the Northern island of Hokkaido - it's a great place to visit during the Summer, where areas further south of the country can be scorching hot - it was between 15-25 degrees Celsius during our time there, which was perfect. The other reason was to visit the famed flower fields (especially lavender ones) in Furano and Biei; they reach their peak in mid-July, so we were a tad early but it was still gorgeous to be surrounded by abundant color. Along the way, we decided to spend two nights in Akan-ko (Lake Akan) as well as our arrival night in the Tokachigawa area, which is home to the famed "Moor Onsen." While large swaths of rural Japan are best explored via a rental car (which is what we almost always do), Tokachigawa can easily be reached via air from Tokyo Haneda to Tokachi-Obihiro Airport, followed by a 30 minute drive to the center of town. Most ryokans provide shuttle service from the airport, including our choice of accommodations - Tokachigawa Onsen Sanyoan (henceforth simply referred to as Sanyoan.)


Moor Onsen

The Tokachigawa Onsen area is unique in having the "Moor" (plant-derived) hot springs variety - the only such place in Japan that can lay claim to this type of Onsen. It has its source on the bank of the Tokachi River in Otofuke Town at the center of the Tokachi Plains. Moor hot springs are different in that it gets its contents from reed and other native planets that are deep underground, and gets its high temperature from geothermal heat before making an appearance in the area around Tokachigawa Onsen. Also, once the hot spring makes contact with oxygen, it turns reddish brown in color. Moor hot springs also have a higher concentration of salt compared to the typical Onsen. While I'm not sure about the accuracy of the claims, supposedly the high content of organic matter and humic acid results in abundant natural moisturizing ingredients, which is why it's commonly referred to as "Bijin-no-Yu" (the hot spring for beauty) by locals and in marketing materials. Did I feel 10 years younger after taking a few dips? I doubt it, but the silky smooth feeling of bathing in Moor Onsen leads me to believe that doing it daily would likely have a positive impact on my skin's smoothness, that's fos sure.


Special Room "Haru No Umi" (春の海), 1F

The high-end ryokan choices there are Seijakubo and Sanyoan, and our decision on which ryokan to choose could've gone either way (we literally flipped a coin.) Seijakubo will appeal to those that desire a more modern aesthetic, while Sanyoan leans a bit on the traditional side. Sanyoan is owned and operated by the same company that runs the much larger (and less luxurious) Tokachigawa Daiichi Hotel that is located adjacent to Sanyoan. This is not unlike the pairings between Kagaya/Kagaya Bettei Matsunomidori in Wakura Onsen, Otani Sanso/Bettei Otozure in Nagato and Nishimuraya Hotel Shogetsutei/Nishimuraya Honkan in Kinosaki Onsen.


Special Room "Haru No Umi" (春の海), 2F, with open-air, free-flowing (and never recirculated) Moor Onsen bath on the deck

Sanyoan is located just off the town's main strip, although location doesn't matter too much here - it's a very sleepy place with very little to do in the immediate vicinity. The nearest establishment is its sister hotel; they are connected via a covered walkway. Guests staying at Sanyoan can visit the Daiichi Hotel and its facilities (namely its communal Onsen and the gift ship), whereas the opposite is not possible (access is restricted to paying guests.) The grounds are pretty and peaceful - manicured grass along with a smattering of tall cedar trees give it a tranquil vibe. The lawn is manicured because it was - until recently - a park golf course (park golf is a sport that's unique to Japan and is quite prevalent in Hokkaido.)


Special Room "Haru No Umi" (春の海), 2F

Sanyoan features a "Daiyokujo" (gender segregated open-air communal Onsen bath), although we didn't find anyone when we visited. That's because each of the ryokan's 11 rooms on site comes with its own en-suite Onsen. Only two, however, are of the open-air outdoor variety, including our room of choice, a "Tokubetsu Shitsu" (Special) room named "Haru No Umi" (which means Ocean in Spring) and is a two-story maisonette-type unit that offers 97mē indoor living space. We knew going in that the room was not going to win any awards for design, and it feels more like a country home than anything (which is somewhat appropriate given its location in Hokkaido), but the first floor was more drab than we anticipated. It consists of a toilet, the main bedroom (with two beds) and a small living room that has a small yellow sofa, a fold-open wooden chair masquerading as a coffee table, and a large TV. The living room in particular felt constricting, mainly due to its small size... we really didn't spend much time downstairs, except when it was time for bed.


Special Room "Haru No Umi" (春の海), 2F

We were relieved to find the second floor being far more inviting, consisting of a living room, a tatami room, the main washroom (with dual sinks), an indoor shower as well as a massive patio with the gensen kakenagashi (free-flowing and never recirculated) Moor Onsen bath. There was an abundance of natural light and a served as a place that we were able to relax in comfort.


Grated Nagaimo (Japanese Mountain Yam) with Bafun Uni, Okra, Radish, Wasabi and Jelly made from Bonito Dashi broth

The dining experience takes place in the main restaurant, although there are 3 koshitsu (private rooms) that can be reserved upon request, which is what we did. Hokkaido is known for its wonderful produce, bountiful seafood (made particularly incredible thanks to the cold water and strong ocean currents) and its beef (and milk and cheese), and Sanyoan did a terrific job in representing the best that Hokkaido has to offer. The flavors and presentation were more creative and sophisticated than we expected in such a rural place. A few examples included grated Japanese mountain yam (it turns slimey when grated), along with Bafun Uni (Sea Urchin), okra, radish, wasabi, and flavored with a bonito-based dashi jelly. Bonito is the most prevalent means of making dashi, and turning it into a gelatinous sauce in this dish was genius. Another highlight was the Owan (clear soup) that consisted of Tofu which had Uni (Sea Urchin) inside, along with Zuwai-gani (Red Snow Crab), bitter melon, an aquatic plant called Junsai, Yuzu and Kassuisen, a flat noodle sheet made from ingredients including Japanese Arrowroot powder. The variety of ingredients no doubt aided in the amazing soup broth. Finally, we were impressed with simmered dish that contained fried Yuba (Tofu skin), Marunasu Eggplant and long-cut green onions, flavored with an umami-infused sesame sauce. Breakfast was equally delightful - we were able to choose between Western and Japanese options, and we elected to go with one each. While both were satisfying, we'd definitely elect for the Washoku breakfast when given the choice next time.


Bafun Uni Tofu with Red Snow Crab, Bitter Melon, Yuzu, Junsai & Kassuisen

Hokkaido is a great choice for those wanting to avoid the searing, mid-summer heat of more notable tourist destinations in the country. And if you're wanting to go for Onsen during this period, it's the best option. After all, bathing in 30+ degree (celsius) heat is not the most pleasant of Onsen experiences. While Noboribetsu and Jozankei are among the more notable Onsen towns, if you're looking for something different, and - because of the Moor Onsen - unique, you can't go wrong with a one-night stay at Tokachigawa Onsen Sanyoan.


Tanuki pup sighting while hiking in the Kushiro Marshlands

Bonus: On our way to our next destination (Lake Akan), we made a detour to the Kushiro Marshlands, which is a hot spot for observing the photogenic (and critically endangered) Red-Crowned Cranes. They mainly congregate in the area during the Winter months, but the Marshlands are gorgeous any time of the year. During a short hike in the forest, we ran into a family of "Tanuki," aka. Japanese Raccoon Dogs. The pups were very young and probably were still being breast-fed, and we enjoyed observing them for a good 15 minutes while the pubs playfully rollicked within a few feet from us. Tanuki are not at all related to Raccoons - the former are part of the Canidae family and are most closely related to Foxes, whereas Raccoons are Procyonidae, and are relatives to the Kinkajou, among other mammals.