To get to the point first. It was an extraordinary experience I would almost like to call divine. I had just finished a morning sauna at Green Wind Resort Kitayuzawa and was driving on to my next destination. Where I was headed was Noboribetsu Onsen, Hokkaido’s world-renowned “department store of hot springs.” The term “department store of hot springs” is no exaggeration, as I found that no fewer than 9 types of spring water gush forth here: sulfur spring, saline spring, alum spring, mirabilite spring, green vitriol spring, iron spring, acidic spring, bicarbonate spring, and radium spring. There are very few places in Japan where you can enjoy so many hot springs in one area. It is truly a miraculous land. Among all the facilities in Noboribetsu Onsen, the one I chose this time was Noboribetsu Grand Hotel. Here, you can enjoy 3 of those 9 famed springs—sulfur spring, saline spring, and iron spring—all straight from the source. On top of that, you can revel in the so-called Oni House, also known as the "oni sauna," in Hozuki no Yu, which sauna enthusiasts praise as a "top-tier" experience. Stepping into a superb sauna in a department store of hot springs. Just thinking about it makes my foot press harder on the accelerator. At 11:30, I arrived at Noboribetsu Grand Hotel. Since day-use bathing starts at 12:30, I still had about an hour to spare. This is exactly where traveling by car comes in handy. I reclined the seat fully and settled in for a nap. I needed to restore my energy completely to prepare for the fierce battle with the oni sauna that was about to begin. As I closed my eyes to the sound of rain as background music, drowsiness gradually deepened, and before I knew it, I had fallen into the world of dreams. I woke with a jolt and checked the clock. It was 12:28. My internal clock was flawless, if I do say so myself. Having slept deeply for nearly an hour, I felt completely refreshed and full of energy. With my body brimming with vitality, I got out of the car, passed through the hotel’s impressive entrance, and checked in. On the way to the large bath area, I could see a few other day-use guests besides myself. When I entered the changing room, I could see the open-air bath through the window, and its beauty was so striking that I found myself staring at it in awe. Even before coming here, I had been impressed by the beauty of Hozuki no Yu on the hotel website, but seeing it in person, it was even more beautiful than I had imagined. I wanted to enjoy the hot spring, the sauna, and then outdoor air bathing while gazing at that scenery as soon as possible. I could not contain my excitement and quickly shed my clothes. As soon as I stepped into the large bath area, a world that felt almost sacred, like a Roman temple, unfolded before me. In the center stood a stone statue, surrounded by a giant circular tub, and along the wall were baths where you could enjoy the 3 famed springs—sulfur spring, saline spring, and iron spring—directly from the source. First, which spring should I try? Worrying about which spring to enter was a first in my life. The air was cool, and I wanted to warm up, so I decided to start with the saline spring. The saline spring is said to have excellent heat-retention properties, to the point that it is also called a heat bath. As I slowly soaked in the source-fed bath, my chilled body gradually began to warm. Next, I sank into the source-fed iron spring. Exposed to air, the iron spring had turned reddish brown, and a metallic scent similar to that of Arima Onsen lingered in the air. It felt as if I were absorbing the earth’s energy directly through my skin. Then I chose to enjoy the sulfur spring in the open-air bath. The open-air bath area was simply breathtaking. In the center of the forest, a waterfall and river flowed through, and I could feel the sound of the falling water and the negative ions with my entire body. In addition, the autumn leaves growing here and there created a striking contrast against the beauty of the fresh greenery. In front of the waterfall was a wooden deck, where you could enjoy outdoor air bathing. And right beside the wooden deck was a rock-built open-air bath, into which milky sulfur spring water continually poured. I moved to the open-air bath and immersed myself in the sulfur spring. Its distinctive sulfur aroma, like boiled eggs, stimulated my nose, and the texture on my skin was extremely gentle. Once I took a breath, my awareness shifted to the sound of the waterfall and the beautiful scenery spreading out before me. Beautiful scenery has a special power. Just looking at it calms the heart, lifts the spirit, and quietly sweeps away negative thoughts. Add superb hot springs to that, and it becomes hard to imagine anyone feeling unhappy. Even so, how wonderful it felt. I have soaked in countless open-air baths over the years, but I was convinced that I was experiencing one of the best hot spring moments and atmospheres of my life. After thoroughly enjoying the department store of hot springs, it was time for the sauna. At Noboribetsu Grand Hotel, the men's and women's bath areas alternate daily. One is Hozuki no Yu, where I was now bathing, and the other is Rindo no Yu. The highlight, without question, is Hozuki no Yu, where you can enjoy the outstanding atmosphere described above and sauna facilities of the highest level. Since Hozuki no Yu is available only once every 2 days for day-use bathing, I had carefully arranged my schedule to make sure I could come here on this day. Hozuki no Yu has 2 saunas: Oni Sauna and Seiryu Sauna. Oni Sauna is an ultra-hot sauna set at 110°C in the open-air area, designed to evoke the raw, untamed feeling of an oni’s lair. During automatic löyly, it becomes a scorching space. Seiryu Sauna, on the other hand, is set at around 80°C and is filled with the scent of Hokkaido-grown vihta, bundles of birch branches, and allows for self löyly and self whisking. Both are exactly my kind of sauna, but first I wanted to enjoy the famous oni sauna. The moment I entered the Oni Sauna, overwhelming heat enveloped my body. It was the kind of piercing heat I had experienced at Sauna Shikiji and Ogaki Sauna. Because automatic löyly kept the humidity high, it was simply scorching. Looking around the sauna room, I saw a design that made the sauna stove seem as if it were hanging from the ceiling, the wood used for the benches was beautiful, and through the front window I could admire a beautiful waterfall and garden. In a sauna this hot, there is no room for unnecessary thoughts. Until my body reaches its limit, I simply become empty. I close my eyes and just sweat. This primitive act feels unbelievably good. I reached my limit and left the Oni Sauna. At last, it was time for the cold plunge bath. The signature feature of Noboribetsu Grand Hotel is the giant 150 cm-deep barrel-shaped cold plunge bath, but unfortunately it was out of order that day, so I chose another cold bath instead. I sank into the spacious cold bath beside the barrel, large enough to fit about 10 people. The water temperature was probably around 12°C. It felt amazing. The water quality was superb as well. They use source-fed stream water from the mountain foothills in northeastern Noboribetsu, letting me directly enjoy the mellow, refreshing qualities of natural spring water. After the cold plunge bath came the long-awaited outdoor air bathing. I stretched out on a chair right in front of the beautiful waterfall and garden and felt nature with my whole body. The sound of the waterfall echoed in my ears, and as I breathed deeply, air rich in negative ions filled my lungs. Rain fell on my skin in a pleasant rhythm, making the refreshing sensation even stronger. Hokkaido is incredible. Noboribetsu Grand Hotel is incredible. For the second set, I entered Seiryu Sauna. If Oni Sauna is intense heat, this one is a gentler warmth. What impressed me most was the aroma inside the sauna room. The instant I opened the door and stepped inside, I was welcomed by an absolutely wonderful birch scent. There was already someone inside, but I could not help inhaling deeply through my nose to savor the aroma and let out a breath of pure emotion. The lighting in the sauna room was also set fairly dim, and the walls were constructed in an arch from the ceiling toward the back using finely processed wood, improving the convection of heat and steam. Because of this, the design allows you to feel warmth from behind when you do löyly. It is a remarkably well-crafted sauna. The intense heat of Oni Sauna is great too, but personally, I may prefer Seiryu Sauna more. For the second set’s cold plunge bath, I used the indoor bath. There is always a cold bath right next to the sauna exit. That circulation route is also perfect. There are multiple cold baths, and all of them are fed by natural stream water flowing in continuously. If it is this cold in early June, I can only imagine what it would be like to come in the middle of winter. No, I will have to come again in winter as well. I once again settled my body with superb outdoor air bathing, and then added 2 more sets. I enjoyed one set each in Oni Sauna and Seiryu Sauna.

To get to the point first. It was an extraordinary experience I would almost like to call divine. I had just finished a morning sauna at Green Wind Resort Kitayuzawa and was driving on to my next destination. Where I was headed was Noboribetsu Onsen, Hokkaido’s world-renowned “department store of hot springs.” The term “department store of hot springs” is no exaggeration, as I found that no fewer than 9 types of spring water gush forth here: sulfur spring, saline spring, alum spring, mirabilite spring, green vitriol spring, iron spring, acidic spring, bicarbonate spring, and radium spring. There are very few places in Japan where you can enjoy so many hot springs in one area. It is truly a miraculous land. Among all the facilities in Noboribetsu Onsen, the one I chose this time was Noboribetsu Grand Hotel. Here, you can enjoy 3 of those 9 famed springs—sulfur spring, saline spring, and iron spring—all straight from the source. On top of that, you can revel in the so-called Oni House, also known as the "oni sauna," in Hozuki no Yu, which sauna enthusiasts praise as a "top-tier" experience. Stepping into a superb sauna in a department store of hot springs. Just thinking about it makes my foot press harder on the accelerator. At 11:30, I arrived at Noboribetsu Grand Hotel. Since day-use bathing starts at 12:30, I still had about an hour to spare. This is exactly where traveling by car comes in handy. I reclined the seat fully and settled in for a nap. I needed to restore my energy completely to prepare for the fierce battle with the oni sauna that was about to begin. As I closed my eyes to the sound of rain as background music, drowsiness gradually deepened, and before I knew it, I had fallen into the world of dreams. I woke with a jolt and checked the clock. It was 12:28. My internal clock was flawless, if I do say so myself. Having slept deeply for nearly an hour, I felt completely refreshed and full of energy. With my body brimming with vitality, I got out of the car, passed through the hotel’s impressive entrance, and checked in. On the way to the large bath area, I could see a few other day-use guests besides myself. When I entered the changing room, I could see the open-air bath through the window, and its beauty was so striking that I found myself staring at it in awe. Even before coming here, I had been impressed by the beauty of Hozuki no Yu on the hotel website, but seeing it in person, it was even more beautiful than I had imagined. I wanted to enjoy the hot spring, the sauna, and then outdoor air bathing while gazing at that scenery as soon as possible. I could not contain my excitement and quickly shed my clothes. As soon as I stepped into the large bath area, a world that felt almost sacred, like a Roman temple, unfolded before me. In the center stood a stone statue, surrounded by a giant circular tub, and along the wall were baths where you could enjoy the 3 famed springs—sulfur spring, saline spring, and iron spring—directly from the source. First, which spring should I try? Worrying about which spring to enter was a first in my life. The air was cool, and I wanted to warm up, so I decided to start with the saline spring. The saline spring is said to have excellent heat-retention properties, to the point that it is also called a heat bath. As I slowly soaked in the source-fed bath, my chilled body gradually began to warm. Next, I sank into the source-fed iron spring. Exposed to air, the iron spring had turned reddish brown, and a metallic scent similar to that of Arima Onsen lingered in the air. It felt as if I were absorbing the earth’s energy directly through my skin. Then I chose to enjoy the sulfur spring in the open-air bath. The open-air bath area was simply breathtaking. In the center of the forest, a waterfall and river flowed through, and I could feel the sound of the falling water and the negative ions with my entire body. In addition, the autumn leaves growing here and there created a striking contrast against the beauty of the fresh greenery. In front of the waterfall was a wooden deck, where you could enjoy outdoor air bathing. And right beside the wooden deck was a rock-built open-air bath, into which milky sulfur spring water continually poured. I moved to the open-air bath and immersed myself in the sulfur spring. Its distinctive sulfur aroma, like boiled eggs, stimulated my nose, and the texture on my skin was extremely gentle. Once I took a breath, my awareness shifted to the sound of the waterfall and the beautiful scenery spreading out before me. Beautiful scenery has a special power. Just looking at it calms the heart, lifts the spirit, and quietly sweeps away negative thoughts. Add superb hot springs to that, and it becomes hard to imagine anyone feeling unhappy. Even so, how wonderful it felt. I have soaked in countless open-air baths over the years, but I was convinced that I was experiencing one of the best hot spring moments and atmospheres of my life. After thoroughly enjoying the department store of hot springs, it was time for the sauna. At Noboribetsu Grand Hotel, the men's and women's bath areas alternate daily. One is Hozuki no Yu, where I was now bathing, and the other is Rindo no Yu. The highlight, without question, is Hozuki no Yu, where you can enjoy the outstanding atmosphere described above and sauna facilities of the highest level. Since Hozuki no Yu is available only once every 2 days for day-use bathing, I had carefully arranged my schedule to make sure I could come here on this day. Hozuki no Yu has 2 saunas: Oni Sauna and Seiryu Sauna. Oni Sauna is an ultra-hot sauna set at 110°C in the open-air area, designed to evoke the raw, untamed feeling of an oni’s lair. During automatic löyly, it becomes a scorching space. Seiryu Sauna, on the other hand, is set at around 80°C and is filled with the scent of Hokkaido-grown vihta, bundles of birch branches, and allows for self löyly and self whisking. Both are exactly my kind of sauna, but first I wanted to enjoy the famous oni sauna. The moment I entered the Oni Sauna, overwhelming heat enveloped my body. It was the kind of piercing heat I had experienced at Sauna Shikiji and Ogaki Sauna. Because automatic löyly kept the humidity high, it was simply scorching. Looking around the sauna room, I saw a design that made the sauna stove seem as if it were hanging from the ceiling, the wood used for the benches was beautiful, and through the front window I could admire a beautiful waterfall and garden. In a sauna this hot, there is no room for unnecessary thoughts. Until my body reaches its limit, I simply become empty. I close my eyes and just sweat. This primitive act feels unbelievably good. I reached my limit and left the Oni Sauna. At last, it was time for the cold plunge bath. The signature feature of Noboribetsu Grand Hotel is the giant 150 cm-deep barrel-shaped cold plunge bath, but unfortunately it was out of order that day, so I chose another cold bath instead. I sank into the spacious cold bath beside the barrel, large enough to fit about 10 people. The water temperature was probably around 12°C. It felt amazing. The water quality was superb as well. They use source-fed stream water from the mountain foothills in northeastern Noboribetsu, letting me directly enjoy the mellow, refreshing qualities of natural spring water. After the cold plunge bath came the long-awaited outdoor air bathing. I stretched out on a chair right in front of the beautiful waterfall and garden and felt nature with my whole body. The sound of the waterfall echoed in my ears, and as I breathed deeply, air rich in negative ions filled my lungs. Rain fell on my skin in a pleasant rhythm, making the refreshing sensation even stronger. Hokkaido is incredible. Noboribetsu Grand Hotel is incredible. For the second set, I entered Seiryu Sauna. If Oni Sauna is intense heat, this one is a gentler warmth. What impressed me most was the aroma inside the sauna room. The instant I opened the door and stepped inside, I was welcomed by an absolutely wonderful birch scent. There was already someone inside, but I could not help inhaling deeply through my nose to savor the aroma and let out a breath of pure emotion. The lighting in the sauna room was also set fairly dim, and the walls were constructed in an arch from the ceiling toward the back using finely processed wood, improving the convection of heat and steam. Because of this, the design allows you to feel warmth from behind when you do löyly. It is a remarkably well-crafted sauna. The intense heat of Oni Sauna is great too, but personally, I may prefer Seiryu Sauna more. For the second set’s cold plunge bath, I used the indoor bath. There is always a cold bath right next to the sauna exit. That circulation route is also perfect. There are multiple cold baths, and all of them are fed by natural stream water flowing in continuously. If it is this cold in early June, I can only imagine what it would be like to come in the middle of winter. No, I will have to come again in winter as well. I once again settled my body with superb outdoor air bathing, and then added 2 more sets. I enjoyed one set each in Oni Sauna and Seiryu Sauna.