Noboribetsu Onsen (登別温泉) is a serious onsen: you can smell the sulphur from miles away. While the town is small, there are countless springs here, sending up mineral-rich waters. The baths received great fame when the town was designated as a health resort for injured soldiers following the 1904–05 Russo-Japanese War and remain Hokkaidō's most famous onsen today.
The source of the waters is Jigoku-dani, a hissing, steaming volcanic pit above town. According to legend, this hellish landscape is home to the oni (demon) Yukujin. Don't worry: he's kind and bestows luck. You'll find statues of him around town.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Noboribetsu Onsen.
Hot Springs
A short walk uphill from Noboribetsu town reveals what may await us in the afterlife: sulphurous gases, hissing vents and seemingly blood-stained rocks. Jigoku-dani, which literally means 'Hell Valley', is part of the smoking crater of volcanic Kuttara-san. A wooden boardwalk leads out to a boiling geyser.
Lake
If you have your own wheels, head up through town past Jigoku-dani on Rte 350 as it becomes a narrow mountain road. After about 4km you'll reach a lookout point for Kuttara-ko. This circular volcanic caldera lake is remarkable for two things: there's not a single river flowing into or out of it and it has been left almost completely untouched by human hands. You can't drive any further, as traffic has been cut off to protect the lake.