3 Days In Hokkaido Lake Camping & Onsen Hopping

Hokkaido lake camping has been on my bucket list for a while. As you know, there are many lakes within volcanic regions in Hokkaido, and hence there are usually onsens nearby. I can’t wait to share about how you can visit the various lakes (Toya, Shikotsu) and onsen towns (Jozankei, Noboribetsu). If you are into more outdoor-sy nature stuff, I have some tips for camping or hiking in these scenic areas.

This itinerary is the second half of a 6-day scenic road trip which you can consider if you have more time. You can check out details of the first 3 days in this post, where I talk about the best autumn views in Daisetsuzan National Park and Furano.

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Overview of Road Trip

Day	Destination	Sights/activities	Drive time (hours)
1	Furano	Waterfall, river, flowers	3.5
2	Sounkyo	Mountains, waterfall	2
3	Asahidake	Volcanoes	3.5
4	Lake Shikotsu	Mountains, lake	2.5
5	Noboribetsu, Lake Toya	Volcanoes, camping, onsen	1.5
6	Jozankei	Onsen, river	2.5

Details on car rental here

Day 4: Lake Shikotsu Mountain Views

Explore Lake Shikotsu

Lake Shikotsu is one of the nearest lakes to Sapporo city center and New Chitose Airport and you should visit this lake even if you only have a short time. The water is so blue that we could not believe it and while you are driving you can already see it. If you are driving from Sapporo, it takes about 1 hour to get to Lake Shikotsu visitor center. Once you arrive there are several restaurants and quaint cafes in the area, making it a great place to spend the afternoon. Take a walk along the lake, kayak, or take one of those swan boats!

Mount Tarumae Hike

After a leisurely walk along the lake, we decided to take it up a notch and hike up a mountain for better views. We saw some good reviews of Mount Tarumae, and true enough the views were amazing! As you go higher and higher you get a bird’s eye view of the lake, and since we went in mid-October there were some pink spots where the autumn foliage was prominent. You can go as high as you want, even up to peak, and come down when you are satisfied with the view.

The start of this trail is 20 minutes away from the main Lake Shikotsu area. As you drive up you are gaining altitude, so within 30 minutes you start to see the incredible scenery behind you! We took about 1.5 hours round trip, stopping for photos along the way. Check out some of my tips on how to take great hiking photos of yourself here.

A good time to start would be 2pm and come down around 3:30pm in order to get to your accommodation before sunset. It is a simple hike, and we saw an old couple hike up to the first resting point.

Stay In Noboribetsu Onsen Town

It takes about 1 hour to get from Mount Tarumae to Noboribetsu. We arrived in Noboribetsu Grand Hotel slightly before 5pm, and it was perfect timing because we had time to check in, use the onsen and then go for dinner.

When we got there, the hotel staff provided valet service and check-in was prompt. If you are considering to splurge on a hotel, this is the night to do it. Here are some ways to enjoy onsens within the various accommodation options here.

Budget/Affordable: Stay in a cheaper place and pay a fee to use other good onsens
- Noboribetsu Guest House AKA&AO (~S$40/pax)
- Takimoto Inn (~S$90/pax)
Treat yourself: Consider the following most popular hotels
- Noboribetsu Grand Hotel (~S$150/pax)
- Noboribetsu Onsen Dai-ichi Takimotokan (~S$150/pax)
- Hotel Mahoroba (~S$170/pax)

We chose Noboribetsu Grand Hotel because it was relatively cheaper, had great location (near the attractions), and good onsen facilities. It seemed like an old hotel, so it had a bit of a vintage Japanese vibe. They also had an outdoor onsen which included the view of a small waterfall, my favourite part of the experience. They also provide different types of onsen water: sulphur, iron, and salt, in multiple baths.

If you want a more exclusive experience, I highly recommend stay in a hotel or ryokan with a private onsen. You can find my top recommendations for these private onsen hotels here.

After a good soak we went for dinner and picked a seafood place called Onsen Ichiba. There are also many other restaurants in the town to choose from.

Day 5: Noboribetsu and Lake Toya Camping

First we went for an onsen soak in the morning, and then enjoyed the hotel’s buffet breakfast. The outdoor onsen in our hotel was open only a few hours in the morning, so we had to wake up early.

Explore Jigokudani Craters

If you have picked a hotel near this natural craters attraction, take a walk here after breakfast. There are many different walking trails to choose from, some are as short as 30 minutes, and others could be around 1 hour long.

We chose to take a scenic trail to the Oyunuma Natural Footbath. Similar to the other nature areas, it was a pretty relaxing morning walk and such a great start to the day! This place is interesting because it lets you come close to the origin of all the onsen water that supplies the onsen town. You can even see the bubbling water at the craters and smell the sulphur. In autumn it is very pretty for photos.

When we got to the natural footbath, we were happy to see that it was still early and we had beat the crowd. Even though we walked quite a distance from the source of the heat, the water was hot! It was a really cool experience and I felt so happy to be there. You are going to like this outdoors experience, and best part is it’s free.

Stroll along Lake Toya

After 1 hour drive from Noboribetsu, you will reach Lake Toya which is a volcanic caldera lake, part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. Did you know that a G8 summit was held in Lake Toya? There is a lakeside walkway, onsen facilities, and restaurants/cafes nearby. I was particularly interested in the Mount Usu Eruption Memorial Park that commemorates the eruption in 2000, located near the visitor center.

My favorite moment was seeing some submerged tracks that reminded me of a scene in Spirited Away. My guess is that this was used to transport things before the eruption, but now it is part of the ruins of the town that used to be here. If you ever find that place, take a picture and tag me @wheresjanice on instagram!

Generally in summer, you are able to do some kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, etc. There are also cruise boats that take you around the lake.

However, it was quite cold and windy in autumn so we were happy with just walking along the lakeside. In winter, it gets really cold and the lake will be surrounded by snowy shores. Interestingly, the water does not freeze here during winter, partially because of its extreme depth of up to 180m.

Its surrounding is populated with more shops and seems like a lively place. If you are choosing between staying in Lake Toya or Lake Shikotsu, I think you will have an easier time in Lake Toya because of the proximity to restaurants and convenient stores.

Hike to Volcano Crater

One of the interesting trails around the area is the short hike (Kompirayama Walking Trail) to the Usuzan west craters, which was newly created in 2000. From the Toyako visitor center, you will walk through the ruins of the town that was destroyed by the eruption, including a bathhouse and apartment buildings. Next as you continue uphill you will start to get a view of the lake and it’s surroundings. Finally you will reach the crater pond after 40 minutes of hiking. You can even continue on to the next crater along the trail, or go back down to finish up this scenic hike. It’s not necessarily a must-do, but if you want a different experience that tours might not bring you to, this 1 hour round trip hike to the first crater is an interesting one.

Alternatively, look up some of the other observatories around Lake Toya if you have companions that are unable to hike. You could also take the ropeway up Mt Usu for a panoramic view of the lake area.

Note: Trail closed from early November to mid April

Sunset At Nakatoya Campsite

If you want to immerse yourself into Hokkaido lake camping, I highly recommend camping overnight in Nakatoya Campground. It is located on the opposite side of the lake where it is quieter, and a 20 minute drive away. After looking at various reviews, we thought that it was the most popular campsite, probably due to it having the best views. The best part is that you can choose wherever you want to set up camp, and get as close as you want to the water.

At the time we went, the campground was 1 week away from closing access, so we did not expect anyone to be there. To our surprise we saw a lot of families! The campsite was dotted with campers, both friend and family groups. Immediately we took a liking to this area because of the sunset that was happening and it was the most amazing welcome to the campsite. Overall there were sufficient amenities (toilets, onsen bath, ranger information booth, vending machines, car park).

Note: Nakatoya Campground is open for lake camping only from late April to mid October

Here are some tips for a great Hokkaido lake camping experience:

Arrive at least 1 hour before sunset to set up your tent and enjoy the beautiful sunset
Bring some lights/torches because it gets dark
Prepare some coins so that you can use the vending machine
Buy snacks/a hot drink on the way back from dinner to chill before sleeping
Camping essentials: sufficiently warm sleeping bag (check the temperature rating), tent, thermals to wear to sleep
Good to have: sleeping pad, camping stove, ingredients for cooking outdoors and making coffee, bonfire stand (They do not allow campfires unless it is using a certified bonfire stand)

Onsen And Dinner

Since we had some time before dinner, we went to enjoy a nice onsen bath which only costs 420 yen! Remember to bring a change of clothes, towel and soap, which are not provided at the public onsen. One tip would be to go early before dinner time because it could get crowded. Also the onsen closes at 8pm, so the earlier you use it, the better. I would say this experience was quite unique, because you would meet the locals instead of other tourists.

As we did not have cooking equipment, we went back to the main area for dinner in a popular izakaya (Aigawa Sushi) and then watched the fireworks (late April till late October). The fireworks are visible from all sides of the lake, so don’t feel like you lose out if you are not staying in a hotel facing the lake.

One of my highlights was the stargazing, and we got to see the Milky Way! The sky was full of stars and it was so magical. One tip for stargazing would be to check for whether the moon will be in the sky on the night you are there, because you will be able to see many more stars without the moon. The Night Sky mobile app (shows you what constellations are in the sky) and Stellarium on desktop (shows you how the sky will look like at different times and location) are very useful tools for stargazing. You can also remove the fly sheet from your tent so that you can stargaze from the inside. Take note of the likelihood of rain and strong winds!

Day 6: Jozankei Onsen

Head Out Of Lake Toya

I recommend waking up for the sunrise and watching the swans and ducks swim around near the shore. They are fun to take pictures of, especially with the island in the background. It was an amazing feeling to be right next to nature after waking up. Although our camp was not facing east, you can see the central islands in the middle of the lake start to get lit up by the sun, and the clouds turning pink. We also bought onigiris the previous night and ate them for breakfast. I highly recommend buying something the night before if you do not have cooking equipment! If not you would be very envious of the campers around you who are whipping up hearty meals.

We took our time to pack up and left at around 9am. We had flights in the evening so there was enough time to visit Jozankei before heading for the airport. It is known for beautiful autumn views in late October, and locals love to go to Jozankei in winter because of its proximity to Sapporo city.

Toyohira River

First thing we did when we got there was to take a stroll along the Toyohira River. Walking in the valley surrounded by colorful autumn leaves was a very calming experience. It was a short walk down from the car park to the river and we walked along the side until we reached another path leading back to the car park. There is a famous red bridge that people like to visit for photos as you walk further ahead. I think it looks better from the valley instead of the bridge itself!

Onsen And Lunch

When you visit Jozankei, you can pay to use various onsens for the day. You should bring along your showering essentials (shampoo, soap, towel, etc) in case the onsens do not provide them. One of the onsens that caught my eye when researching was Hoheikyo Onsen because it has a scenic outdoor onsen facility, and only costs 1000 yen (S$12) per person. According to reviews, it could get crowded because of its popularity! There are also numerous footbath options that are free of charge: Gensen Park Footbath, Choju-to-Kenko-no-Ashitsubo Footbath, Taro-no-Yu Footbath. The following photos were taken from Jozankei Onsen’s Official Tourism sites.

When you leave Jozankei, there is a very good tempura shop that I highly recommend. It’s a family run business in a nearby neighborhood, but it is so popular and there is almost always a waiting list. Do note that if you want to go northwards out of Jozankei, the journey back to Jozankei would be quite slow because of the heavy traffic from Sapporo to Jozankei. We made this mistake by intending to go out for lunch first then return for onsen, but the traffic was really bad and we could not afford the time. Nevertheless, the meal was amazing, authentic and so worth the wait! It’s called うどん山菜塩屋, which is also known as Udon Shioya on Google maps.

Final Thoughts

So that concludes the road trip that we took around Central Hokkaido. Remember to check out the rest of this road trip here, where we visit the waterfalls, volcanoes and peaks of Hokkaido. This Hokkaido lake camping trip has been such a dream, and especially because I went in autumn it was even more beautiful.

I hope this itinerary has helped you to plan your very own scenic Hokkaido adventure. If you want to chill in Sapporo, you can also check out this post for some ideas. You can also refer to my Hokkaido summer itinerary for more ideas and ways to see this beautiful destination.

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3 Days In Hokkaido Lake Camping & Onsen Hopping

Overview of Road Trip