Onsen Ryokan Marukoma Hokkaido

Onsen Ryokan Marukoma in Shikotsu is one of Japan's most celebrated and emotionally resonant lakeside onsen ryokan, internationally renowned for its unique open-air rotenburo where guests soak directly on the shore of Lake Shikotsu — Japan's second deepest lake, never freezing even in the depths of Hokkaido winter due to the thermal activity of its basin — in naturally warm bicarbonate volcanic spring water with the lake's sapphire surface just centimeters away. The ryokan's extraordinary lakeside baths, perched at the water's edge with the lake stretching vast and mirror-still before the bather, allow immersion in warm volcanic mineral water while watching fishing boats, kayakers, and seasonal waterfowl glide across the surface in complete natural quietude. Lake Shikotsu, within the Shikotsu-Tōya National Park, maintains Japan's record as the coldest unfreezing lake, its deep clear water — visibility of 17 meters — a remarkable contrast to the warm volcanic spring water that flows into Marukoma's baths from the geothermal activity beneath the lake basin. The ryokan's multi-generational family management, traditional kaiseki cuisine, and intimate scale have earned it devoted admirers who return year after year to the experience of Japan's finest lakeside thermal bathing.