Midorigaoka Onsen; Midorigaoka no Yukko
Esashi, Hokkaido, Japan
- Location
- Esashi, Hokkaido, Japan
- Water type
- sodium chloride, thermal
- Temperature
- 40 °C
- pH
- 7.3
Water profile
Thermicity
Sedative
LowHigh
Relaxing — deep, immediate muscle release.
Mineralisation
Restorative
LowHigh
Loaded with major ions — the essential minerals (Ca, Mg).
Buoyancy
Effortless float
LowHigh
Dense, salty water — you float without effort.
SodiumChloruresBrome
Midorigaoka Onsen, known as Midorigaoka no Yukko, is located in Esashi, in southern Hokkaido. Its sodium-chloride thermal water is kept around 40°C (pH 7.3), with an indoor bath, an outdoor rotenburo and a sauna.
Insider tip — Esashi (江差) was Hokkaido's most prosperous city in the Edo period — the center of the herring fishing empire that dominated the Sea of Japan trade from the 17th to 19th centuries. The melancholic Esashi Oiwake (a vocal folk song sung by herring fishermen between hauls) is one of Japan's most celebrated traditional songs, performed at the annual Oiwake Contest. The Midorigaoka no Yukko (yukko is Hokkaido dialect for a hot spring bath) preserves the Ainu-influenced thermal bathing language of this historically rich Sea of Japan port town.
Nearby
Frequently asked questions
How hot is the water?
The water runs quite hot here, around 40 °C — a sedative water that brings immediate muscle release.
What type of water is found here?
This spot features sodium chloride & thermal water.
What is the best season to visit?
The most favourable period for this spot is: Toute l'année.