Shikotsuko Onsen

Shikotsuko Onsen is located near Lake Shikotsu in Chitose, Hokkaido, one of Japan's deepest and clearest caldera lakes, whose remarkably transparent water and year-round unfrozen surface — even in the heart of Hokkaido's severe winters, thanks to the geothermal warmth of the volcanic caldera — make it one of the most extraordinary aquatic environments on Japan's northernmost main island. The spring emerges from the volcanic geology of the Shikotsu caldera, where the same geothermal forces that prevent the lake from freezing also push thermal waters to the surface for human bathing, creating a natural harmony between the lake's transparent cold surface and the warm volcanic earth beneath. Shikotsuko Onsen offers visitors the exceptional experience of thermal bathing in intimate proximity to one of Hokkaido's most iconic natural landmarks, where volcanic geology, crystalline water, and the traditions of Japanese onsen culture converge in a single unforgettable setting.