Published date: September 16, 2025
A Night's Stay, A Lifetime of Memories: Enjoying a Private Hot Spring Under the Starry Sky of Lake Shikotsu
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Experience of the stay
The purpose of this trip was a solo journey to recharge myself. After booking my flight to Hokkaido, I looked for suitable accommodations on HafH. Having had a good experience years ago staying at Lake Toya, I chose Marukoma Onsen Ryokan, located between Noboribetsu and Lake Shikotsu.
Transportation: Lake Shikotsu is not far from New Chitose Airport, and there are buses that will take you to the Lake Shikotsu tourist center. After making a reservation, you can book a shuttle bus on the hotel’s website, with options for 15:00 and 17:00. The shuttle was waiting by the bus station when the bus arrived at Lake Shikotsu, and there are also options for 09:00 and 10:00 the next morning. They will ask which shuttle you want to take during check-in. Even though it's a secret hot spring, it’s convenient to access without a car.
Meals: The HafH room types do not allow for the option of a two-meal stay, nor can you order dinner separately, so you need to bring your own dinner food. Perhaps you could contact the hotel to see if you can add a meal. The hotel lobby has a microwave you can use and sells some simple microwaveable foods. Drinks and ice pops are provided for free until 10 PM. The breakfast offerings may seem limited at first glance but are actually diverse and plentiful, with fresh ingredients, complemented by the morning lake view, making it worthwhile to linger over breakfast.
Facilities: Although HafH only offers mountain-view rooms, all the essentials are there. In summer, there are electric fans and a water-cooling fan; the room can get a bit stuffy during the hot afternoon sun, but it's just right at night. The highlight is the hot spring, which is a century-old secret hot spring. There are only about 20 places in Japan with natural outdoor hot springs. Whether in the outdoor wild hot spring, outdoor baths, or indoor baths, you can enjoy the views of Lake Shikotsu. In the evening, you can admire the starry sky, and in the morning, enjoy the sunrise.
Service: From the reception at the bus station, check-in, dining, to check-out back at the bus station, all the staff I encountered were really kind, and they can communicate in English. You can usually find staff at the front desk, and they'll let you know at check-in that you need to make your own bed.
Experiences during the trip
I didn’t book a two-meal stay, perfectly suiting my solo travel and love for hot springs. I took the opportunity to soak in the onsen while most people were enjoying dinner, and the entire hot spring became my personal bathing area! I moved back and forth between the sauna and the outdoor bath, accompanied by the summer night sky scenery and the sounds of nature's summer insects. It washed away my fatigue and purified my soul, planning to return the next morning for a soak while watching the sunrise - what a delight! The outdoor wild hot spring requires a short walk, and it was a personal bathing area during this time as well. If you visit here during the autumn foliage season, it offers a different kind of charm. After soaking, I had my favorite instant noodles for dinner, enjoyed free drinks in the lobby, and savored ice pops, truly relaxing. It’s no wonder it's considered one of Japan's secret hot springs (Japan Secret Hot Spring Preservation Society). Unfortunately, the next morning was cloudy, and I missed the beautiful sunrise over Lake Shikotsu. Travel always comes with a bit of regret, which becomes the motivation to set off on a journey again. The hot spring is open for a short while in the morning for guests to take photos!
The next morning, I strolled around the vicinity of the tourist center, found a place to write postcards, and as my ten-day journey in Hokkaido was coming to an end, I felt enriched by all the places I’d visited, fully recharged for the journey home, already looking forward to the next adventure.