Published date: June 11, 2025
The Endless Charm of Ashibetsu Onsen
Room Type Stayed
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Experience of the stay
I had been curious about Ashibetsu Onsen Starlight Hotel & Bath Cafe Seiyukan for a long time. It had high ratings in pre-reviews and word of mouth, so I made a reservation for two nights and booked a flight from Asahikawa Airport six months in advance. I planned on using trains and buses for transportation, but due to poor connections, I decided to rent a car this time, which was the right choice.
The biggest surprise was the three types of saunas. They were all wonderful, but particularly the barrel sauna in the outdoor area was completely unexpected, and it blew my mind. The temperature was around 70 degrees, and self-rolling was possible. Once I was feeling good, I would go to the cold bath or soak in the outdoor bath. It was an infinite loop of going in and out.
I couldn't grasp their goodness until I actually went, but for dinner on the first day, I had coal mine zangyi and Tokachi pork. The next day’s snack time was indulging in soft-serve ice cream. Both the meals and desserts were delicious.
There was also a workation space available with unlimited drinks, allowing me to work while relaxing in the sauna when tired.
Additionally, there were three personally favorite little surprise events:
1. A well-equipped nap room. My nap turned into deep sleep.
2. A massage that allows you to experience weightlessness. It was as expected, done by a machine, but the treatment on the soles of my feet was unexpected. The stimulation was exquisite and addictive.
3. A vending machine with Monster Energy drinks available for free. I had to register for an app called Jihampii from Suntory, but when I tried it, I got one for free. It seems you can get up to three.
It was challenging to secure time as the facility's contents were abundant, but I managed to do some laundry just before checkout.
Later, I realized there were cocktail-making experience services and a Dofu (sweet rice cake) service for snacks that I missed out on, and I regretted checking out without enjoying them.
While I had unlimited access to manga, I didn't have time to read. I went in with little prior information this time, but in the end, I checked the story submissions featured in Hafu and confirmed my answers. Everyone seemed very satisfied, and I truly felt glad I went.
Experiences during the trip
On the second day, for lunch, I enjoyed the famous Gata-tan from Ashibetsu at a nearby roadside station. Although it was a soup dish, I decided to try it with fried rice. It was delicious. I thought adding mochi to make it like Zoni (a traditional Japanese soup) would be nice too. On the way, I saw a towering Great Kannon statue, and I couldn't resist stopping the car to take a photo.
On the second day's dinner, I had soup curry in Furano. I think it was the restaurant that was featured on the TV show "Gurume" visited by Mr. H, and it was incredibly delicious. There were people who came from far away by car.
After checking out, I stopped by Biei. I had lunch at a stylish place called Brin Rouge. The young chicken stewed with cabbage and potato gratin I ordered were exquisite. I also visited the Shirogane Onsen and Shirahige Falls, and lastly, I enjoyed sightseeing at the famous Blue Pond. It was my first time seeing it up close, and the color was emerald green and impressive.
As a side note, the Ashibetsu Biei road was connected by a national route, but it was quite a "rough road." The gravel path continued for quite a long time, causing both my car and my mental state some damage, but it ultimately became a good memory.