Noboribetsu: Hot Springs, Hell Valley, and Hotels

Noboribetsu’s town center is near the coast. The hot spring area and Hell Valley are farther inland, a short 15-minute bus ride away. For planning your trip, the distinction between the coastal town center and the hot spring area is a useful guide. When planning your hotel stay, first consider which of these two areas better suits the purpose of your trip.

Getting Around, Buses, and Day-Use Baths

Buses connect Noboribetsu Station with the hot spring area. A bus runs from the station to the Noboribetsu Onsen bus terminal; from there, Hell Valley’s boardwalks are a five-minute walk away. Hell Valley can be reached by bus or car within Noboribetsu. Check current bus schedules before setting out, especially if you plan to combine the ride from the station with the walk to the boardwalks.

Many hotels in Noboribetsu Onsen offer bathing hours for day visitors, with a choice of baths. This lets you plan a bath as a day visitor without needing to book an overnight stay at one of the hotels for your visit. Check in advance whether day-use bathing is available at the time of your visit. More than 10,000 tons of water containing natural minerals are supplied to the hotels and inns in the hot spring resort area within Noboribetsu. This gives an idea of the role the hot springs play in this accommodation destination.

Hell Valley and the Primeval Forest

In Noboribetsu, bleached rocks, steaming pools, and the smell of sulfur define Hell Valley. The boardwalks are a five-minute walk from the Noboribetsu Onsen bus terminal; you can get there by bus or car. In Noboribetsu’s primeval forest, you can explore the landscape on foot. Warm, flowing streams can warm tired feet. The experiences are quite distinct: Hell Valley is all about rocks, pools, and the smell of sulfur, while the forest offers a path through nature and the warm water of its streams.

The Noboribetsu Hell Festival

The Noboribetsu Hell Festival is held every year on the last Saturday and Sunday in August in the hot spring area. Check the exact festival dates in advance for your travel year. During the festival, lanterns and food stalls line the main street, and parades of costumed participants and festival floats pass through town. According to legend, the lid of the hell cauldron opens in Jigokudani, whereupon Enma-Daiō comes to Noboribetsu Onsen with demons. The story connects the festival with Hell Valley and the hot spring resort.

Culture and Marine Life in the City

The Noboribetsu City Museum of History focuses on historical everyday objects and materials relating to the Katakura family and their retainers. They moved from the Sendai domain to Noboribetsu starting in 1869. The Noboribetsu Date-Jidaimura theme park showcases the culture of the Edo period, from 1603 to 1867. The park, which has about 100 buildings, features traditional dances and reenactments with ninja and samurai.

At Noboribetsu Marine Park Nixe, the eight-meter-high Crystal Tower tank is home mainly to Napoleon fish. At the Aqua Tunnel, visitors can experience a walk on the seabed. The park also offers a penguin parade as well as dolphin and sea lion shows. Show times may vary.

For the broader travel overview: Niseko.