Marukoma Onsen Ryokan

Marukoma Onsen Ryokan has occupied a remote shore of Lake Shikotsu since 1915. Its defining bath is the natural open-air pool fed directly from beneath the lake edge, where the water level changes with the lake itself. That physical connection to the landscape makes the bathing experience unusually specific to this place.

There are also separate communal baths, an outdoor bath with lake views, a private bath and a renovated sauna. The sauna uses Finnish-style löyly, while the cold bath draws on Lake Shikotsu water. Sunrise and the changing weather over the caldera lake are part of the setting, so the experience can vary markedly by season and hour.

The ryokan is about 50 minutes by car from New Chitose Airport and is better treated as a destination than a sightseeing base. Choose it for the source, the shore and the ritual of moving between hot water, cold lake water and open air; room finish and meal format depend on the selected plan.