Jozankei
Jozankei Onsen Family Hotels: Private Baths Near Sapporo
An hour's drive from Sapporo, for relaxed family time with open-air-bath rooms and private-hire baths
When you're planning a Hokkaido trip based out of Sapporo, it's easy to think: a city hotel would be nice, but we'd also love to relax with the kids in an onsen. That's exactly what Jozankei Onsen offers, about an hour's drive from central Sapporo. Known as "Sapporo's Hidden Retreat," this hot-spring town sits along a river gorge, and its appeal is being able to combine city sightseeing with an onsen stay in a single trip.
Jozankei Onsen is known for having many hotels well suited to a family onsen trip. Of the 5 Jozankei Onsen hotels featured on this site, four have a bath in the room, and three have a private-hire bath where only your family can bathe (one of them free). Being able to enjoy the onsen slowly in a space that's just your family, even with a baby or young child not yet ready for the communal bath, is a real comfort for many families.
Facilities for play and mealtime are well developed too. Some hotels have a shallow kids' pool or a water slide, and others have an indoor play area, so you can spend time here even on a rainy or snowy day. Three hotels offer toddler menus, three have a buffet kids love, and two accommodate food allergies. For families with a baby, some hotels also offer a crib, a bottle warmer, or baby-food service.
Jozankei is also known as a spot for fall foliage, and the gorge turns brilliant colors in autumn. Family-friendly spots are scattered around too, such as Hoheikyo Dam and Jozankei Farm, where you can go fruit-picking. Since it's about an hour's drive to central Sapporo, you can combine it with city sightseeing and build a Hokkaido trip around your child's pace.
Highlights
- checkAbout an hour's drive from central Sapporo — Sapporo's "Hidden Retreat," where you can combine city sightseeing with an onsen stay in a single trip
- checkFour hotels have a bath in the room and three have a private-hire bath (one free), so you can bathe slowly as just your family even with a young child
- checkSome hotels have a kids' pool, water slide, or indoor play area, so children can have fun even on a rainy or snowy day
- check0 hotels offer toddler menus, 0 have a buffet, and 3 accommodate food allergies, with hotels offering cribs and baby food for traveling with a baby
Family-friendly features in Jozankei Onsen
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Recommended hotels (4)
Jozankei Yuraku Souan
Shogetsu Grand Hotel
Jozankei View Hotel
Jozankei Shikanoyu
See all hotels in Jozankei Onsen (4)expand_more
Nearby attractions
Travel tips
Jozankei Onsen is about a 1-hour-30-minute drive from New Chitose Airport, or about an hour from central Sapporo by car or the Jotetsu Bus. Since it pairs easily with sightseeing in Sapporo, it's an area where you can build an itinerary combining a night in the city with a night at the onsen. The gorge area gets crowded during the fall foliage season, so heading out early is recommended. Winter brings snow and icy roads, so if you're driving, it's reassuring to prepare studless winter tires and warm clothing.
Best season
Early summer's fresh greenery and fall's colorful foliage are especially beautiful, showing off the gorge scenery. Summer is cooler here than in central Sapporo, making it good for escaping the heat, and winter offers an onsen with a view of the snow. If you want to enjoy fruit-picking, summer through fall is the best window. Watch out for cold weather and icy roads in winter, but the combination of snowy scenery and an onsen is a charm unique to Hokkaido.
Getting there
About a 1-hour-30-minute drive from New Chitose Airport. About an hour from central Sapporo by car or the Jotetsu Bus. It pairs easily with sightseeing in Sapporo, and a car is convenient for getting around the area.
Frequently Asked Questions
From what age can kids enjoy a trip to Jozankei Onsen?
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Even a newborn can enjoy a trip here. There are hotels offering a crib, bottle warmer, and baby-food service, and many with toddler menus or a buffet, so meals are reassuring too. With many hotels offering an in-room bath or private-hire bath, it's well suited to a family onsen trip with a young child.
Are there hotels in Jozankei Onsen where we can bathe with a young child?
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Four hotels have a bath in the room, and three have a private-hire bath where only your family can bathe (one of them free). Even with a baby or young child not yet ready for the communal bath, you can enjoy bath time slowly in a space that's just your family.
Can we combine a stay at Jozankei Onsen with sightseeing in Sapporo?
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Yes. Jozankei Onsen is about an hour's drive from central Sapporo, so you can combine city sightseeing with an onsen stay in a single trip. It's easy to build an itinerary combining a night in the city with a night at the onsen, and it's also about a 1-hour-30-minute drive from New Chitose Airport.
Can kids have fun at Jozankei Onsen even on rainy or snowy days?
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Some hotels have a shallow kids' pool or a water slide, and others have an indoor play area, so you can spend time inside the hotel even when the weather turns. Relaxing in an in-room bath or private-hire bath is also a good way to spend a day of bad weather.
What's the best season for a trip to Jozankei Onsen?
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Early summer's fresh greenery and fall's colorful foliage are especially beautiful, and summer through fall is the best window for fruit-picking. Summer is cooler here than in central Sapporo, making it good for escaping the heat. Winter offers the charm of an onsen with a view of the snow, but watch out for cold weather and icy roads.