NONAKA Onsen in Akan!

 by Kazu

This is another my favorite hot spring bath in Hokkaido. Some people said that there was the graveyard of indigenous people of Hokkaido Ainu in the premises of this hotel because there are many tag of talisman on the wall of the guest room in this hotel.

I am not sure the truth but as the hotel is not so far from my hometown Kitami City, approximately  one hour drive from the hotel  to my house in Kitami City, I do not have to stay in this hotel and my wife may believe the rumor and wants to avoid to be scared by invisible existence.

Besides, this garden lantern and the hot spring bath outside make me so relaxed and give me the second wing. It is very calm and just the sound of pouring hot water strikes the chord of my heart.
This hotel is located at the foot of Mt. Meakan(dake) and near the lake named ONNETOU that has so beautiful emerald green surface.
Precise location is shown at
http://www.mountaintrad.co.jp/~nonaka/
but no English information on this site unfortunately.

 The smell of this hot spring water is very similar to that of the public bath in Kawayu Onsen, yes, like camphor and sulfur but the water is not so strong and very comfortable to soak in for a long time under the sky. Of course, it is very cold outside but the hot spring water has the power to give us. As I have not seen the wild animals during my soaking in so far, there is no fear of bear attack.in the bath. Every time I topped Mt. Meakan (dake), I dropped by this hotel and heal the sore knees and ease the back pain.

 The bathroom inside is filled with steam. Nothing can be shown on the photo other than the light. It is not the moon. I do not think the hotel and spa should not be swamped by a bulk of tourists. It should be kept calm, I think.

 Only one place to wash the body is near the entrance of the outside bath. Hot spring water is flowing continually there.

 I took this photo from the window of the locker room. Huge icicles are dangling from the gable. Can I say it is so-called "magic hour"?

Like the public bath in Kawayu Onsen, no safe in the locker room. At the main entrance of the hotel, there are small safety boxes. The locker room is very warm and comfortable with the floor heating making use of the hot spring water.  

This is the main entrance of Nonaka Onsen Hotel. It seemed that some parties stay in the hotel to throw a party at midnight for count down of new year. Tons of beers and other alcohol were carried in by themselves.

Can you see the top of Mt. Meakan(dake) behind the hill near the hotel ? It is what we topped in summer of 2012.
My wife and I will come here again this year!