Itou Onsen, Chitose City, Hokkaido

open-air bath for men turns bath for ladies for two hours from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM.

Update: Itou Onsen was acquired by KANAYA and scheduled to resume business in autumn 2014.

Itou Onsen (いとう温泉) is a ryokan or a Japanese inn just by the Lake Shikotsu (支笏湖), conveniently located just an hour drive from the New Chitose Airport (Sapporo Airport) in Hokkaido.

indoor bath for ladies.

There are gender separated indoor baths and open-air baths. The open-air baths are facing the lake and popular among soak addicts. The bath for men offers absolutely better view. If you stay overnight, men's bath and ladies' bath change from 6:00 AM till 8:00 AM. You can't use soaps and shampoos at the open-air baths, you have to wash your hair and body at the indoor bath. The hot springs are translucent and smooth without strong scent. Day visits welcomed.

typical ryokan guest room with tatami mat floor.

 ◆Itou Onsen (いとう温泉）

Type: Gender separated indoor baths and gender separated open-air baths

Address: Poropinai, Chitose City, Hokkaido

Location: 42.78224, 141.31291

Number of guest room: 11

Business hour of day-visit: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Holiday: Winter (mid November to late April)

Admission fee of day visit: ¥700 for adult,  ¥350 for child

Overnight stay: starts from ¥7,980 per head including dinner and breakfast

Access: sporadic bus service from the New Chitose Airport to the Lake Shikotsu Bus Terminal. From there, free shuttle service (advance booking necessary) for overnight staying guests. For day visit soakers, you need your own vehicles or motor boat charging ¥1300 one way takes you there.

Link:  official website of Itou Onsen

My rating (A - E): B

appearance of Itou Onsen.

we chose "Genghis Khan", Hokkaido's specialty, a kind  of mutton BBQ for dinner.

typical Japanese style breakfast.

open-air bath for ladies sits behind men's bath.

if you step forward  to the end of ladies' bath, you can see the lake.