Jozankei Onsen is a hot-spring town in Sapporo's mountains, an easy day out from the city. Decide first where to bathe: in the central onsen town, or at Hoheikyo Onsen, a day-use bath further up the valley with its own bus stop. Then pick the bus or drive that suits it, and settle your trip back before you set off.
Getting there: bus, subway and bus, or car
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| Option | Time | Booking | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kappa Liner (Jotetsu direct bus) | About 60 minutes, Sapporo to central Jozankei. | Book ahead; seats are unassigned. | Use your booked stops. |
| Subway, then bus from Makomanai | About 47 minutes for the bus from Makomanai Station. | Check the timetable for your date. | Add the subway ride, waiting and walking. |
| Car | About 50 minutes from Sapporo Station via Route 230. | Ask your bath or hotel about parking. | Snow, ice and autumn-colour traffic can add time. |
On 16 October 2026, the Kappa Liner's adult one-way fare between Sapporo Station and Jozankei Shako-mae or Hoheikyo Onsen was ¥1,700, or ¥1,460 if prepaid on Jotetsu's site; other stops are priced differently. Some buses don't go as far as Hoheikyo Onsen, so check each bus's destination.
The tourism association's times are separate legs, not door to door; plan the last stretch from your bath or hotel's own address.
Choose your bath: central town or Hoheikyo
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| Bath | Location | Hours and adult price | Towels and food | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoheikyo Onsen | Beyond the central onsen town, off Route 230; get off at the Hoheikyo Onsen stop. | 10:00–22:30, last entry 21:45; ¥1,300. | Check towels on the official site. Indian restaurant with its own hours. | Day use only: no rooms and no family bath. |
| Nukumori no Yado Furukawa | A hotel in the Jozankei onsen town; day visitors use the main baths. | 12:00–15:00, last entry 14:30; ¥1,500. | Hand and bath towel rental included. No restaurant for day guests. | Private baths, bedrock bath and the Yumemi outdoor bath are for overnight guests. Day use can close at short notice for cleaning or maintenance. |
Pick Hoheikyo Onsen for a later soak or a curry with your bath. Treat it as its own stop rather than part of a walk around the town. Its free shuttle bus won't run on 18 October 2026 because of expected traffic (notice in Japanese); the notice is about the shuttle only. On other days, confirm it's running before relying on it: seats are first come, first served and can fill up (access page in Japanese).
Pick Furukawa for a midday bath in the town itself, with lunch nearby.
An easy day plan
This is an editorial planning example, not a timed tour or a record of our own visit. Plan it backwards from your return departure, and keep to one area; there's no need to fit in both.
- Travel out in the morning, with your return Kappa Liner already booked, or the return bus noted.
- Have lunch near your bath: in the onsen town, or the curry at Hoheikyo Onsen.
- Take one unhurried bath. There's no need to fit in a second. Dry your hair and get dressed before heading outside.
- If you bathed in the onsen town, add a short walk nearby if the weather and your return time allow; skip it if not. In winter, keep to cleared paths and wear shoes with grip.
- If you bathed at Hoheikyo Onsen, stay around the facility and return from its own stop, unless you've arranged separate transport.
- Reach your return stop with time to spare.
Day trip from Sapporo or a night in Jozankei?
A day trip works well if one bath and dinner back in Sapporo are what you want. A night in Jozankei lets you choose a hotel or plan with a private bath or dinner, or soak late without watching the bus clock. Not every hotel or plan includes a private bath, and availability varies, so check what's included and what's bookable for your dates. Furukawa is one option; for any hotel, compare the plans, meals, check-in time and any transfer on its official site before you book.
Staying in central Sapporo for a day trip
If you'll sleep in Sapporo and come out for the day, the hotel search at the end of this page looks for stays in Sapporo city, not Jozankei hotels. A base near your bus stop or subway line makes the morning easier. Our where to stay in Sapporo guide compares the main areas.
Questions
Can I bathe in Jozankei without staying overnight?
Yes, at baths that welcome day visitors, like those in the table above. Check day-use details on each bath's own site.
Can I walk from the central onsen town to Hoheikyo Onsen?
Plan on taking a bus instead. Hoheikyo Onsen has its own stop further along the main road, so pick a bus that goes all the way.
Do I need a car?
No. The direct bus, or the subway plus a local bus, both work. A car adds freedom but needs care on winter roads.
Official sources
Checked on 16 October 2026. Times, fares, hours and stops can change; recheck before you go.
- Jozankei Tourist Association: access (Japanese)
- Jotetsu: Kappa Liner (Japanese)
- Hoheikyo Onsen (Japanese)
- Hoheikyo Onsen: access (Japanese)
- Hoheikyo Onsen: free shuttle suspension notice (Japanese)
- Nukumori no Yado Furukawa: baths and day bathing (Japanese)
Cover photo: MIKI Yoshihito, a snowy street in Jozankei Onsen town on 7 January 2018, resized and converted to WebP. The roadside photo with the Jozankei Spa sign is by the same photographer that day, resized and cropped. Neither shows current conditions or a route to follow; sources and licenses are linked in the credits. Not our own photography.
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Northern Land Hokkaido Team — Sapporo, Japan