[2025 Otaru Stay] Travel Guide for Otaru Kourakuen (Updated Mar)

Another accommodation option in Otaru is the Asarigawa Onsen Hotel 'Kourakuen' located in the suburbs. This modern Japanese-style building features a large Japanese garden spanning over 3,300 square meters. The elongated layout design ensures that each room enjoys both a view and privacy, which is fantastic. Kourakuen is divided into three areas: the lobby, guest rooms, and leisure areas, all connected by tatami flooring. Walking through the hotel gives off a nostalgic vibe of a traditional Japanese residence. Each room has a private open-air bath, making it very comfortable to soak in the hot springs and then relax in the Japanese garden. It's quite a pleasant experience. Staying at a Japanese onsen hotel typically includes a one-night stay with two meals. The kaiseki cuisine and friendly service are unforgettable. However, the room rates are a bit expensive, with a one-night stay for two people costing around 15,000 New Taiwan Dollars. But the overall experience is well worth it.

#WinterTravel If you want a special experience in a winter Japanese travel destination, Otaru Korakuen (小樽御楽園) is the best place. This hot spring accommodation, where the quiet scenery of Otaru and the atmosphere of a traditional Japanese ryokan are combined, is loved by many, and it is especially beautiful in the snowy winter. During the winter, Otaru Korakuen welcomes travelers with a calm charm different from usual. One of the biggest charms here is that you can enjoy hot springs while being hit by snow in the outdoor open-air bath. Soaking in the hot springs on a snowy day and looking at the white snowy landscape provides a special healing time unique to Otaru Korakuen. The warm water melts your body, making you forget the cold and fatigue at once, and the peace of beautiful nature fills your heart. At Otaru Korakuen, you can also experience wearing a traditional Japanese yukata. You can feel like you are the main character in a Japanese drama while walking around Korakuen wearing a yukata. Yukata is also a great point to take pictures, and you can make special memories with the beautiful winter scenery. With the addition of traditional elements, you can enjoy a more in-depth trip to Japan. A winter trip to Otaru Korakuen is a perfect combination of hot springs, yukatas, and snowy scenery, allowing you to fully experience the charm of Japan's winter. It is a recommended place for those who want to heal in a calm and cozy atmosphere, and you can spend a more leisurely and special time than anywhere else. Experience the special charm of Otaru Korakuen that winter brings. 📍5 Chome-18-2 Shinko, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0152 Japan #OtaruKorakuen #WinterTravel #JapaneseRyokan #OutdoorHotSpring #YukataExperience #HotSpringInSnowScenery #JapaneseWinter

A family of three travels, and the overall trip is very relaxing. Generally, hotels in Japan check out at 10-11 am and check in at 3 pm, so during the four to five hours gap, we would find some nearby attractions to visit. The hotels we arranged are on a closed loop, driving 40-50 minutes each day is not tiring at all. On the eighth day, we return to New Chitose Airport just in time. d1 Arrive at New Chitose Airport d2 New Chitose—Otaru Otaru Canal 2-3 hours, you can have lunch there, stay at a hot spring hotel Otaru Asarigawa Kourakuen, which is a convenient 10-minute drive from the canal. The hot spring is quite good d3 Otaru—Jozankei The scenery along the way is very beautiful, the hotel is right by the lake with first-class views. Except during the New Year period, there are many Chinese and Koreans, rooms are full, had to wait a while for meals, the new hotel facilities are very good Jozankei Yuraku Souan d4 Rusutsu Ski Resort Crowded, not a great experience, mainly because of the price 3700, the rooms are very old... In addition, ski passes and equipment rental are very expensive. There are so many ski resorts in Japan, regret arranging this one. Rusutsu Resort Hotel & Convention Center d5 Rusutsu—Lake Toya This time stayed on the north side of the lake, the scenery is also very beautiful. Lake Toya View Hotel d6 On the south side of Lake Toya, there is Mount Showa Shinzan and Mount Usu, you can take a cable car to the top of the mountain, there is a small bear ranch nearby, kids love it. The hotel we stayed at that night was between Lake Toya and Lake Shikotsu, forgot the name, haha. The price is cheap including two buffet meals, the dishes are very good, the hot spring is super large, all locals and Koreans, great value for money. If you want to know the hotel name, leave a message and I will reply. d7 Played by Lake Shikotsu for a while, the scenery is still very good, checked in at 3 pm at Shikotsu Lake Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta The hotel is quite old, 5k a night, not great value for money, not as good as the same 5k Jozankei one. d8 After checking out, went to a large shopping center to buy some medicines, cosmetics, and snacks, then headed home. This circular route is quite relaxing, experienced the scenery and special hotels along the way. Because I had already visited Noboribetsu and Hakodate before, this time I chose this mountain-crossing route. Renting a car in Japan requires an international driving permit, a domestic license translation is not usable. The rental was 350 a day plus 150 for full insurance, a total of 3500 for seven days, for reference, tolls and fuel are very cheap.

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