[Access] About 1 hour and 30 minutes by car or bus from JR Asahikawa station
[Website] Yumoto Shirogane Onsen Hotel
I last visited the Shirogane Onsen Hotel for a day trip about 20 years ago. I don’t know if I missed it back then or if it wasn’t open for tours, but I learned that there is a strikingly bright blue waterfall called “Shirahige no Taki” near the hot springs. So, this time, I drove from Higashikawa to see the waterfall and enjoy the hot springs.
The familiar green-brown hot spring water and the outdoor bath’s atmosphere haven’t changed at all. While the indoor bath is nice, I recommend the outdoor bath, which overlooks the river. It’s fascinating to see the green-brown mineral components sticking to the rocks, creating a white-brown appearance. The onsen water temperature is 51.7 degrees Celsius, and the onsen water is sodium, magnesium, calcium sulfate, and chloride hot spring, with a total mineral content of 4166 mg/kg. This hot spring is great for warming up and is conveniently located for anyone hiking Mount Tokachi or the Daisetsuzan mountain range.
One of my goals was to see the “Shirahige no Taki,” which has a drop of about 30 meters. Underground water gushes out from between the rocks, creating a waterfall that resembles a white beard as it falls into the vibrant blue Biei River. The contrast of colors captivates my eyes, and the sight of water flowing from the rock walls is truly amazing.