[Access] About 15 minutes by car from Maruseppu IC.
[Webpage] Maruseppu Onsen, Maure Sanso
Two years ago, I stopped by Maure Villa’s “Pokke no Yu” for a day-use hot spring, and I was impressed by the silky smooth water and the beautiful, welcoming atmosphere of the facility. After visiting the Taushubetsu River Bridge from Nukabira Onsen, I decided to take a detour and relax at Maure Villa instead of heading straight to Higashikawa.
The hot spring at Maure Villa includes a large indoor bath and a spacious open-air bath. Both baths are wide and comfortable, and the building, which looks like a Western-style mansion, adds a unique charm to the atmosphere when viewed from the Japanese-style outdoor bath.
The hot spring water is an alkaline simple spring with a temperature of 45.3°C. It feels smooth and moisturizing, the pH is 8.8, and the total dissolved minerals amount to 702 mg/kg, making it gentler than it feels. The sensation is like soaking in a lotion for your skin, which is why I think many women will find it to be a “beauty bath.” After bathing, I felt a strong wave of fatigue and drowsiness, and my whole family experienced the same. It’s just that kind of relaxing water!
This is just my personal impression, but when it comes to Maure Villa, excluding the day-use facility “Pokke no Yu,” which opened in September 2019, the building’s exterior gives off the vibe of a somewhat forced attempt at designing a Western-style mansion. Honestly, it made me think, “Is this really going to be okay?” However, once inside, the atmosphere is surprisingly refined and modern, creating quite a stark contrast between the outside and the inside.
The dinner at Maure Villa was amazing, especially for my children, who had been disappointed by a previous healthy vegetable meal at Nakamuraya in Nukabira Onsen. After eating, it was so delicious that entire family were already talking about coming back. The dinner course included:
Appetizers: Kombu jellyfish, corn skewers, salted lemon yokan, junsai (water shield) with vinegar, and simmered yuba (tofu skin)
Soup: Watermelon and paprika tomato gazpacho from Furano
Sashimi (4 types): Bluefin tuna from Nagasaki, kombu-cured sole fish from Kushiro, and fresh surf clam and botan shrimp from Hokkaido
Fish: Oven-baked ainame (fat greenling) in puff pastry with tomato butter sauce
Meat: Roasted Furano Wagyu sirloin with black wine cassis sauce
Rice: Rice with scallops and yuzu from Yubetsu, and edamame fishball soup
Soba: Handmade soba noodles from Horokanai
Dessert: Orange Amère with Hokkaido wine sorbet
The meal was truly exceptional. The thick slices of medium-fatty tuna, fresh surf clams, and kombu-cured halibut sashimi, along with the tender steak and the flaky puff pastry fish, were all delicious. The scallop rice was a delightful surprise, and the handmade soba at the end was a standout. The staff mentioned that some people visit just to eat the soba, and I could see why—the flavor, texture, and smoothness were all fantastic.
With both great hot springs and excellent food, I was so impressed that Maure Villa may become one of my go-to stays when visiting Higashikawa, alongside Yukoman-sou at Asahidake Onsen and Nakamuraya at Nukabira Onsen.