A ryokan in Sounkyo where you can enjoy two different types of hot spring water. You can see the stunning views of Sounkyo from your room. I also saw deer! Both dinner and breakfast are buffet style with a wide variety of dishes. There is a live cooking corner with steak and ramen, which is very popular with long lines. It has been over 30 years since I last visited Sounkyo... my skin became so smooth after soaking in the hot spring here♪

I stayed at a hotel after climbing Mt. Kurodake. The quality and quantity of the buffet at this price range hotel were satisfying. The service at the restaurant was very good and made me feel happy. I would like to use this hotel again when I climb Mt. Kurodake.

At night, there are enjoyable dishes such as German and French cuisine, sashimi steak, venison curry, and Genghis Khan (grilled lamb) in Europe. In the morning, there are hearty meat menus like cheese hamburger steak with Napolitan, curry with chicken wings, beef bowl, sausages, and fried chicken. It's delightful to have a good appetite in the morning and be able to eat lots. Thank you for the meal, I will come back again with a smile.

After leaving Monbetsu, I headed towards Sounkyo via the newly opened Toakari IC the other day. It was much easier to avoid the slippery and frozen traffic trouble spot, Ishikita Pass. I stayed at Sounkyo on this day because this hotel was the only one in Sounkyo Onsen with a natural sulfur spring, so I chose it. There are plans to choose between "kurodake" and "Le Matterhorn" for dinner venues. "Kurodake" offers a normal buffet, while "Le Matterhorn" offers a buffet style with local dishes from various countries around the world, each with a different concept. I had dinner at the European Alps mountain hut-style resort buffet "Le Matterhorn". There was a highball made with whiskies from around the world, so I chose Yoichi. It's completely different from the highball I usually drink. Yoichi is a representative single malt whisky from Japan. I felt the strength of Scotch whisky that Masataka Taketsuru aimed for. From Italian cuisine, "Gobo & Nagaimo, Scallop 3-color Pinchos", from French cuisine, "Prosciutto & Orange, 5-color Vegetable Cocktail" and "Smelt Marinade", from Swiss cuisine, "Mozzarella Cheese & Cucumber Salt Koji Pickles", from German cuisine, "4 Bean & Carrot Golden Sesame Salad" and "Bologna Bruschetta", from Vietnamese cuisine, "Fresh Spring Rolls", and Western-style oden, among others, were lined up as accompaniments to the highball. From French cuisine, "Venison Tomato Stew Malengo Style". The light Ezoshika deer is simmered in a refreshing tomato acidity. From Swiss cuisine, "Salmon Meuniere Aurora Sauce". The crispy skin of the salmon is delicious. From Swiss cuisine, "Beef Red Wine Western-style Sukiyaki". Beef and onions are an unbeatable combination no matter how they are seasoned. It would also go well on rice. From French cuisine, "Kajika & Tomato White Wine Steamed". Kajika is a popular white fish in Hokkaido's hot pot ingredients, but it's also good to eat in this Western style. The meat comes off the bones easily. Grill Genghis Khan on a solid stove. Season the Genghis Khan and vegetables, light the fire, and grill them sizzling. The vegetables taste delicious with the fat from the lamb. The finale is Ezoshika curry. It's a sweet curry that's suitable for everyone, so I sprinkled a lot of shichimi pepper on it. The tenderly simmered venison is plentiful. Sounkyo Onsen, Kamikawa-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido.

At the end of the year, I wanted to treat my parents to a hot spring, so we came here. It's definitely expensive during the New Year's holidays... about 2.5 times the usual price. There is a free shuttle from Sapporo, but we decided to drive ourselves. The entrance is spacious, but there's a big heater running and it feels cold every time someone enters or exits. The welcome drink was from an automatic coffee maker, but it didn't work because the beans were stuck. It was probably crowded with check-in guests. We arrived at a different time to avoid the crowd. The room was in the new building, but it was just a normal Japanese-style room, not what we had imagined. They offer free rental yukatas in the hotel. The gift shop has a wide variety of items, so finding souvenirs was easy. The hot springs had great water quality and there was also a sauna. There is a free shuttle bus to another building called Asahi-tei where you can enjoy another hot spring. The dinner at the resort was much better than before, with a wide variety of delicious dishes from around the world. I recommend trying the local specialty, Black Ramen. The black soup ramen is inspired by Mt. Kurodake and is made with miso, not squid ink. There was also black oden. In the evening, there was a bingo game which was quite lively. I won a prize early on. Breakfast was just as good with a variety of dishes from different countries, including curry. Since it was New Year's, there was also ozoni and umani. My parents were happy, so I headed to Chitose Airport. It's the start of a busy New Year.

The dinner buffet featured various international cuisines. The steak and Kurodake Black Ramen (especially the chashu pork) from Today's Special were delicious. The miso soup with Nameko mushrooms was also tasty.

It was far away... But it was a very lovely hotel. The souvenir shop and game center inside the facility made me feel nostalgic and almost brought tears to my eyes. The room was clean, the baths were plentiful and relaxing, and the amenities were perfect. The dinner and breakfast buffets had a wide variety of delicious options. There was also a convenience store nearby. The hotel's proximity to the places I wanted to visit in Sounkyo was also wonderful. The room was like a modern Japanese-style room, very spacious. The futon-like bed was incredibly comfortable, and I slept like a baby. I was so excited that I forgot to take many photos, but I definitely want to go back. It's definitely worth the trip, even if it's far away!

On the first day of my trip to Hokkaido, I stayed at a hotel with a buffet offering a variety of fresh and delicious dishes. They had everything from ramen and steak to soft serve ice cream. I ate until I was full! Thank you for the wonderful meal.

The Matterhorn is delicious. Just avoid the lukewarm ones.

I also include reviews for other restaurants, but the reason I went to Sounkyo was because I saw the news about the Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake crisis affecting tourism in Hokkaido. As a result, Asahiyama Zoo was also empty. The ultimate decision was to stay at Asahi Resort Hotel. The first thing to do when staying at a hot spring hotel is to soak in the hot spring. There were fewer foreign tourists than usual, and the large communal bath was empty, but unfortunately, some Chinese tourists were monopolizing the outdoor bath. It's possible to soak your feet for a long time, but the hinoki cypress bath here has limited capacity. Dinner is in a buffet style, with surprising items such as squid rings, fried chicken, gyoza, pasta, mapo tofu, and regular side dishes. The sashimi was dry and lacked fatty parts. The individual Genghis Khan dish was good, but it's just a matter of personal preference. They seem to use ingredients from the Kamikawa Promotion Bureau, but it would have been better if they had Russian crab or something. Regaining composure, breakfast was... average. It was disappointing that the rice was a bit dry, as if it had been left in the bottom of the pot. Also, the cleanup at the end of the meal was slow. In the morning, the early bird gets the worm, but they need to clean up quickly. This was part of the Hokkaido Genki Dase Plan, but if foreign tourists don't come, the customers will be locals, Mr. Noguchi from Noguchi Kanko. If you keep this up, the locals will turn their backs on you. Foreign tourists won't come if there's a disaster. Don't rely on government subsidies. To be honest, I think I should have chosen something other than Noguchi Kanko.

I arrived at the first Sounkyo, Asahi Resort Hotel for a 1 night, 2 day stay for ¥7650, including round-trip bus fare from Sapporo Station, which I think is a good deal. The hot springs have 3 indoor baths, two at 40°C and one at 42°C, as well as two outdoor baths. They are all made of rock-like material, and the outdoor baths offer a relaxing view of the forest. The room had some issues, but the delicious meals made up for it, including low-fat and tender steak, aqua pazza, spare ribs, soup curry, salmon sashimi, roasted bagna cauda, pasta, and more. There were also unique options like salt chanpon, Genghis Khan, and kamameshi sets. The next morning, I enjoyed the hot springs again, this time with a different layout, and a standard bathtub and wooden outdoor bath. The view of the forest was still relaxing as there were fewer people around. Breakfast was average, but overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the tasty food and had a good experience.

I stayed overnight with two meals included. Both dinner and breakfast were buffet style. However, the food was not very delicious. The room for two people was small and felt cramped, making me wonder if it was actually meant for one person. But there were two beds, so it seems to be intended for two people. The room had a Japanese modern style with tatami mats and beds, and the interior was not bad. Outside the window, there was a river with a fairly loud flowing water sound that made it difficult to sleep. I wish the window glass could be soundproofed. The amenities provided were only toothbrushes. There was no hairbrush in the room, although there was one in the bath, and no shower cap in either the room or the bath. The bath itself was not luxurious or large, but the quality of the hot spring water was good.

After filling our stomachs, we headed to Sounkyo Gorge, the main purpose of this trip being the Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival! I've been living in Hokkaido for years and have never seen it before haha. We were taken care of by Asahi Resort for the day. I wasn't expecting much from the food, but then I saw a big sign saying... "Genghis Khan and hot pot - choose your own ingredients and cook at your table!" Both sounded good, so my partner went for Genghis Khan while I chose the hot pot! We loaded up on the buffet and... did we take too much? haha. Let me introduce the Genghis Khan and hot pot. The hot pot had chicken, pork, cod, vegetables, and udon - all locally sourced and delicious! The Genghis Khan was a bit tricky to cook haha, we ended up using three burners! They also had a steak cooking demonstration - it was quite tasty! However, the scallop buttery bake was a bit meh... The overflowing seafood bowl was basically a parent-child bowl haha. Other dishes included pork shabu-shabu, omurice fried rice, shrimp tempura soba sushi, and chicken something haha. The soba sushi was surprisingly good, I wanted to go for seconds but I was too full haha. And for dessert, they had a variety of options including fruits and soft serve ice cream. We couldn't try everything, but we left feeling full and satisfied! The room was also modern and lovely - well done, Noguchi Kanko! If I had to nitpick... they could have added more variety to the complimentary soft drinks haha. Now that we're full, it's time to head to the main event - the Ice Waterfall Festival!

I used the hotel for the first time in a while in March 2014. I arrived a little late and missed the dinner buffet time, even though it was still within the operating hours. They didn't allow me to enter, so I couldn't have dinner. The food here is mediocre anyway, so it's not a big deal. I really like the quality of the hot springs, so that alone makes me satisfied. Breakfast is served buffet-style. I've stayed here a few times in 2013. The room is a Japanese-style tatami room. The room had a new smell as it was renovated recently. The hot spring quality here is really good. It has an immediate effect on the skin. I have also stayed at the sister hotel Asahi-tei a few times, but the hot spring here is better. However, I didn't like the dinner buffet at all. The self-service hot pot was interesting, but the freshness of the vegetables was concerning. The meat as well... I understand if it's not profitable. The prizes for the bingo tournament were not appealing, and the lack of participants made it less exciting. I will use this hotel again because I love the hot springs.

On the first day of my journey in search of the most remote ramen in August 2013, I made a slight detour and stayed overnight in Sounkyo. There is a free shuttle bus from Sapporo, so they covered the accommodation and transportation costs, which was nice! I visited this place for the first time in a few years, and the meals served at the buffet for dinner and breakfast were a good mix of Japanese and Western dishes, and I ended up eating too much and getting really full (^◇^;). The taste itself wasn't particularly amazing, but considering the accommodation and meals included for around 7000 yen per night, I can't complain! Of course, the bath was fantastic ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ It's great for group trips or solo travelers! I had a wonderful time - thank you so much!!

In 2011, I went to Sounkyo Onsen for 2 nights to enjoy the "Iifuro" plan offered by Noguchi Kanko for 11,260 yen. The hotel I stayed at was Asahiyo Resort Hotel for the first night and Asahiyo-tei for the second night. The New Year's surcharge was waived on January 3rd, a Monday, so we were able to enjoy the weekday rate. Upon check-in, we were greeted with a welcome drink and snacks in the hotel lobby. The dinner buffet featured a variety of dishes including steak, tempura, and even a DIY Genghis Khan grill station. The breakfast buffet the next morning offered a selection of dishes, and I enjoyed a vegetable juice made with spinach, pineapple, and yogurt. The hot spring baths had a simple sulfur spring, and the outdoor bath offered a beautiful view of the snowy landscape. Overall, the stay was enjoyable and worth the price.

In Hokkaido, there is a hotel where the staff is working hard to revitalize the area. Even in the cold season, there is a doorman at the entrance and the hotel is well-maintained, making it a pleasant place to stay. The hot springs have a slightly sulfuric smell, but the water is very warm and the open-air bath surrounded by greenery is very relaxing. There is also a rare relaxation spot for women in Sounkyo. The hotel corridors have indirect lighting and the rooms are stylish with large sofas and a separate glass-walled washroom area. The dinner buffet includes Hokkaido specialties like soup curry and Genghis Khan, making it enjoyable. Although some dishes seemed to be commercial frozen food, overall it deserves a passing grade. The breakfast buffet offers a mix of Japanese, Western, and a few Chinese-style dishes, catering to the increasing number of Chinese tourists in Hokkaido. The mini carrot pancakes, muffins, and herbal tea were particularly impressive.

I stayed at the Asahi Resort Hotel and here is my review of the dinner buffet. The restaurant, Taki no Oto, had a capacity of around 120 people and had a simple and calming white interior with damaged stone pillars. The buffet included a variety of dishes such as pasta, soup, grilled vegetables, grilled salmon, Genghis Khan, Chinese dishes, Japanese dishes like Zangi and sashimi, salad, desserts, and more. There were around 40 different dishes available, and the highlight was the juicy steak cooked by the chef in front of you. Overall, I was very satisfied with the quality and variety of the food at the hotel restaurant. I went to bed at 22:00 that night as I was very tired.