Continuing with last year's review, this hotel is located on a hill in the Sounkyo Onsen area and is part of the Noguchi Kanko group. We stayed here for one night on a short trip before the end of the year. Although we couldn't use the Goto Travel discount, the price for a room for two people was around 10,000 yen per person, which felt like a great deal. There were three hot spring baths, but they felt a bit small considering the size of the facility. The dining area was spacious and well-prepared for COVID-19 measures, so we were able to enjoy our meals with peace of mind. Both dinner and breakfast had a wide variety of dishes, all of which were delicious and showed the chef's skills. I would recommend this place to those who value food more than hot springs.

After enjoying a relaxing bath at the Asahi Resort, which is managed by the Noguchi Group, I visited the Seven Eleven Kamikawa Sounkyo Store owned by the Takashi family and then did some shopping at the Seicomart Sounkyo Store. Later, I returned to the Sounkyo Asahi-tei where I was staying. Dinner was served in a buffet style, which I am not a fan of. However, I could see that the hotel was taking various precautions for COVID-19, such as temperature checks and hand sanitizing upon entry, wearing gloves and masks while serving food, and providing individual hot pots and Genghis Khan dishes. The menu consisted of local Hokkaido dishes, although I couldn't find any unique local specialties. Breakfast, on the other hand, did not disappoint and offered a satisfactory buffet spread. Overall, despite the lack of unique local dishes, the hotel's efforts to provide quality Hokkaido cuisine were evident. My main purpose for this trip was to capture the autumn foliage of the Daisetsuzan mountain range.

From the Dai Setsuhara Hot Spring, we drove to Kamikawa to visit the Midorioka Brewery and purchased some rare Japanese sake at the shop. Afterwards, we had Kamikawa ramen for lunch and enjoyed some dessert, including gelato, at the Midorioka Tea Room recommended by the shop. We then returned to Sounkyo and visited the Visitor Center to learn more about the nature, wildlife, and plants around Mount Daisetsuzan. Finally, we checked into Asahi-tei, where we stayed for the night. The check-in process was a bit difficult due to the full parking lot, but the room was beautifully designed in a modern Japanese style. The large communal bath was spacious and relaxing, although the cold water bath was a bit small. We enjoyed the breakfast buffet in the banquet hall, which had a variety of dishes, including potato-based dishes. The highlight was the automatic rice dispenser, which was a unique experience. Overall, despite the slightly high price of 12,500 yen per night with breakfast, we were satisfied with the room and bath facilities at Asahi-tei and would consider staying there again in the future.

Sounkyo Onsen, Asayotei is a great inn to stay at, and the delicious meals they serve are fantastic!

I think the buffet at the Viking restaurant backfired.

In the midst of a typhoon, we went on a wild adventure in search of a day trip hot spring destination. We arrived at a famous hot spring town and opted for a day trip hot spring and lunch set, which was a great deal. The place was practically empty due to the typhoon, but the main bath was open for business, providing some peace of mind. The restaurant was also deserted, with a self-service system for tea and water. The menu for the evening buffet was displayed, tempting us to stay the night. We eagerly waited for the Kinoko Gohan (mushroom rice) to cook, filled with shiitake, enoki, snow fungus, and black beans, using locally grown rice. The aroma was delightful, and the rice had a nice crispy texture. The tempura mushrooms were crispy and flavorful, although they were slightly cold. The miso soup and pickles were also delicious. Overall, it was a relaxing atmosphere where we could enjoy our meal without worrying about the outside typhoon. I would love to come back for a stay next time, preferably when the weather is better.

It has been over 10 years since my last visit. For parents with young children, the "~tei" hotel at Noguchi Kanko is a great value and very convenient. There were events that children enjoyed, like a bingo tournament, on the first day of spring break. We were able to stay at a significantly discounted rate with various discounts applied. We even received a box of potatoes as a souvenir. The room was a combination of Japanese and Western styles, which was nice. However, I found it difficult to get used to wearing slippers indoors. The outdoor bath still had traces of the ice waterfall. Although the ice waterfall festival had ended, we could still see remnants of it. As for the food... I think it was like this? It was a bit smaller in scale than I had imagined. There were fewer options than expected, especially for breakfast where many pre-packaged items were served as is! Nevertheless, the freshly fried maitake mushroom tempura and pitch-black zangi were delicious, as well as the steak which was freshly made. The self-cooked Genghis Khan barbecue was also tasty, and the salty kamameshi was delicious too. Hmm, I wonder if it was just right for my stomach? On our way back, we were bid farewell by a deer.

This hotel, part of the Naguchi Tourism group, is well-known in the Sounkyo area. Although it has been around for quite some time, it doesn't feel outdated, especially with recent renovations to some of the hot springs. There are three different hot springs, each with its own unique charm. The meals are served buffet-style, with a special event called Chef's Buffet happening during my visit. I couldn't really tell the difference from a regular buffet, but I enjoyed being able to grill my own Genghis Khan (a local dish). The variety and quality of food, especially the Hokkaido ingredients, were impressive. The only downside was the long wait due to the crowded dining area, but I would definitely consider visiting again.

On the third day, we stayed at Sounkyo. It was quite a journey again, driving on Route 39. As we continued, the weather started to look ominous... Before reaching Sounkyo, heavy rain started to pour. Our accommodation for the day was Sounkyo Asahitei. It's a hotel that took over a building that used to be a Prince Hotel, now owned by the Noguchi Group. You can still feel the luxury of the past in the lobby. The rooms are a decent size, with both Japanese and Western style options available. This hotel must have been quite expensive during its Prince days. However, it is quite spacious. Depending on the room you stay in, you may have to walk quite a bit from the elevator. The food, on the other hand, received some negative reviews, so we were prepared for it. It didn't quite meet our expectations. It felt like they weren't trying to make the dishes delicious. With a bit more effort in presentation, they could have increased the appetite appeal of the food. Since we came all the way to Hokkaido, we wanted to eat something fresher and more delicious. But considering the accommodation costs, we can't be too picky. The hotel had a Bingo time, which was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, we didn't win anything, but the consolation prize was a 200 yen ticket that could be used in the hotel. That was a nice touch. Sounkyo Asahitei Address: Sounkyo Onsen, Kamikawa-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido

I enjoyed a delicious breakfast in the midst of Hokkaido's short summer. The buffet-style breakfast allowed me to enjoy as much as I wanted of both Japanese and Western dishes, all made with Hokkaido-grown ingredients. While I was savoring my meal, wild deer came to visit. They came so close, it seemed like they were used to being fed by the guests. Everyone was delighted. It was a luxurious morning moment where I could feel the nature of Hokkaido.

Business trip. This time, the accommodation is "Souunkyo Asahi-tei". It was freezing cold with a blizzard at Souunkyo that day. Despite being born and raised in Hokkaido, I'm not good with cold weather, so I never thought of going to Souunkyo in winter. When it's cold like this, let's warm up in the hot springs! The bath on the second floor looks clean and seems to have been renovated. It has a similar design to the renovated Horohoro Sanso. Hot springs are best in open-air baths, right? It's chilly on the head, but feels great. Suddenly, there was a loud noise like a gunshot in the open-air bath. "What? Is it the shooting of 74TK?" I immediately covered my head (laughs). It turns out it was fireworks being set off! It was the fireworks of the 40th Souunkyo Ice Waterfall Festival. Asian group tourists and their children were excited, although I couldn't understand what they were saying. Now, I'm all warmed up, so it's time for the buffet dinner. The dinner buffet menu was rich and each dish was delicious. The buffet here had a solid taste, not the typical hotel buffet taste. Cut steak is a common dish at buffets, isn't it? The "cut steak" here was delicious, made with processed meat containing beef fat. Among them, the most unusual dish was "Aburako" also known as "Ainame". When I was young, my late father, who loved fishing, often went fishing with me. This "Aburako" was often caught at the pier in Muroran where we used to live. My father would say, "I caught Aburako again," but back then, despite catching a lot of them, we never went as far as eating them because of their grotesque appearance, and instead boiled them and used them as food for our late pet dog (Jerry, a female mixed breed). The young female chef in charge told me that they prepared the "Aburako" with such memories in mind! I asked her, "Aburako?" and she replied, "Yes!! (She spoke Japanese, which made me feel relieved to know she was Japanese) I asked, "Is it delicious?" and she said, "Please try it, it's surprisingly good!" I said, "I feel like I'm Jerry... munch munch," and she looked confused. I took one to try and found that it had a mild taste because it was a white fish. It wasn't amazingly delicious, but if they served it as "Aburako Meuniere with vegetable marinade," it might be a hit (laughs). Genghis Khan seems to be a staple dish now. They serve it everywhere, don't they? Or is it just a specialty of Noguchi Kanko? This style of dish has a lid, so the vegetables are steamed and easy to eat. For breakfast, the croissant was a bit dry, but tasty. The salad was piled high with dressing that was also delicious. I always take oranges and pineapples because I don't get to eat them often and they're expensive (laughs). Despite the heavy snowstorm at night and the next morning, all the Asian tourists headed to the Souunkyo Ice Waterfall Festival. I think it's amazing. They came all the way to Hokkaido, even in the blizzard, to see the festival at Souunkyo. They must really want to see it. I would never go! I would freeze and turn into ice (laughs). I'd rather stay in the hot springs all day (laughs).

In January 2015, I visited a hotel in Sounkyo to enjoy the hot springs. The hotel, part of the Noguchi Kanko chain, offered great shuttle service which was much appreciated after a long drive. Despite being busy due to the upcoming Ice Waterfall Festival, the hotel had three different hot spring baths on the 2nd and 7th floors. The baths were clean and relaxing, with options like outdoor baths and saunas. For dinner, I enjoyed a seafood bowl overflowing with ikura and salmon as part of the market meal plan. The buffet-style dinner allowed me to fully experience Hokkaido's cuisine. The only downside was that noise from the hallway could be heard in the room. Overall, it was a great hotel experience. Thank you.