Shikaribetsu Kohan Onsen Hotel Fusui in Obihiro

This is the only hotel operating at this location, and I stayed for one day specifically to visit the shikaribetsu kotan (igloo village). The hotel features a great hot spring (onsen) in the basement, and the room was quite spacious, offering a traditional Japanese experience with tatami and futons. 
However, I have some feedback regarding the room temperature in winter. It seems the air conditioning is centrally controlled, and I couldn't find a remote to adjust it. Because the room felt very warm and stuffy, I had to leave the window slightly ajar. The strong winds outside caused the wooden door to rattle loudly all night, which made it very difficult to sleep.

Buffet breakfast and traditional Japanese dinner was delicious and plentiful.

I enjoyes their in house sake. Food is average but good enough. Fantastic views of the lake from the hotel!

My biggest desire during my trip to Japan was to experience a traditional Japanese onsen (hot spring) ryokan (traditional Japanese inn), and by a twist of fate, I ended up booking this mid-range ryokan.

First, a word of advice: stay at least two nights in your ryokan. Checking in at 3 PM and checking out at 10 AM the next morning means you barely get to experience the surrounding area; it's just a quick soak in the onsen, which isn't worth the trip to the mountains.

Second, this hotel is extremely remote. It took me at least 5 hours one way from Sapporo. From JR Obihiro Station, it's a 1.5-hour bus ride. So plan your itinerary well in advance, or contact the hotel beforehand to see if they have better options. Ride-hailing apps don't have any available cars, and taxis can only take you to nearby towns.

Unlike Lake Toya and Lake Akan, Lake Shinobetsu, which is adjacent to the hotel, is relatively small and freezes over in winter. I got to experience the open-air onsen and snowshoeing, which I really wanted to try. You can hike around the lake clockwise or counter-clockwise; there are proper trails, it just depends on the snow depth and how easy it is to walk.

Now let's talk about the hotel's style. It's purely Japanese, but the facilities are very old, probably over 20 years old? The first and second floors were even a bit creepy 😱 Many places were under repair 🧰. Since I was traveling alone, the flickering lights in the room made it feel like a scene from a Japanese horror movie, scaring me so much I couldn't sleep for a long time.

Fortunately, the room was clean, tidy, and super spacious. My room was on the 8th floor, facing the middle of the lake, with a fantastic view.

Then, all the nearby hotels were closed, looking like they had gone out of business. It's another sign of Japan's economic boom and bust. In short, this is the only hotel for miles around, so if you're looking for peace and quiet, this is the place to go.

The food is purely Japanese, which I really didn't like. Luckily, there's a convenience store where you can buy snacks, and breakfast includes bread and other things. The price includes breakfast and dinner, which I think is very reasonable. I'll bring my family here if I have the chance in the future~

I hope the hotel owner sees this message and fixes the hotel up soon, so it doesn't become like the terrible hotel in the movie *The Shining*.

Last but not least, thank you for the hospitality! Thank you, winter! Thank you, nature!

A very traditional Japanese-style hot spring hotel, directly facing Lake Shirabetsu, offering scenic views right from the window during the autumn foliage season. The location isn't very convenient, nestled in the heart of the mountains; domestic tourists will need to drive there. Note the earliest check-in time (7 PM). The hot spring itself is a rare, highly acidic type, making it popular with ********* tour groups. It's a suitable transit point for trips to Sounkyo and Kurodake, and you can also visit the Mikuni Card Site along the way. The food is a highlight; booking both breakfast and dinner is highly recommended.

I stayed here on my way back from hiking.
I stayed here two years ago and really liked it, so I visited again.
The building is quite old, but clean and comfortable.
The cleaning was thorough.
I was surprised to see no dust even on the sliding door railings.
The room is 10 tatami mats large enough for one person, and there is ample space around the veranda and entrance, and the toilet is also spacious.
The towel racks are easy to use, with small features such as the ability to hang two bath towels and two regular towels at a time.
The bathroom in the room is also relatively spacious, making it convenient for washing off sweat and mud from hiking.
The large public bath (for men) is simply equipped with one indoor and one outdoor bath, but the spectacular view overlooking Lake Shikaribetsu changes with the time of day, so you'll never get bored no matter how many times you soak.
The hot spring water is rich in iron, so it's warming.
There is limited parking on the premises, but there is ample space behind the building across the road.
Even on cold and rainy days, staff will wait outside to guide you.
The food is average.
It is common for many employees to be from foreign countries, but they are well-trained.

I love onsen here

The hotel is located right in front of the lake where the Shikaribetsu igloo village is held. The hotel also has an onsen for guests to soak in. The Kaiseki dinner was very filling.

Not inherently the hotel’s fault but we went at a very off peak period, mid December, so that was hardly any tourist in the area. The lake wasn’t frozen for the igloos yet (think 2024 Dec delayed freezing) and they only started to construct on the day we left. Room was a nice size and comfortable and breakfast and dinner included was good selection of food. Onsen was good as well. But hotel does feel not as new but is still good and clean.

Comfortable, clean, safe accommodation, good service staff. friendly

Beautiful place. Awesome service. Fruend and helpful. The food was good. We enjoyed our stay very much. Hope to come again.