Takasago Onsen - Hokkaido

Asahikawa Takasago Onsen (旭川 高砂温泉), or simply Takasago Onsen, is a 3-star hotel that is popularly known for its hot spring facility. It is located at 8 Chome-235-1-5 Takasagodai, Asahikawa City in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan.

Takasago Onsen

Takasago Onsen Details

Since its founding in 1965, Takasago Onsen has been a beloved retreat for locals and travelers from across Hokkaido. One of its biggest draws is its nostalgic Showa-era atmosphere, offering a charming glimpse into mid-20th-century Japan while providing modern amenities for a full day of relaxation and fun.

Takasago Onsen - Asahikawa City, Hokkaido Prefecture

A Full Day of Fun and Relaxation

Takasago Onsen has been renovated with the concept of letting visitors enjoy the entire day. Following the July renovation, a second phase in December introduced a nostalgic play area featuring retro games, affordable snacks, a ping-pong table, and air hockey. The facility also includes multiple meeting areas, a manga corner, restaurants, shops, a kids’ corner, and spacious relaxation spaces, making it perfect for families, groups, or solo visitors.

Takasago Onsen facade

The meeting area is modeled after a traditional irori hearth, where you can relax, watch TV, or grab a snack from the nearby vending machine corner.

Inside Takasago Onsen

Some interesting wooden sculptures welcome you as you enter the onsen

There are free-to-use lockers here

One of the rest areas of the onsen facility

You can watch TV in the public area...

... or read a book for free

Banzuke Display - This is a framed sumo wrestling banzuke, a traditional ranking chart of professional sumo wrestlers. 

Souvenir shop

Surprisingly, this vintage phone still works

Yukara (ユカラ) - Asahikawa's virtual YouTuber

Vending machine corner

I wonder what's on the head of this panda plushie

Manga Corner: Thousands of Stories to Dive Into

These stairs lead up to the Manga Corner

The manga corner

You can read manga here for free

For manga lovers, the facility boasts a collection of around 4,000 books, ranging from classic Showa-era titles like Dokaben and Touch to the latest releases. Popular titles are rotated every three months, so you can spend the day soaking in the baths and reading entire series without ever getting bored.

Kids’ Corner: Fun for the Little Ones

Kid's Corner

The kids’ corner is a spacious, safe area complete with a mini slide, mini jungle gym, RODDY, DVDs, picture books, and more. Even the popular survival series is available for kids to enjoy. Parents can relax while the children play safely.

Takasago Onsen's Retro Play Room

The way to the retro playroom

Baths and Saunas: A Variety of Experiences

Takasago Onsen offers nine types of indoor baths, including medicinal baths, electric baths, ozone baths, and particle bubble baths. Each bath is designed to provide unique benefits for the body and mind:

• Ozone Bath: Improves blood circulation, promotes restful sleep, and has powerful antibacterial properties that keep water fresh.
• Electric Bath: Uses a mild current to stimulate the body, providing a gentle and soothing sensation. Bath time is limited to three minutes, up to three times per day.
• Lighthouse (Particle Bubble) Bath: Ultra-fine bubbles gently cleanse and lift dead skin, perfect for sensitive or dry skin.
• Germanium Mineral Bath: Promotes sweating, eliminates waste, and boosts metabolism.
• Radium Low-Frequency Magnetic Bath: Radon absorbed from radium promotes blood circulation, metabolic activity, and relief from stiffness.
• Chinese Herbal Extract Medicinal Bath: Made with over 3,000 herbal remedies, this bath stimulates circulation, sweating, and relaxation. Recommended soak: 5–10 minutes.
• Footbath (Walking Bath): Treated with acupressure points, this bath provides moderate exercise, reduces swelling, and improves circulation.

The Onsen Area - (L) For Women / (R) For Men

Indoor Onsen

Outdoor Onsen

Roof top onsen

A lukewarm bath for around 20 minutes can also improve surface blood circulation and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you relax and sleep better.

The saunas are equipped with germanium, radium, white silica, ochre, maifan stone, and bamboo charcoal, offering gentle yet effective far-infrared heat. The women-only Ganbanyoku room combines far-infrared and negative ion effects for a deeply relaxing experience.

Team Nicerio visits Takasago Onsen

My family and I tried and enjoyed the hot springs of Takasago Onsen for the first time on March 20, 2024. It was my 870^th day in Japan as an ALT under the JET Programme. It was a perfect day-ending activity after we spent the morning driving around Asahikawa to shop for groceries and important household goods. My family particularly enjoyed the different types of hot springs. I definitely would recommend this to anyone driving through Asahikawa, particularly on a winter day

Takasago Onsen Day Tour Fees

For Daytime Bathing, visitors need to pay the following fees:

Adults – Weekday mornings: ¥600, Weekday afternoons: ¥750, Weekends and holidays: ¥850
Elementary school students: ¥300, Infants: ¥100, Student discount on weekdays: ¥500 (with student ID)

For Family Baths, visitors need to pay the following fees:

Without sauna: ¥1,800, With sauna: ¥2,400

Takasago Onsen Operating Hours

Daytime Bathing is from 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM

Family Baths - 1:00 PM – 10:00 PM (reservations are required)

Why visit Takasago Onsen?

Takasago Onsen combines retro Showa charm with modern facilities, offering something for everyone—whether it’s reading manga, playing retro games, relaxing in specialized baths, or enjoying quality family time. It’s a perfect Hokkaido day trip destination that makes you feel nostalgic, pampered, and fully refreshed.

How to Get to Takasago Onsen

 

The best way to get to Takasago Onsen is by rental car or private vehicle, as it is located on the outskirts of the city. Riding a taxi from Asahikawa Station is also a convenient way to reach it. 

However, if you want to use the public transportation system, expect that there will be plenty of walking involved. 

Here the the options that I'm familiar with.

1. From Asahikawa Station, head to 1-Jo 8-Chome Bus Stop and board the 50-Inosawa Line operated by the Dohoku Bus. Get off at Kamui 2-jo 10-chome bus stop and then walk for 1.9 kilometers to Takasago Onsen. 

Travel time: 41 minutes

Fare: 220 yen

2. From Asahikawa Station, head to 1-Jo 7 Chome Bus Stop and board the 93 - Toyooka-Kamii Line Crystal Bridge via Kamui 6-10 bound operated by Asahikawa Electric Orbit. Get off at Kamui 7-jo 12-chome bus stop. Once there, walk for about 1.5 kilometers to Takasago Hot Spring. 

Travel time: 38 minutes

Fare: 250 yen

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