Onsen Kōbō Akan

Hokkaidō


This is brilliant: a cafe with an ashi-yu (foot bath) so you can soak your feet while sipping coffee (¥250). There's food available, too; try the 'zari-bonara' (pasta carbonara with zarigani – freshwater crayfish; ¥950). Picture menu.

It's on the main drag running down the hill from the Akan Kohan Eco-Museum Centre towards the Ainu kotan.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Hokkaidō attractions

1. Akan Kohan Eco-Museum Centre

0.08 MILES

At the eastern edge of town, this centre has exhibitions on local flora and fauna, including marimo in aquarium tanks. It also has hiking maps in English…

2. Ainu Kotan

0.52 MILES

This collection of shops and households is actually the largest Ainu village in Hokkaidō. Residents make a living promoting their culture: dancing on the…

3. Ainu Folklore Museum

0.55 MILES

At the top of the hill in the Ainu kotan, this small museum has changing exhibitions of contemporary Ainu artisan work, and sometimes thought-provoking…

4. Museum of Ainu Folklore

15.01 MILES

In the Kussharo kotan (village) on the southern shores of Kussharo-ko, this museum displays traditional Ainu tools and crafts. Ask the staff to play the…

5. Bihoro Pass

16.55 MILES

This lookout point on Rte 243, which runs between Abashiri and Mashū, has a fantastic panoramic view over Kussharo-ko, with Naka-jima in the middle.

6. Kussharo-ko

19.85 MILES

Japan's largest caldera lake is a rich blue on sunny days. A small volcano peeks out from the centre, creating the island Naka-jima – best viewed from the…

7. Akan International Crane Centre 'GRUS'

20.3 MILES

You can see a few cranes in breeding pens here but the real attraction is the Crane Observation Centre (8.30am to 4.30pm November to March), a winter…

8. Iō-zan

20.75 MILES

This hissing mountain (512m), a couple of kilometres south of Kawayu Onsen, is stained sunshine-yellow in patches from sulphur. Locals steam eggs in the…