Sounkyo Hot Spring and Waterfalls at Hokkaido

Sounkyo (層雲峡) is a hot spring located in Daisetsuzan National Park, Kamikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. it is one of the best hot spring resorts in central Hokkaido visited by 3 million people every year. It is located halfway up the Sounkyo, a mountain with precipitous cliffs continuing for 24 kilometers, and offers visitors breathtaking scenic attractions such as dynamic columnar joints and famous waterfalls including Ginga-no-taki and Ryusei-no-taki.

Sounkyo Gorge is situated at the foot of Mt. Daisetsu-zan, which is called the "roof of Hokkaido." The giant gorge, bordered by 100-meter-high cliffs formed by the erosion of tuff, stretches for 24 kilometers and forms the center of Daisetsu-zan National Park. The hot spring area boasts of magnificent scenery and plentiful natural hot water, and attracts three million visitors a year.

The gorge contains lots of waterfalls, of which the Ryusei-no-taki Falls (shooting star falls) and Ginga-no-taki Falls (Milky Way falls) are especially worth seeing. At both of these waterfalls, the water falls directly over the cliff, giving them a sense of great power. The Obako and Kobako rock formations are said to be the most beautiful places in the gorge. Obako features wide rock faces that resemble 'byobu' (folding screens), while Kobako has many fantastic crags. You can rent bicycles there.

If you change from the Daisetsu-zan Soun-kyo Ropeway to the Kuro-dake Lift, you can climb to a height of 1,700 meters and enjoy a magnificent view of Mt. Daisetsu-zan. The Soun-kyo-onsen Hot Spring is in the middle of the gorge, and is full of modern hotels. In summer the Soun-kyo Hi-matsuri (fire festival) takes place in the gorge, while in mid-winter there is the Hyobaku-matsuri Festival (ice waterfall festival).

Every year from the end of January to March, the Hyobaku Matsuri (Frozen Falls Festival) is held where ice pillars and domes placed along the Ishikari River are illuminated in many colors, enveloping the entire area in a magical atmosphere.


Sounkyo Hot Spring


Sounkyo Hotspring Kurodake No Yu

There are so many hot spring places in Sounkyo, as well as the Ryokan. Ryokan is Japanese style inns found throughout the country, especially in hot spring resorts
Sounkyo Hot Spring or Sounkyo Onsen. The famous Hot Spring is Kurodake-no-Yu (黒岳の湯). Kurodake no Yu is a public bath house, located in the town center, it offers indoor and outdoor baths with limited views of the surrounding landscape.


Sounkyo Tourism

Like another parts in Hokkaido, Sounkyo offers a beautiful natural scenery like gorges, waterfalls, and rock formations (obako). Sounkyo Onsen is known and named after the nearby gorge, which runs for 24 kilometers along the Ishikari River and features some pretty waterfalls and interesting lava formations.

Down in the valley, three kilometers from Sounkyo, there are two beautiful waterfalls, Ginga no Taki and Ryusei no Taki, which can be viewed from a large parking lot or from a small observation deck reached via a steep walking trail in about 15-20 minutes from the parking lot. Another five kilometers up the valley is the Obako rock formation.

Tourist attractions at Sounkyo :

1. Ginga no Taki (銀河の滝 waterfall of the galaxy), is a series of thin, silvery rivulets cascading down the mountainside.

Sounkyo Waterfall Ginga no Taki

2. Ryusei no Taki (流星の滝 waterfall of the falling star), is a powerful fall seemingly bursting out of solid rock.

Sounkyo Waterfall Ryusei no Taki

3. The Daisetsuzan Sōunkyō Kurodake Ropeway is on the slope of the gorge, and tourists can get the ropeway and chairlift to climb the mountain.

4. The Sōunkyō Visitor Center is near the resorts and houses picture panels displaying the scenes of Sōunkyō and guides for visitors.

5. Yuyurin Nature Trail.


Sounkyo Yururin Nature Trail

This trail is a barrier-free sloped wooden path that can be easily navigated by wheelchairs. The car park is made of tree bark, so your shoes will not get muddy on wet days.

6. Asahiyama Zoo. Japan’s popular northernmost zoo


Sounkyo Festival :


1. Sounkyo Hyoubaku Matsuri (Ice Waterfall Festival)


Sounkyo Hyoubaku Matsuri

Ten thousand square meters of river flatlands by the Ishikari River are utilized to display this pageant of ice pillars, ice tunnels, ice domes, etc. The main lookout tower reaches 15 meters, and the view from it at night is mysterious indeed. Saturdays and Sundays have a fireworks display to light up the winter night.

2. Sounkyo Hana Monogatari


Sounkyo Hana Monogatari

This is the first time in Hokkaido where a spa area has coordinated its gardening at the administrative level. We have done things like make large flower beds in public spaces, put up planters and flower baskets in shops and hotels, and coodinated other flower arrangements and themes for the whole Sounkyo region.


How to get Sounkyo :

From Tokyo:
1h 35 min from Haneda to Asahikawa Airport.

From Osaka:
2h from Kansai International Airport to Asahikawa Airport.

From Sapporo:
1h 25 min to Asahikawa Station by JR Hakodate Line (limited express), and 1h 50 min from Asahikawa Station to Soun Gorge by JR bus.



Sounkyo Photos :


Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeaway



Sounkyo Hot Spring



Sounkyo Hot Spring



Sounkyo Rock Formation Obako



Watch Daisetsuzan Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway Video here



The Daisetsuzan Sōunkyō Kurodake Ropeway is a Japanese aerial lift line in Kamikawa, Hokkaidō, operated by Rinyū Kankō.

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