北のたまゆら 桑園

Very crowded and 10 yen for 3 minutes hair dryer use. 500 yen per adult. No conditioner. Weak shower pressure. Press 3 times to fill one bucket. 2 outdoor pools, 2 saunas with different heat, cold pool, 3 indoor pools, cold shower. Close to Soen station.

I love this bathhouse! It’s very clean and spacious. It can get busy in the evenings and on weekends, but I can always find a spot in the bathing area. I like the outdoor bath especially because the one in front of the TV is moderately hot and perfect for relaxing for longer periods of time. I usually use the massage chairs after the bath and enjoy a cold drink while lounging in the tatami area. This place also offers a massage room, smoking room, and hair salon, although I’ve never used them personally.

I am new to the onsen experience and have visited Japan twice. My first onsen experience was in Tokyo on my second trip where I hooked up with a friend who has settled in Tokyo and he taught me the ropes. I went to this one in Hokkaido on my own and it was standard procedure, so this is for those not familiar with the onsen experience and is perhaps a complete novice. I hope it helps. 1. Take your shoes off at the entrance and place in a small locker on the right hand side of the entrance. You can either be bare foot or socks. You need a 100yen coin for the locker which you get back. 2. Purchase your ticket from the machine next to reception desk. Put your money in first and everything flashes. Push the adult button top left - the biggest button -480yen. Your ticket is dispensed which you give to reception and walk in. 3. You can purchase towels big and small if you are out and about and just stumble across this onsen. Otherwise if planned it is probably best to take your own towels. 4. Enter the onsen, typically blue for men and red for women. 5. Once in strip off and you can either put all your belongings in a basket or use a locker -100yen which like the shoe locker you get back. Key is on elastic band so you can wear on wrist. 6. Enter the common area and wash yourself using facilities on the left. Shampoo and body wash is provided at each station. 7. Wash thoroughly all over, just as you do at home in the shower. Wash hair, and if long tie back. Once washed and rinsed, your free to explore the many baths at your leisure, including a couple outside (and seating area) and a wet and dry steam room. 8. If you are not comfortable walking around naked, then take your small towel to cover. But to be honest nobody really cares. 9. When bathing do not submerge your head, this is not appropriate. It is also customary not to hang about too long. 30 mins is probably enough to feel relaxed, but don’t let time govern you here and don’t worry about this, you’ll know when you are ready to leave. 10. Once you are done leave the common room and gather your things. There a couple of fans in the changing room, which you can stand next too to really cool yourself down. Then slowly dry yourself and put on your clothes. You gonna be hot so take time putting your clothes back on. 11. If you hired towels then put them in canvas bag next to reception as you walk out the onsen. 12. I stayed for lunch which I recommend as it’s good food and part of the relaxing experience. They also sell beer, which is ice cold and refreshing. You can get a table and look at the menu - it has pictures so good if you can’t read Japanese. Food and drink is ordered using a machine with same pictures as the menu, which dispenses a ticket which you take to the counter. You are then given a number which you take and return to your table. Free ice water is available on the counter for you to help yourself. I looked out for my food as would not have been able to understand my number being called. Overall, just to note this place is very popular, so is often busy. But just go with the flow and enjoy.

Visited this sento place on a weekday at around 3pm and it was quite crowded already. Carpark is not very big and thus it’s easily full, those that drive here do take note. Facilities are good and modern, to rent a bathing towel costs 250yen and to rent a smaller towel it costs 150yen. Admission into the place is 450 or 480yen if im not wrong, it’s cheap. There’s indoor and outdoor bathing area and a dining place too. Worth the price but not the best public bath area I’ve been to.

We went on a Saturday night from 22:00 to 23:30pm and it was very crowded. We paid for towels (small + big) only since everything was provided inside. (Shampoo...etc) You have to order from the machine first before you enter, there’s no english instruction on the machine so if you don’t understand anything ask the reception for help, they are friendly. The environment is very clean and even there’s a-lot of people always have place to shower. I think it’s better to come on a weekdays so it more enjoyable. All in all, it’s a good experience and the nearest Japanese style hot spring in the centre Sapporo!