[2025 Higashikagura Hotels] Travel Guide for Morinoyu Hotel Hanakagura (Updated Jul)

Finding a hotel with open-air baths in Asahikawa can be quite challenging, but I happened to discover Hotel Hanakagura, which offers two types of rooms with open-air baths. One is a Japanese-style room, and the other is a Japanese-Western-style room. Luckily, I managed to book the Japanese-Western-style room just a week before departure! 😀 🏠 The hotel is not located in the city center but is closer to the zoo, so driving is recommended. However, the hotel does provide a shuttle service (reservation required). The hotel has been renovated and now features a trendy book wall for photo ops, a small restaurant (selling snacks and noodles, open until 8 PM), a large open-air onsen♨️, and even private open-air baths. 🛏 Japanese-Western-style room with open-air bath (25 sqm) There are only two of these rooms available. The rooms have been renovated and are clean and tidy. The bathroom is decent, and the shower area is equipped with heating, so you won't feel cold. The highlight is definitely the open-air onsen. The onsen pool is quite spacious, easily accommodating two people, and there's even a chair where you can sit and enjoy the snowy view. 👍🏻 🍽 I chose the 1-night stay with 2 meals package. The dinner was flavorful and the portions were decent. Breakfast was buffet-style with plenty of hot dishes to choose from. 👍🏻

If you're visiting Hokkaido in early February, don’t miss a magical winter side trip to Asahikawa, home to one of Japan’s top winter festivals! The Asahikawa Winter Festival (Feb 2–10, dates vary yearly) is known for Hokkaido’s largest snow sculptures, an enchanting riverside ice world, and a cozy, local atmosphere. It’s like stepping into a snow globe — perfect for travelers seeking something beyond the Sapporo crowds. To make the most of your trip, stay at the Morinoyu Hotel Hanakagura. Their snowy cottage-style rooms are like a fairytale retreat, and the outdoor onsen surrounded by snow is an unforgettable experience — especially at night under the stars! After soaking, head to their dinner buffet — a generous spread of Hokkaido specialties with free-flow sake and beer. It’s warm, hearty, and the perfect way to relax after a day out in the cold. On day two, visit the Asahiyama Zoo — winter visitors get to witness the adorable Penguin Parade, where fluffy penguins waddle across the snow in front of you. It’s a moment of pure joy and one of the most unique winter attractions in Japan. Whether you're traveling solo, with friends, or with family, this Asahikawa escape is packed with snowy magic, food, and fun — all just two hours from Sapporo! Travel Tips: Take the JR Limited Express train (2 hrs) or rent a car from Sapporo Book your cottage early — they’re popular during the festival! Wear proper winter boots for snow and ice Check festival dates in advance as they may vary each year #AsahikawaSnowFestival #PenguinWalk #MorinoyuOnsen #HokkaidoWinterTrip #HiddenGemJapan #WinterCottageVibes #FreeFlowSake #SapporoDayTrip #SnowyJapanAdventures #TripcomFeatureReady

Hotel Hanakagura (森のゆ ホテル花神楽), why is no one recommending it? Compared to the popular La Vista, this one is cheaper and better. Especially the Japanese-Western room with an open-air bath, it looks even better than the photos on the official website 😍 👉🏻The reviews on Google Maps are right, this Hotel Hanakagura is really great 👍🏻. Among all the hotels I've stayed at in Hokkaido, this one has the best value for money, a Japanese-Western room with an open-air bath, one night with two meals for just over 30,000 yen (2 people + basic dinner), this price is really worth it 😉 🏢The hotel is located in the forest, in addition to hotel rooms, there are also cabins to choose from. The entire hotel has been renovated before, so whether it's the rooms or the large bath, it feels very new and clean. You have to take off your shoes when you enter the hotel (there are two-toed socks provided), there is a free coffee machine, and you can choose your own yukata 🧐 This time I stayed in a Japanese-Western room with an open-air bath/25m² (up to 3 people), the ♨ in the room is super big (about the same size as the Dormy open-air pool), soaking in the hot spring and watching the ❄, it's really cool. If you want to play in the snow, just open the door, you can also roll around in the snow 😜 ♨Because the large bath is open to the public, there will be more people. The indoor pool is relatively small, but the open-air pool is super big, even if there are many people, it won't feel crowded 🤗 There is a reading room in the public area that is suitable for taking photos, and there is also a simple cafeteria. 🥢For dinner, we chose the "Chef's Special Seasonal Set Meal" which is a few thousand yen more expensive, the food was good, especially the Kichiji Kamameshi. Breakfast is buffet style, with a lot of variety. 🚙In terms of convenience, this hotel is indeed a bit far. The most convenient way is to rent a car, it is a 30-minute drive from Asahikawa city, and a 15-minute drive from the zoo. However, if you are going to Asahidake, you will pass by here, it is a 20-minute drive from Biei, and the hotel also has a shuttle service.

Here is the guide to the Hanakagura Onsen day trip in Higashikagura, Hokkaido. 🧐 1⃣ First, prepare a JPY100 coin to store your shoes (it will be returned when you leave 😉). 2⃣ Then, pay the bathing fee at the front desk. 3⃣ If you didn't drive, you can ask the front desk to help you book a taxi for the return trip 🚕. The dispatch center closes at 19:00, so you need to book in advance, but the car can arrive at the time you request. The front desk will ask for your destination and name, and then the reservation is complete. 4⃣ Here, men and women bathe separately, and you need to prepare another JPY100 coin to open a locker for your personal belongings. Shower or wash your hair first, and then you can take a bath. The Hanakagura women's bath has two outdoor pools, four indoor pools (three hot pools and one cold pool), and a sauna. 5⃣ Meals are ordered and paid for separately. There is a machine for self-service ordering. Hand the ticket to the kitchen staff, and then listen for your number to pick up your meal. There is a special refrigerator for ice milk, which costs JPY140 per bottle, and you can choose from original, chocolate, and strawberry flavors. 😎 6⃣ There is a rest area with comics and a massage area, but it is in a public area, which feels a bit strange. 🤔 🌟 Bathing fee: JPY800 (there is no discount for residents because it is in another town) 🌟 Private bath: JPY2,500 (reservation is required in advance) 🌟 Tips: 1⃣ Bring a bath towel, and girls with long hair should remember to bring a comb, as it is not provided here. 2⃣ Tattoos are not allowed in public areas (you can go to a private bath) 😉