The Dai-ichi Takimotokan Hotel is a well-established inn in Noboribetsu Onsen. Its hot spring baths are fed by geothermal water from five springs having half of the ten mineral qualities of spring water found in Japan.
You can enjoy the view of Hell Valley, a popular sightseeing spot while relaxing in the hotel's Onsen Heaven. Here we'll introduce all the charms of the magnificent Dai-ichi Takimotokan Hotel!
Dai-ichi Takimotokan Hotel: Onsen Heaven Next To Hell Valley
Dai-ichi Takimotokan overlooks the desolate landscape of Hell Valley
Dai-ichi Takimotokan Hotel is next to Hell Valley, a famous sightseeing destination in Noboribetsu Onsen, a hot spring resort area located about an hour's drive from the New Chitose Airport. Established in 1858, it has the oldest history of any hot spring inn in Noboribetsu Onsen.
The founder, Kinzo Takimoto, heard about a natural hot spring in the mountains that effectively treated skin maladies. His wife had a severe skin disorder, so he took her deep into the mountains and built a small hot spring cottage.
Kinzo Takimoto. He was originally a carpenter in Edo before moving to Horobetsu (presently located within Noboribetsu City) where he cooperated in the construction of a transportation business and also an inn. (Photo: Dai-ichi Takimotokan)
The beneficial effects soon became apparent in his wife, who grew better day by day.
Word spread of the hot spring's healing powers, which led to the building of a hot spring inn and the start of his spa operations. As rumors spread even more widely about the beneficial effects, the number of visitors steadily increased, which led to continued renovation and expansion of the inn.
This, in turn, led to roads being built to the spring to enable horse-drawn carriages to reach it. And this laid the groundwork for the development of Noboribetsu Onsen.
A photo of Dai-ichi Takimotokan taken circa 1935 (Photo: Dai-ichi Takimotokan)
Today about 2.8 million people visit Noboribetsu Onsen for sightseeing every year. It all began with the Aisai no Yu hot spring built for the wife of Kinzo Takimoto, founder of the Dai-ichi Takimotokan.
The Kinzo no Yu in the Dai-ichi Takimotokan is a reproduction of the bath used by the wife of Kinzo Takimoto (Photo: Dai-ichi Takimotokan)
The water quality of the Kinzo no Yu is slightly green in color due to its acidity. This is very good for skin conditions and can be enjoyed in the outdoor bath and other indoor baths, too.
Half of the 10 types of mineral water in Japan can be found at Dai-ichi Takimotokan Hotel!
There are still more types of mineral water to be enjoyed at Dai-ichi Takimotokan Hotel!
The main features of Dai-ichi Takimotokan are the various types of mineral water, such as in Kinzo no Yu, and the large volume of water the springs produce. Five different types of mineral water flow from their sources in Hell Valley into the 35 baths for men and women inside the 5,000 square meters three-story hot spring annex.
The hot springs in Noboribetsu Onsen produce about 10,000 liters per day with the largest number of springs being in Hell Valley.
The representative mineral quality of the springs in Noboribetsu Onsen is such that visitors are certain to find the type they have been looking for. This white, ash color bath sme…
