Otaru Kourakuen – Journal of our stay Part 2

We stayed at Otaru Kourakuen in Otaru as part of a package with the Sapporo Snow Festival.

Located about 10 minutes by car from the Otaru Canal and other tourist attractions, this is a popular hot spring inn in Otaru. It offers many rooms with open-air hot spring baths.

The inside of the inn is lined with tatami mats, which adds to the relaxed atmosphere.

There’s a lovely snowy garden.

There’s a pond inside the inn with carp swimming in it, so if you have kids, they’ll probably love it.

Many of the rooms have open-air baths, but the separate men’s and women’s large baths are also spacious and comfortable.

The garden has a firepit terrace with complimentary mulled wine and other services.

We stayed in a Japanese-western style room with an open-air hot spring bath.

In our room, we enjoyed seeing the snow from the open-air bath.

Dinner was served in the room.
While staying at the hotel, meals were served about 3 times rather than dish by dish, due to the pandemic.

Draft beer after a bath is the best!

Traditional Japanese Kaiseki cuisine.

The gorgeous main course included steak and abalone.

Dessert after rice and miso soup.

Strawberry parfait recommended at check-in.

We went outside briefly after dinner into the bitter cold.

The snowy nighttime scenery was beautiful.

We returned to our room after relaxing in the lounge and warmed up in the open-air bath. There are bamboo hats available to keep your head dry while enjoying the hot springs, even in the snow.

After relaxing, we went to bed.

The next morning, there was sun and snow sprinkles.
Before breakfast, we took a bath. The snowy view from the open-air bath was breathtaking!

Breakfast was served in the dining room, instead of our room.

Japanese food + free drinks.

We checked-out and walked around the canal and market in front of the station before heading to Noboribetsu Onsen.

There are many hotels around Otaru Station and the canal, but during the cold winters, we recommend staying at an inn with a hot spring!

#Otaru kourakuen review english

 

Go on to “Part 3: Bourou Noguchi Noboribetsu – Journal of our stay” >>

Ideal hot spring resorts that pair well with the Sapporo Snow Festival

Otaru Onsen ／ Jozankei Onsen ／ Lake Shikotsu Onsen ／ Noboribetsu Onsen

Onsen Map: All hot spring areas in Hokkaido Region

Inns along the Otaru Canal with hot springs

Otaru Furukawa： Selected Onsen Ryokan >

Hotel Sonia Otaru： Agoda >　Booking.com >

2023 Sapporo Snow Festival – Visit Diary

Part 1: 2023 Sapporo Snow Festival – Our visit the day before

Part 2: Otaru Kourakuen – Journal of our stay

Part 3: Bourou Noguchi Noboribetsu – Journal of our stay