Nukumorino-Yado Furukawa 定山渓温泉 ぬくもりの宿 ふる川 古川溫之宿飯店

Nukumori-no-Yado Furukawa is a traditional Japanese-style ryokan located in the heart of Jozankei Onsen, a hot spring resort area in southern Sapporo. Built around the theme of “the warmth of home,” it is a mid-sized inn with around 50 rooms. The interiors emphasize natural wood textures, cozy reading spaces, and gallery-style displays rather than flashy décor, creating a calm, nostalgic atmosphere. It sits about one hour from central Sapporo by car or local bus, and roughly 90–120 minutes from New Chitose Airport, making it a convenient option for pre- and post-travel stays.

The entire property embraces the concept of “hometown comfort.” Staff greet guests in traditional workwear, and the lobby features the “Mitsuo Aida Heart Gallery” along with rotating exhibitions by Hokkaido artists. More than 1,000 books line the shelves, and guests can enjoy complimentary house-made mugwort tea while browsing. Rather than a lively resort, this is a place where many guests return specifically to unwind, disconnect from work or daily life, and enjoy a slower rhythm.

Guest rooms include Japanese-style rooms and Japanese-Western hybrids, such as the “Nukumori 12-mat Washitsu,” “Nukumori Japanese-Western Room,” “Furusato Japanese-Western Room,” Twin Room 401, “Tea Room–Inspired Room 405,” the Nukumori Superior Japanese-Western Room, and the Nukumori Suite. Options range from classic tatami rooms to raised-floor mixed rooms, rooms with thermal relaxation spaces, and special suites with private open-air baths. All rooms are equipped with free Wi-Fi, a safe, refrigerator with mineral water, tea set, air purifier, towels, samue loungewear, and outer robes. Higher room categories also include women’s skincare sets and face masks.

The ryokan features two main hot spring areas using Jozankei’s sodium-chloride onsen water: “Tsukiji-no-Yu” and “Katen-no-Yu,” which alternate between men’s and women’s bathing times. Tsukiji-no-Yu incorporates natural stones and rocks from the region, with a waterfall feature in the outdoor bath area that evokes the untouched scenery of the Toyohira River valley. Katen-no-Yu, with its white-tiled design, offers an airy panoramic view of the surrounding mountains—almost as if you are looking down from above the clouds. Both areas include indoor baths, open-air baths, and saunas, providing seasonal scenery from fresh spring greens to snowy winter landscapes. Day-use bathing is also available, making it a popular stop for visitors from Sapporo.

On the lower floor, a relaxation zone called “Nukumori Relax” offers private ganbanyoku (stone sauna sessions) and an esthetic salon. The three stone-sauna rooms—Asagi, Yomogi, and Daidai—feature soft aromas, temperatures of around 43°C, humidity around 62%, and beds of black silica that gently warm the body through far-infrared heat. Each room is privately reserved in 50-minute blocks. The esthetic salon offers treatments incorporating Thai-style techniques and herbal compresses, allowing guests to enjoy a full day of “restoring and rebalancing” with onsen, stone sauna, and spa combined.

Meals are served in the in-house dining room. Dinner consists of a seasonal kaiseki-style course featuring multiple small dishes—appetizers, sashimi, simmered dishes, grilled items, hot pots, rice, and dessert. Standard and upgraded plans (including crab or premium meats) are available, though many guests note that the standard course already offers ample quality and volume. Breakfast is a rustic Japanese-style buffet featuring grilled fish, simmered dishes, small plates, egg dishes, salads, vegetable sides made with local produce, soups, rice, and bread. On certain days, special plated breakfasts are offered for guests staying on premium floors.

The ryokan includes a restaurant, lounge, large baths, saunas, open-air baths, stone saunas, esthetic salon, coffee house, souvenir shop, and banquet rooms. Plenty of reading nooks are spread throughout the building, allowing guests to enjoy a book with tea or after a soak in the baths. Day-use bathing and day-use bathing-plus-meal plans are also available, supporting both overnight and casual visits.

Located at “Jozankei Onsen Nishi 4-353, Minami-ku, Sapporo,” the ryokan is about 60 minutes by car via Route 230 from central Sapporo, and 90–120 minutes from New Chitose Airport. By public transport, guests can reach it from Sapporo Station or Makomanai Station via Jotetsu Bus, disembarking near “Jozankei Yunomachi” and walking a short distance. Its central location within the onsen town makes it easy to combine your stay with visits to footbaths, walking trails, cafés, and scenic spots. For travelers seeking a place that blends hot springs, good food, reading, and relaxation—and who prefer the feel of a ryokan over a conventional hotel—Nukumori-no-Yado Furukawa is an excellent match.