I stopped by on my way back from a trip to Hakodate. It had a local hot spring vibe and a retro feel. As everyone said, there were quite a few washing stations. I imagined it must have been bustling in the past. The water quality is unique and a bit cloudy, but it leaves your skin smooth after bathing. There are outdoor baths and saunas where you can relax. There is also a cafeteria on the first floor, and I tried the tempura soba that was highly recommended. The thin soba noodles had a smooth texture and a good chew. The tempura was crispy and delicious with a thick batter. Other dishes looked appetizing as well. Next time, I want to take more time and enjoy it leisurely.

Hokkaido Wandering Trip ⑭ Hakodate City: A brown hot spring with an outdoor bath in the shape of Goryokaku (⁠☆⁠▽⁠☆⁠). The bathing fee is ¥460♪ It's a wonderful hot spring. After bathing, I had soft serve ice cream from Yamanokawa Farm for ¥300. It's rich in milk flavor and delicious (⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠). Before the hot spring, I visited the Cape Tachimachi and Mount Hakodate. The summit of Mount Hakodate was covered in mist, so the view was not visible (⁠｡⁠•́⁠︿⁠•̀⁠｡⁠).

In 2023, did you know that there is a shrine on the grounds of Tanigashira Onsen called "Otensho Shrine"? It is a shrine that worships rare treasures. I, chappytsum, a devout believer, of course visited the shrine. The main deity was enshrined there. It was a very large main deity. While the shape of the main deity itself can be found in various sizes in many places, what makes this main deity unique is the so-called "uke" (receiving). This was the first time I had seen a main deity with "uke" after visiting shrines all over the country. So, I decided to visit the "Tanigashira Onsen Dining Hall". Since I recently moved nearby, I thought I would take a bath at Tanigashira. The hot spring water is a sodium chloride spring. It is a brownish hot spring water containing iron that is sourced directly from the spring. The 43°C hot bath was too hot for me, but the 41.5°C warm bath was so comfortable that I wanted to stay in it forever. It had been about 15 years since my last visit, and although the facility itself was old back then, I didn't really notice the aging. If anything, I wondered if it had become cleaner since it became privately owned. It is old, but it gives off an impression of being well-maintained and clean. After bathing, I had soft serve ice cream. I have to eat something to make it a proper food review, right? The soft serve ice cream costs 300 yen (tax included). It had a slightly crunchy texture. The taste was on the lighter side. I didn't have any complaints, but it wasn't something I felt compelled to eat more of, that was the impression I got. (laughs)

I went to "Yachigashira Onsen Shokudo" on this day. I took the streetcar to Yachigashira Onsen and enjoyed the hot springs for about an hour. Then I moved to the restaurant on the first floor. I bought a ticket from the vending machine, handed it to the restaurant staff, and waited for a while. When the bell rang, I picked up the "appetizer set" consisting of edamame, char siu, boiled egg, menma, and bean sprouts for only ¥210, which is cheap. After buying a beer from the vending machine, I was all set! I specifically came by streetcar instead of car because I wanted to drink beer at the restaurant after taking a bath!! The beer was Sapporo Black Label and the appetizer set was a great accompaniment to the beer. Next time, I'll go for "tempura soba and drink"!!

Ride the Genki Bus to Yachigashira Onsen! This place has three indoor baths, as well as an outdoor bath shaped like Goryokaku, making it a relaxing spot for the people of Hakodate. The tendon (tempura rice bowl) at the dining hall is delicious and filling for only 690 yen, highly recommended! I was able to relax and refresh with Yachigashira Onsen and lunch. Check out more details here: Yachigashira Onsen - Delicious 690 yen Tendon and a visit to Gotenho Shrine!

I arrived in Hakodate on a trip in early autumn 2022, full of travel romance. I got off at the last stop of the Hakodate City Tram, Yachigashira tram stop. I walked to the famous "Tachimachi Cape", also known for the song by Mori Masako. Along the way, there is also the grave of the Ishikawa Takuboku family. Takuboku, who ended his short life at the age of 27 in Tokyo Koishikawa, loved Hakodate so much that he requested to be buried at Tachimachi Cape and a tombstone was erected there. I took a quick bath at the nearby Yachigashira Onsen and decided to go for lunch. As I strolled through the residential area, I noticed a rare sign that read "Beware of Ezo Tree Frogs and Frogs hit by cars" with an illustration of a frog being run over. It seems to have been installed by the Hakodate Rotary Club, warning about the non-native species of Asian tree frog. Upon arrival at Yachigashira Onsen, a communal bathhouse established in 1953, originally run by the city. There is a large parking lot available. The opening hours are from 6 am to 10 pm. The entrance fee for adults is 430 yen. The first floor houses the front desk, dining area, and the second floor has the baths. The spacious baths include four indoor hot spring baths and an outdoor bath designed in the shape of a star resembling Goryokaku. The spring quality is sodium chloride spring. I opted for the Korean-style grilled pork bowl priced at 690 yen (tax included) from the dining area. It is a refreshing dish topped with white sesame seeds and pickled ginger. The dish is served with plenty of onions, miso soup, and pickles. The slightly sweet and spicy sauce adds flavor to the dish, making it delicious. Although Hokkaido is known for its Obihiro pork bowl, the Korean-style grilled pork bowl at Yachigashira Onsen might become a specialty too, don't you think? Thank you! Enjoy your meal!

I visited the dining hall at Togashira Onsen after a long time. You purchase meal tickets at the entrance right after entering the hot spring. It's a popular spot with many customers who come just for the food. I had the tempura soba for 580 yen. The amount of tempura was more than it looked, making it a good deal. The noodles were quite soft.

After enjoying a hot spring, sauna, and cold bath, having a meal is the best way to end the experience. The menu options are always difficult to choose from, but I recommend the miso ramen, curry udon, curry soba, and shrimp tempura soba. They are all delicious. Sweating after a meal is refreshing after sweating in the hot springs.

Taniudagawa Onsen Dining Hall Located at the foot of Mt. Hakodate, Taniudagawa Onsen's dining hall operates with the following hours: weekdays 11:00-14:30, 17:00-19:30 (last order at 19:00); weekends and holidays 11:00-19:30 (last order at 19:00). Closed on Tuesdays. Despite being a small facility, the nostalgic atmosphere of the old-fashioned hot spring is present. The dining area has 7 tables for 4 people each, and a few sunken kotatsu seating areas. There are also sunken kotatsu areas for hot spring breaks. The interior features a LCD TV showing television programs. Smoking is prohibited inside (smoking room available within the facility). There is a spacious parking lot for the hot spring facility (suitable for high-roof vehicles). When visited on a weekday at 18:50, there was only one customer, right before closing time. The clientele consists mainly of local middle-aged men. The staff includes one middle-aged male and two middle-aged female employees. The main menu items (including tax) are as follows: 【Noodles】 Tempura soba 630 yen Shrimp tempura soba 640 yen Kakiage soba 450 yen Zaru soba 420 yen Kake soba 400 yen Miso ramen 630 yen Soy sauce ramen 480 yen Salt ramen 480 yen 【Rice dishes】 Onigiri 110 yen Rice (small 120 yen, large 160 yen) Tendon 630 yen Yakitori don 640 yen 【Others】 Raw egg 50 yen Edamame 250 yen Snacks 210 yen Extra large serving 100 yen 【Dessert】 Soft serve ice cream 280 yen Overall, the prices are very affordable. The self-service tempura tendon was ordered. The tempura included 2 shrimp, sweet potato, bell pepper, eggplant, kisu or megochi fish, and lotus root. The shrimp was large, and while not crispy (likely pre-made), it was still decent. The rice quality and cooking were average, with a generous portion. Perhaps due to a late arrival of a large customer near closing time, there was a generous portion. The miso soup was standard, with the addition of potatoes along with wakame seaweed. Satisfied and full, the food was simply delicious. It is convenient as many nearby establishments close early.

(⌒-⌒) Blog ⇒ 【Riding on the Flowing Clouds♪】 Where is this place? ↑ It's Tani-Atama! What kind of facility is this? ↑ It's a day-use hot spring! So it's called "Tani-Atama Onsen". ↑ That's what it says! Yes, it does say that, but... it looks like a hospital (^^;) Is this the work of a hospital designer? ↑ By the way, what is a "hospital designer"? lol I'm not sure if such a profession exists, but it seems like the work of someone who has worked on hospitals... Anyway, this is "Tani-Atama Onsen". As the name suggests, it is located in Tani-Atama on the Hakodate Streetcar line. This station is the terminus for the Tani-Atama line. It's a 4-5 minute walk from there. I stopped by here on my way back from Cape Tachimachi. I was really tired from walking, so the hot spring was a lifesaver (^^;) The hot spring is a reddish-brown color containing iron, which can stain towels. Soap is not provided, so you need to bring your own. It's like a public bath, but there is a dining area where you can eat and drink properly. However, alcoholic beverages are purchased from vending machines. Of course, you can bring your own, so you can buy snacks at the dining area. The snack set here is a combination of 5 items for 210 yen, which is very cheap! If you're not the designated driver, you have to drink, right?! (lol) And after drinking, you have to finish it off! (← All-in-one style) lol So, the finishing touch has to be salt ramen, right?! Because this is Hakodate! (← Well, that's true but...) But this choice was spot on, and it was delicious. You can fully enjoy Hakodate just by visiting "Tani-Atama Onsen"!? The bathing fee is also in the 400 yen range, similar to a public bath... This dining area also allows you to bring your own food. The outdoor bath in the shape of a star modeled after Goryokaku is great! A hot spring that you must visit when in Hakodate. ☆━━━...‥・ Twistman's Room ・‥...━━━☆ Service: ♪♪♪♪♪ Food: ♪♪♪♪♪ Value for money: ♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪※A full score is when there are 10♪ in a row! (v^ー°)

A special feature on enjoying day trips to hot spring facilities in the southern part of the region was featured in an information magazine. There were 10 hot spring facilities introduced, and I want to visit all of them. First, I went to Yamanote Onsen the other day. Where should I go today? Maybe I'll try Tani Gashira. It is a hot spring that has been loved by local residents since 1953, and I remember going there for the first time when I first came to Hakodate (when I was a university student). It was the kind of time when I would think about visiting a friend's house when I first came to Hakodate. Then I lived in Hakodate and went there once or twice, that's about it. It seems to be a sister facility of the public baths, such as Showa Onsen, Yamanote Onsen, and Riverside Tei. So, it seems that similar things may be served at the restaurants of these hot springs. The popular dish at the restaurant here is "tenzaru", which comes with freshly fried tempura for only 600 yen, which is quite cheap. We also chose that. The tempura was fluffy and there were five different kinds. You can enjoy it for a total of 1020 yen, including the bath fee of 420 yen.

In September 2019, I visited a day-use hot spring facility located at the foot of Mount Hakodate in Tachimachi, Hakodate City. It opens from 6 am and charges only 420 yen, making it popular not only among locals but also among tourists, especially campers and bikers. The dressing room, bath, and washing area are spacious and open, and the brownish saltwater bath is very relaxing. I always make sure to stop by when visiting Hakodate by car, but this time I tried their food for the first time. I ordered the Hakodate specialty, "Salt Ramen," which was quite orthodox. The toppings included chashu, half a boiled egg, boiled bean sprouts, shredded seaweed, menma, and chopped green onions. The clear salt soup was paired with medium-thin noodles with a high water content. Honestly, the taste was like cafeteria or food court level, probably using commercial soup. However, what surprised me was the price of 450 yen for such a dish. Nowadays, even plain ramen might cost a coin, but this combination at this price was quite astonishing. The vending machines for tickets are located at the entrance of the facility and the entrance of the dining area, and it's interesting that both sell hot spring tickets and meal tickets. The seating area includes a hall and table seats, making it quite user-friendly. If you're traveling to Hakodate, you might not necessarily think of having a meal here, but for those who want to enjoy a budget-friendly trip, the dining area could be a good option alongside the hot spring.

When you collect two hot spring admission tickets, you can receive a menu item worth around 600 yen for free. This time, I chose the tempura rice bowl, and it tasted even better than last time. It came with two large shrimp, making it a great deal for the price.

After soaking in the slightly hot spring with an average temperature of about 41.5 degrees Celsius, there is a dining area with around 20 table seats and 30 tatami seats. The tatami seats have a spacious and relaxing atmosphere. The seating is divided into dining and rest areas, so there is plenty of space at the tables. The tempura rice bowl is popular, but I decided to order the salt ramen since it's Hakodate after all. It has a gentle flavor that complements the body that has sweated a lot. It's a different kind of enjoyment compared to the excitement of jumping into the bath and exclaiming "Ahh~". While it's nice to enjoy gourmet food in bustling tourist areas, this restaurant is highly recommended for fully enjoying the Tanihata Onsen experience.