Jozankei Onsen Gorge & Hoheikyo Dam (Sapporo's Back-Parlor Hot Springs)

Category: Hot Springs & River Gorge | Location: Hokkaido

Located less than an hour's drive south from the bustling center of Sapporo, Jozankei Onsen has served as Hokkaido's premier mountain retreat ever since ascetic Buddhist monk Miizumi Jozan established the first healing bath here in 1866. Affectionately dubbed 'Sapporo's Back Parlor' (Sapporo no Okuzashiki), this picturesque resort town is nestled in the forested river valley of the upper Toyohira River, where clear, therapeutic sodium chloride hot springs gush abundantly from subterranean rocky fissures to soothe winter travelers. The most beloved landmark in Jozankei is the vibrant red Futami Suspension Bridge (Futami Tsuribashi), stretching gracefully over the crystalline river rapids framed by sheer cliff faces and verdant woodlands. Along the serene riverside walking promenades, travelers will encounter dozens of whimsical bronze sculptures celebrating the Kappa—a mythical Japanese water sprite that serves as Jozankei's official guardian mascot. In October, the entire gorge explodes in an astonishing tapestry of fiery scarlet maples, golden ginkgoes, and amber beeches reflected in the emerald river. A few kilometers further upstream, reachable by quiet hybrid-electric shuttles through mountain tunnels, stands the monumental Hoheikyo Dam—an engineering marvel of concrete arch construction nestled in the pristine wilderness of Shikotsu-Toya National Park. Here, visitors can witness spectacular rainbow-inducing tourist water releases cascading into the deep rocky canyon below. The panoramic vistas of untouched forested cliffs ablaze with autumn hues surrounding Lake Jozan make Hoheikyo Dam universally recognized as one of Hokkaido's supreme fall foliage destinations.