Sōunkyō Onsen (層雲峡温泉) is a hot spring resort nestled in the Sōun Gorge (層雲峡 Sōun-kyō) of the Daisetsuzan National Park in Hokkaido, Japan. It is in the municipal area of Kamikawa town (上川町).
Given its location deep in a national park and a name meaning Cloudy Gorge, for many visitors the actual Sounkyo Onsen is a disappointment. The curse of development is indeed evident: the modern town with its multi-storey concrete hotels is an eyesore, and the endless procession of tour groups through the gorge itself doesn't exactly enhance the wonders of nature.
With lowered expectations Sounkyo Onsen does fulfill what it promises: it's first and foremost a hot spring resort, with cool mountain air and steam rising from the vents in the streets, and it's an excellent base for starting (or, better yet, ending) treks through the national park. Much of the center of the town has been landscaped with a fairly pleasant, mildly Swiss-flavored touch.
The only means of public transport into the gorge is bus. Departures to the nearest major city Asahikawa are fairly frequent.
Bus 81 leaves from the bus terminal at Asahikawa JR Station (booth 7) at 09:15, 10:45, 12:15, 14:35, 15:45, 16:35 and 18:40. The ride takes about two hours with a brief stop at Kamikawa JR Station and costs ¥2100 per way. Buses back to Asahikawa leave Sounkyo at 06:20, 7:45, 8:40, 10:55, 13:30, 15:40 and 17:30. This schedule may change on certain public holidays (e.g. New Year), so make sure to read posted signs.
Another option is to take a JR train from Asahikawa to Kamikawa and then change to the bus, with more departures than the one mentioned above.
Sounkyo Onsen and its nearby attractions are best covered on foot, although you might want to rent a bicycle for visiting the gorge itself. A cable car runs most of the way up neighboring Mount Kurodake.
Sounkyo Onsen is known and named after the nearby gorge, which runs for 24 km along the Ishikari River and features some pretty waterfalls and interesting lava formations. The gorge is to the east of town, an easy walk or bike trip of a few kilometers along a disused highway. Entry is free, so head here early in the morning to beat the tour bus brigade... or just head further down into the gorge, past the few falls frequented by everybody.
Sounkyo Onsen is a popular starting point for hikes into the Daisetsuzan National Park. Be sure to stop off at the Visitor Center, next to the cable car station, before heading up.
If hiking or skiing sounds like too much hard work, try resting your weary bones in one of the many hot springs in town. The visitor information center (where the bus stops) can give you a map with all hotsprings, opening times (mostly 12:00-17:00) and prices (¥600-1000).
There are a number of basic restaurants in town.
There is no shortage of fancy hot spring accommodation in towns, but fortunately there's one pretty good budget option as well.
While there are bears in the surrounding Daisetsuzan National Park, they're generally smart enough to stay far away from town.
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