2025 Shihoro Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in July)

Open the door and you'll find a Japanese-modern room with the warmth of tatami mats and wood. Take off your shoes and sleep on the airweave mattress and pillow, which gently hug your body. From the large windows, you can see the greenery of the park golf course, which changes color with the seasons, and the snowy winter scenery, as you begin a moment of unity with nature. Equipped with a unit shower and a toilet with a warm water bidet, it is highly functional, and there are also thoughtful amenities such as a humidifier/air purifier and USB outlets. There are also maisonettes and barrier-free Japanese-Western rooms, which are perfect for families and multi-generational trips. A space where you can feel calm and relaxed, with a view that makes you feel nature. #AbsolutelyFreeTravel

As you gently dip your feet into the free-flowing footbath on the terrace, the amber-colored moor spring water gently envelops your skin. Spreading out before you is the gently undulating greenery of the park golf course, and the gentle ridge of Mount Sakura towering beyond. On a warm afternoon, the green breeze caresses your cheeks, and the sunlight filtering through the trees sparkles on the surface of the water. Visitors quietly close their eyes, quench their thirst with a cold soft drink in hand, and simply savor the luxury of being "here and now." The barrier-free design is child-friendly, and anyone can take a deep breath here. #AbsolutelyFreeTravel

After checking in, the moment the clock strikes 3 p.m., the all-you-can-drink option begins to take over. First, pour yourself a cold draft beer into a mug after your bath, and head leisurely to the hotel bar or footbath terrace. The ice-cold sip blends seamlessly into the natural surroundings of Tokachi. At dinner, a variety of drinks, including wine, highballs, shochu, and sake, go well with the meat dishes, enhancing the flavor of the Shihoro beef BBQ and five-tiered yakiniku course. For six hours until 9 p.m., you can drink as much as you like without worrying about using vending machines or the bar, and your wallet will be stress-free. Hot springs, local beef, and your favorite drinks. Here you can enjoy a luxurious "time to get organized" free from the everyday. #AbsolutelyFreeTravel

As the morning light shines, we head to restaurant Belliore. The variety of Japanese side dishes lined up in small bowls catches our eye. The freshly fried Shihoro croquettes have a fantastic soft potato texture. Other popular dishes include the Shihoro beef dashi curry and the customizable Hokkaido dashi chazuke. There's even a salad and drink bar, and the time we spend choosing little by little makes everything more comfortable. It's a truly relaxing morning. #AbsolutelyFreeTravel

After taking a break in the hot spring at night, we head to the Shihoro Onsen Plaza Midorikaze. As we enter the restaurant "Belliore," we are greeted by the night view of Tokachi reflected through the curtains. The meal starts with small appetizers of salmon, scallops, and sanshozuke pickles, which feature local ingredients, and then the "5-tiered Shihoro beef bento" is served. The bento is filled with a variety of meats, including three kinds of beef tongue, grilled Shihoro beef shabu-shabu, kalbi, and lamb, and the red meat and umami spread throughout the mouth. The meal ends with a refreshing ice cream finish. It was a heart-filling moment, where the local bounty and the aftertaste of the hot springs come together. #AbsolutelyFreeTrip

Shihoro Onsen Plaza Ryokufu, standing in the sunlight filtering through the trees, is an all-weather hot spring facility attached to a roadside station. When you dip your hands in the bath, the amber-colored botanical moor hot spring gently envelops your skin as if it were hugging it. If you immerse yourself in the bubbling jacuzzi or reclining bath and head to the open-air bath surrounded by trees, you can catch a glimpse of wild squirrels playing. You can also experience being enveloped in a cloud with the nano-mist "beauty bath." Your body will warm to the core, and your skin will be moisturized and smooth after the bath. Whether you're visiting for the day or staying overnight, it's a blissful moment where your mind and body will relax in the nature and healing that is unique to Tokachi. Every time you take a deep breath, the time you spend in the hot spring in harmony with nature will be engraved in your mind. #AbsolutelyFreeTrip