Shinwano Yu @Hotel Akitaya

Shinwano Yu is the day-use bathing complex of Hotel Akitaya, a short drive from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station. Two separate onsen sources feed the baths: an alkaline water that runs clear and faintly gold, and a sodium-chloride water that comes out lightly cloudy and salty on the skin. Between the indoor hall and the outdoor area there are several tubs at different temperatures, a jet bath, a standing waterfall bath, and both a high-temperature and a lower-temperature sauna, plus a cold plunge. Soap and shampoo aren't provided at the wash stations, so bring your own. It reads as a working local bathhouse rather than a resort: plain fittings, a big parking lot, and a restaurant and rest area attached. Guest rooms are available for those staying over.