Shikaribetsuko KOTAN

Shikaribetsuko Kotan will be held on the following dates.

Event Date Time January 28, 2023 to March 12, 2023 -

Shikaribetsu is the name of the nearby lake.. but what is Kotan? Kotan is not a Japanese word — rather it is an Ainu word.

The Ainu were a native group of people inhabiting Northern Japan and Hokkaido long before the Yamato people (the people we currently think of as Japanese people) arrived and conquered and subjugated them.

Although they were drive from the homelands, some of their langauge yet persists — the word ‘kotan’ means village. Shikaribetsu Kotan is a beautiful ice village as you will see throughout the rest of this article.

https://youtu.be/hmduLW0hOj8

Since the first Shikaribetsu Kotan over 30 years ago, the Ice Bar has been one of the main attractions. Everything from the building to the interior to the furniture is made of snow and ice, and the shape of the ice bar changes every year so you can experience a completely different layout each time you visit.

Visitable hours Beverage sales hours 09:00-20:00 *You must present your season pass when entering 10:00-18:00 *Last order: 17:30

At the ice bar, you can made a glass out of a block of ice and drink out of it — no need for a drink on the rocks!

Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan has the world's only open air hot spring.

Bathing Times Gender-based Times 09:00〜20:00 *Present season pass when entering Male only: 17:00～18:30 Female only: 18:30～20:00

Snowmobiles run on a dedicated 1km course built on the lake. Ride your snowmobile while enjoying the exhilarating feeling and the majestic scenery that changes as you go.

You can get pulled around on a snow raft by a snowmobile driver. If you want to go slowly, just let the driver know and he will slow down to allow you to enjoy the scenery.

Snowmobile Snow Rafting Fee Adult 3,000 yen、Children 2,000 yen Fee Adults 2,000 yen、Children 1,000 yen Time 9:30 a.m. - around sunset, depending on the weather Time 9:30 a.m. - around sunset, depending on the weather Rules 10 years old or older, no intoxicated participants, no pregnant women Rules 4 years or older, no pregnant women

9:30 a.m. - around sunset *Depending on the weather

https://youtu.be/A60lHzKWe0c

Enjoy stargazing in the true wilderness darkness of the night, unbridled by the light pollution of the city.

Time 19:00-20:00 Fee Adults 4,500 yen、Children 3,000 yen、infant 1,500円、Single Adult 6,600円 Gear ski wear、gloves、hat、thermal underwear Misc. Those who are not feeling well or who are pregnant cannot participate.

<aside> 🌟 This is a limited program for Hotel Feng Shui guests. Non-guests are not allowed to participate.

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Winter in Hokkaido is extremely cold, and the average temperature is below freezing. A thick coat, down jacket, hat, muffler, and gloves are a must. Please also wear warm underwear to protect yourself from the cold.

<aside> 🌟 The road surface is often frozen, so it is difficult to walk unless you wear boots with a good grip. If your shoes don't have such a backing, you can buy and use a "non-slip" slip-on that you wear over your shoes. A pair costs about 1,000 yen each and is sold at JR stations, subway station kiosks, and convenience stores.

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Please see the following map for each venue of Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan.

You can visit the official website here.

If you use public transportation, please use the route bus from JR Obihiro/Shintoku. Since there are only a few buses, we recommend checking the time before going. (https://www.takubus.com/)

If you don't use public transport, you will have to rent a car and drive there yourself.

https://goo.gl/maps/QXPk47TsXgnX4wAu7

Come and enjoy the world’s only outdoor hot spring! Thanks always to loyal readers like yourself — you make what we do possible! Various other unique Hokkaido events will be held in the surrounding area. See below if you want to add any destinatios to your trip!

<aside> 🌟 If there's anything else you'd like to know, let us know in the comments!

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