Road Station Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen

Road Station Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen opened as a roadside station on December 8, 2016 and was reorganized as an official roadside station in July 2020. Located in Otofuke, Kato District, Hokkaido, this complex facility sits at the heart of the famous Tokachigawa Onsen hot spring resort area.

The facility centers around the region's rare moor hot springs, a unique type of botanical spring that has been designated as a Hokkaido Heritage Site in 2004. These springs were first opened in 1900 when the Tokachi Plain was a wetland abundant in peat and sediment. The hot spring water emerges through layers of lignite formed from ancient plant deposits at temperatures of 55-60 degrees Celsius from 500-700 meters underground. The water contains high levels of organic plant matter and humic acid, giving it a distinctive amber-brown color and creating moisturizing effects that have earned it the nickname "beauty bathwater." When moor springs were first recognized globally, only two locations existed: Tokachigawa Onsen and Baden-Baden in Germany.

The spa facility at Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen departs from traditional onsen customs by allowing mixed-gender bathing where visitors must wear swimwear. The complex features both indoor and outdoor pools, including a moor mist sauna that uses the spring water. Built on the site of a former hotel, the facility is set within garden surroundings and offers a family-friendly bathing experience. Beyond the spa, the roadside station includes four restaurants serving dishes made with local Tokachi ingredients, a market selling fresh produce and souvenirs, and craft workshops where visitors can create handmade goods or participate in ice cream and cheese-making activities.

From JR Obihiro Station, visitors can reach the facility by bus in approximately 35 minutes, getting off at the "Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen" stop. By car, the journey takes 20 minutes from Obihiro Station or approximately 25 minutes from Doto Expressway Otofuke Obihiro Interchange. For those traveling from Sapporo, the drive takes roughly 3 hours 20 minutes. Admission to the spa costs ¥1,500 for ages 13 and over, ¥600 for ages 4-12, and free for children 3 and under. The admission fee includes towels, swimwear, and basic amenities. The facility is closed on the second Tuesday of every month.