Sapporo: Jozankei Onsen Walk with Temple & Cave Visit

Jozankei Shrine is a peaceful Shinto shrine founded in the early 20th century, where locals come to pray for health, safe travels, and prosperity. Surrounded by seasonal foliage, it represents the spiritual heart of the hot spring valley and offers visitors a quiet moment of reflection at the start of their journey.

Jozan Temple is closely linked to Mizumi Jōzan, the ascetic monk who developed Jozankei in the 19th century. Inside the temple’s main hall and treasure house, you will find his wooden statue, handwritten letters, and artifacts that reveal his life and vision. This temple allows visitors to understand how a single monk’s faith and determination gave birth to the hot spring town.

Jozan Gensen Park, established in 2005 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Mizumi Jōzan’s birth, is a symbolic place where history and hot spring culture meet. The park features his bronze statue, natural hot spring foot baths, and the chance to boil eggs in the steaming mineral water. It is a casual and fun way to experience the living traditions of Jozankei.

Jozankei Onsen, often called “Sapporo’s back parlor,” was founded in 1866 by Mizumi Jōzan. Located within Shikotsu-Toya National Park, the town stretches along the Toyohira River. Its sodium-chloride hot springs are said to warm the body to the core, and the town itself—with ryokan, free foot baths, and riverside promenades—reflects the Japanese way of combining health, leisure, and community.

Iwato Kannon Hall is a small Buddhist hall built against the rock face, dedicated to Kannon, the deity of compassion. Behind the hall lies a natural cave that visitors can actually enter. Walking into the dim cavern lined with statues and offerings is a rare and special experience—part temple visit, part spiritual adventure—that connects faith, nature, and mystery in one unforgettable moment.