CityBuddy
Noboribetsu Jigokudani (Hell Valley)
Best time to visit
Visit early morning or late afternoon for softer light and fewer visitors, especially on weekends. Winter offers dramatic steam-over-snow scenes, but temperatures are much colder so dress warmly.
Budget tips
Main walking areas are free, small charges apply for footbaths, the bear park and the ropeway; bring cash for stalls selling onsen eggs. Save by combining the trip with a JR Hokkaido rail pass or a regional bus day pass.
Recommended for
Photography enthusiasts, Geology and nature lovers, Onsen fans, Day trippers
Plan your visit
1-2 hours
About
Snabba fakta: Steam rises from boiling vents and paints the air with a sharp sulfur tang, while rocky ravines and bubbling mud pools create an otherworldly landscape. Wooden boardwalks thread over fumaroles and hot streams, and near some vents water temperatures top 100°C so you can actually feel the heat rising underfoot.
Höjdpunkter: Yellow sulfur crystals and streaks of iron-oxide color the cliffs, and from higher viewpoints you can spot more than twenty steam vents clustering like a miniature smoking city. Local stalls sell steamed eggs warmed by the valley's heat for about ¥150 each, the shells often stained and the yolks creamy with a faint sulfur aroma that people tuck into between viewpoints.
Insider tips
- Wear sturdy, non-slip shoes and windproof layers, sulfur smell can be strong so limit time near vents.
- Best photos come from the main observation deck near the ropeway and the riverside path below the fumaroles, aim for early morning or golden hour.
- Avoid midday on weekends when coach groups arrive, go at opening or late afternoon to dodge crowds.
- Skip long souvenir queues at the car park and buy snacks or onsen eggs from smaller stalls closer to the thermal streams.
Klicka för att boka en GRATIS guidad tur i Hokkaido, Japan
Det bästa sättet att uppleva en stad med en lokal guide.
Tip: We strongly recommend a free walking tour on your first day to get to know the city with a local guide. They usually cover all main attractions and you can ask for personal recommendations based on your interests for the next days. Book early as spaces fill up fast!
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