Outdoor Hot Spring Baths
Visitors to Shiretoko have the opportunity to bathe outdoors in some rugged and unusual locations. Kuma no Yu outdoor hot spring bath—named after the bears (kuma) that live in the forest—is set in thick forest at the base of Mt. Rausu. Baths on the Nemuro Strait’s rocky shore offer opportunities to gaze upon the ocean while relaxing in therapeutic waters.
Kuma no Yu outdoor hot spring bath
This outdoor wooden bath in the Shiretoko forest is separated with a wooden divide for gender-segregated bathing. There are basic changing facilities. It is located across the road from the Yunosawa trailhead to Mt. Rausu (1,661 m), making it an excellent spot to relax after hiking Shiretoko’s highest peak.
Aidomari outdoor hot spring bath
This large bath is located on the rocky shoreline overlooking the Nemuro Strait. During the bathing season (late-May to mid-September), bathers will find a tent-like awning over the bath and a screen for gender-segregated bathing (swimsuits cannot be worn during these periods). At other times of the year, there is no awning or separation, and swimsuits are permitted.
Seseki outdoor hot spring bath
These two rock-pool baths are located in the shallows of the Nemuro Strait, a 10-minute walk down the coast from the Aidomari outdoor bath. Bathing here requires knowledge of the tidal forecast as the bathing pools only emerge at low tide; at high tide, they are completely submerged. The baths are only accessible between early July and late September and there are no changing facilities.