北海道の地獄谷:登別の温泉、鬼門、そしてグルメ

Welcome to Hell Valley in Noboribetsu, 
Hokkaido. This tiny town is Japan’s hottest and coolest onsen destination. 
It is packed with amazing nature, hiking, delicious unique foods, fun activities, and 
some surprises that you do not want to miss. So make sure to stick around to the end so you 
can get the most out of your next trip here. Right now we are walking on the elevated 
path over Jigokudani, or Hell Valley. This amazing crater was formed over a thousand 
years ago by an explosion at Mount Kuttara, and it is just stunning. The colors of the rocks, 
the way you can see that sulfur steam rising up, and the smell in the air—it really is kind of 
overpowering at times, but when you look out at these rocks and the green and the mountains around 
you, it’s just so beautiful. Pretty special, right? It’s just so impressive what nature can do.
And I mentioned that this is an onsen town, and that means a sauna town. For those of you 
that are not Japanese, this hot water we were just seeing there actually gets pumped into 
the local hotels that are throughout the town. And there is a hotel right here, the Takimotokan. 
And I’ve been to about five different onsens here, but this one is the absolute best. It’s the 
most expensive at 2,500 yen for a day pass, but if you go after 4:00, you can get in for 1,700.
And the facilities that they offer are amazing. When you walk in, they have these 30-foot 
ceilings with glass windows that look down over the valley. They have five different types 
of onsens there. There’s 10 in Japan—I didn’t know that—but they have five. It’s salt water, 
fresh water. They have hot, cold, waterfalls, steam rooms, and the best part is that outside 
they have an open-air one where you sit in this big round pool that is surrounded by these 
big pillars, and the air is cool. You can get a beer and sit and drink it. And you’re actually 
looking up at the forest, and then this family of deer came down and just gracefully grazed right 
there 20 feet away. And it was one of the most peaceful moments that I have ever had. And I will 
always hold it dearly in my heart. Unfortunately, you can’t film inside because everyone is naked. 
But I’m just going to tell you so when you come here, you can go and check it out for yourself.
Right now, we are going to go and take a little hike over to some more beautiful natural 
formations like a giant blue boiling pool with a volcano behind it. So let’s hit the 
trail, and I’ll see you when we get there. And all along the trails here, they have these 
really nice signs that tell you where you’re going, where you are, and the actual distance 
and amount of time it will take you to walk at a moderate pace. Of course, Japan, you are so 
precise, and I love that. But what I really love is this sign right here that says, “Beware 
of forest fires.” What are the quotes for? I don’t get it. Are we not in a forest? Can 
there not be a fire? I don’t know. Anyway, our destination is just a little bit ahead 
around the corner. I’ll see you there. Wow, look at that view. And the sun came out. 
We got some blue skies. This is Lake Oyunuma, and it is a kilometer across, which makes 
it one of the largest and rarest hot lakes in the world. You can see the black water down 
there and the steam bubbling up. This comes from the 150°C sulfur vents at the bottom that are 
bubbling up and making the surface around 50°C. There is an active volcano on the left right here 
which is responsible for this whole area and even those steam vents that are coming out of the 
side of the mountain here. Down on the right is this beautiful blue lake that you can take 
a hike down the trail here to get an up-close look at. And this lake right here feeds into the 
Oyunuma natural foot baths where you can go down in the woods, put your feet in the water, 
and just relax in nature, which is amazing. But this visit to Hell has made me pretty 
hungry. So let’s head back into town, grab some food, and check it out together.
So when you’re done at the foot baths, you just walk over this bridge, and you come 
out on the road here where they have a free red shuttle bus that will bring you up into 
town and back to where everything is. Now, I don’t feel like walking uphill right now, 
so I’m just going to wait for the shuttle. But while I do, I wanted to tell you about a 
super fun activity that I did here yesterday, just two bus stops away back towards the town. 
It’s called the Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura, and it is a historical park that has been a 
recreation of a village from the Edo period. So while you’re walking through, it really 
feels like you’re stepping back in time. They have these beautiful lily pad ponds with 
bridges over them, some amazing traditional homes that you can actually go inside and 
see things like how samurai swords are made, and take some really fun photos sitting on a 
horse with a samurai helmet on. It’s very cool. Then back in the actual town itself, they have 
places where you can shoot arrows and throw shuriken. There are ninjas that are popping out. 
They have people that are dressed in traditional clothing walking around. So it really feels like 
you’ve stepped back in time. It’s so cool. They also had some shrines and temples. They had a 
ninja maze that you could go through. Really fun activities. You can even make some little 
souvenirs to bring home with you. And the best part was the live-action shows. They were so much 
fun and really well done. Like the choreography was amazing. The music was so good. And at 
one of the shows that I showed up late for, they picked me to be the shogun for the day. 
So they dressed me up in traditional clothes, put me on stage. I even had a fake bald head 
with hair on the side and a top knot. It was hilarious. And then I got private geisha dances. 
They poured me real sake. I got to play games, and they gave me a few lines to say that the 
crowd thought was hilarious. It’s definitely one of those places that you have to check out 
while you’re here. I went for the entire day, and I feel like it wasn’t enough time. Even on the 
way out, the ninja at the ticket office tried to sneak-attack murder me. And then when I walked out 
in the parking lot, there was a samurai that was teaching the little kids how to use the samurai 
sword. It was just so cool. And on my way out, the ninja was even nice enough to give me a ninja 
farewell. All right, let’s go hop on the bus. Well, we are back in town from our free bus 
ride. And while the town is not very big, it does have some cool things that you can explore 
here. Like right there is the Yuzawa Ginga, which is definitely worth a few minutes of 
exploring. And we couldn’t be in Hell if there weren’t some demons here like we have right 
here. This is the red oni and his friend, the blue oni. And they are the spiritual protectors of the 
area. Okay. So don’t let the clubs and the angry faces fool you. This guy right here, the blue 
oni—he represents calm, healing, and sadness, and he’s more of the kind side of this place. Then 
we have the red oni, and he is fire and passion, strength, and wisdom. And they both are part of 
the folklore here. And I just think it’s so cool that you can find these throughout the city. And 
each one means something completely different. There are love demons. There’s success in business 
demons. There’s success in exam demons. I mean, we’re in Japan, so of course you have to have a 
success-in-exam demon. So we will keep our peepers peeping as we’re walking through town to check 
those out. But right now, right in front of us is a very special spot that I can’t wait to show 
you. I’m just walking up the street in town to show you around. And there’s this gorgeous 
deer just walking in front of me. [Music] Ah, can you smell what the 
onsen is cooking? Shout-out, Rock. Just so you know, I love you, big guy.
And as we’re walking into town, you come to Sengen Park. You can see this steam coming up right here. 
It’s this amazing little place right in the middle of the city with all these demon clubs around 
it. And I guess the locals believe that this is actually a place that is responsible for all 
of the healing properties of the water here. And every two to three hours, this actually erupts. 
And I’m going to head down to it right now because it’s pretty intense. That is a real live geyser.
Wow. I mean, I imagine if Hell had a sound, this 
could be one of the many that it has. Look at that steam coming out. That’s amazing. This 
place is just constantly surprising me. And this little geyser right here is actually responsible 
for a lot of the hot water that’s going into the onsen hotels that we’ll be talking about in 
just a little bit. Boom. Let’s keep going. So, we have made it to town. And behind 
me here is the Takimotokan Sauna Hotel I was telling you about before. It’s 
about 35,000 yen a night to stay there, which is a bit out of my price range, but it 
looks beautiful, and if you can afford it, you should definitely do it. I’m staying down 
in the main town about 15 minutes from here on the bus, and I’m only paying 3,500 a night. 
So it’s 10 times as expensive to stay here, but it looks beautiful. And now we are in town 
where they have so many nice little restaurants, places to go shopping, souvenirs, ice cream, a 
bunch of stuff that we’re going to be trying. But they actually have some of the best 
water in Japan here, which means they have the best vegetables and probably the best meat.
And before we get to the place where we’re going to be having some food, we are passing the 
Enma Shrine. This figure is the god of Hell, and throughout the day, he actually moves and his 
face changes from human to demon. And he lectures you in Japanese about watching your karma. It’s 
really funny and fun and definitely worth a photo or two while you’re here. But let’s keep going. 
They’re known for this very special ramen soup here that’s supposed to be fiery, spicy. So I’m 
going to head down to the shop right now and have a little delicious lunch. All right. All right.
Now, I know we’re going for lunch right now, but I was just walking by the shop right here, and 
they have these sweet potato dumplings with the fake steam coming out. So I couldn’t resist buying 
one for 300 yen, which I’m going to try right here next to the place. Ah, yeah. Let’s do this.
I love all of the unique food they have here. I’ve never seen a sweet potato dumpling like 
this, but I’m going to get into it. Look at that little boy. It is freaking hot. Mmm. It 
has sweet potato and bean paste inside. Wow, that is so good. [Music] And it looks like they 
have some ice cream with fresh honey on top with the honeycomb. So we’ll come back here after our 
little lunch break, enjoy some together. I’m going to finish this up and head to the restaurant.
And as I’m walking through town, there’s even a real demon here. It’s 
hilarious. He looks really scary, actually. Arato. Whoa. That is a real demon.
I love this place. Don’t do it. Ah. The soup is out of stock for customers were 
received. So they’re closed for the day. It’s so good they sold out of soup. But this is it 
right here, the Enma Ramen. Look at that. It’s got chili peppers in it, some pork on top, and 
egg. I’m sorry, guys. You know what? I’m getting that ice cream. I can’t have my soup. I’m doing 
the ice cream. Oh, wow. Come back. Thank you. The soup is closed. They run out of soup. Oh. 
At the ramen—um, um—open is 6. Yeah. 6 p.m. So I have to come back and get ice cream. Oh, okay. 
Thank you. Number one popular—this. I want to do the number one popular honeycomb, please. 
Okay, the 900 yen? Yes, ma’am. Yes, ma’am. All right, you know what? Life gives you 
lemons—get some soft-serve ice cream with honey. We have found our spot with the welcome 
demon of the town. He looks so angry. Hopefully this ice cream cheers him 
up, but look at this. It looks so good. Again, I know in my last few videos I’ve been 
eating the soft-serve here, but it’s simply the best soft-serve that you can get, I would say, 
in the world. I’ve had it all over the place, but the real star of this is right there, and that 
is this beautiful fresh honeycomb. Look at that. It is dripping with delicious honey flavor.
Oh my. Wow. So good. So sweet. I got a little cookie in here, too. Okay. Well, Hokkaido actually 
is also known for their wasabi, so they make some very special treats here you can only find here 
in Noboribetsu. So I’m going to go and grab a few at the shop. We’ll head over to that ropeway and 
head up to the top for a great view, some snacks, and just enjoy the rest of our time here.
I think it’s about 1,230 m, so almost a mile it’s going to take us over. And it only takes about 9 
minutes. But man, these views are beautiful. And I don’t know if I mentioned this already, but 
I’m not actually alone in here. They gave me a very cool friend just for me. Each one of the cars 
comes with their own bear in it. And you can only go in your own group, so they don’t actually match 
people together. It’s just you, or you and your girlfriend, or you and your friends—whatever 
it is—which is pretty nice, you know. So while we’re on here, I wanted to mention that 
wasabi that I was talking about on the way here. Now, I got some snacks, but last night I went 
to a very special restaurant called Astra Pizza, and their specialty is Wasabi Pizza. They make 
it in a volcanic rock oven with local volcanic rocks. All of the vegetables and cheese are 
from Noboribetsu. And it had some salmon on it, which comes from the next town over. So everything 
is local. And the reason why I say Wasabi Pizza is that they come out and actually grate fresh 
wasabi right at the tableside—I’ve never seen that before—and give you a little cup of it that 
you can smear on as you go along. Some of the best pizza I’ve had in years. And I washed it all 
down with a local Noboribetsu beer that just brought it all together. So definitely check 
it out when you come here. They’re only open, I think, from 11 until 3:00 and then from 5 
until 9:00. So I missed the window right now, but I am definitely going back for dinner after we 
finish our day together. And we are almost there. So get ready for some very cool fun. All right.
Oh my goodness. They have baby bears right here. They are so cute. Check it out. These bears look 
so happy playing together. I love this. [Music] Row, row, row your boat gently through Japan.
So in addition to the bears, they also have a little replica of an indigenous village from 
the original people of Hokkaido. And there’s not a lot to it. It’s just a few buildings. And 
the one I’m in right now is where the museum is. But they have some really interesting pieces 
that really show you the history of the area, and understanding the history of a place makes 
it that much more special. So I’m glad I came down here—or up here. And now we are going to 
head over and get that amazing view I’ve been promising you and have some of those snacks.
All right, we’ve made it up to the roof to get that view. But just from where I’m standing 
right now, I’m pretty sure we’re not going to have it. We are actually above the clouds, 
and it’s beautiful. But being above the clouds means you can’t see through the clouds. I can 
see a little mountaintop right there. And I see some shimmering right down there, which could 
be the lake. But I think we’re out of luck for that. First the soup. Now the view. You know 
what? It’s all good. We still have our snacks, and no one can take those away from us. So let’s 
go find a good spot to enjoy them together. Okay, I found a spot right next to the bears. And 
we have a few treats to try. There is this—they’re like wasabi Bugles is what the lady told me. We 
have some very famous wasabi pickles. This is something you can only find here in Noboribetsu. 
And then these last two might be a little non-PC. I’m eating some venison that is done in soy 
sauce. So we saw all those beautiful deer today, and now I’m going to eat them. And the last one 
is definitely questionable, but I had to get it. I’ve never had this before. It’s bear. So let’s 
jump into this. Ooh, and I’m going to wash it all down with a local Noboribetsu beer that 
won the craft beer in Japan contest in 2012. Okay, let’s start with the pickles ‘cause I’ve 
been waiting to try these. I have no idea how to open them, so I’m just going to tear it. 
Oh, yeah. Ooh, look at that. They actually use the wasabi root, and they pickle it with it.
M. They’re spicy but also sweet at the same time. I really like that. One more. 
One more for good measure. Mhm. Okay, I’m going to do two more. Okay, now next let’s 
jump into the venison. And I brought my own chopsticks because I’m a pro. All right.
Kind of looks like dog food, but you know what? I don’t judge from how it looks.
Let us see what we got in here. A nice big piece of venison. I—oh, that is a big piece of 
venison. Look at that venison meat. And hopefully it’s a happy Hokkaido deer. Wow, that is so good. 
Tastes like teriyaki. And save some more for that later. We’re going to save the bear. But for 
right now, let’s get into our wasabi Bugles. Right there—wasabi Bugles. M. They’re spicy and 
sweet and crunchy. You can hear the crunch. That’s really good. All right, let’s move on to the bear,
which also comes in a nice little can. I’m sorry, guys. Now, the bear is looking at me 
sad over there. Has anyone else had bear? Leave me a comment down below and 
let me know. But look at that bear. M— m. That’s very good. Trying to think of what it 
compares to. It’s almost like a fresh jerky but way sweeter. So good. Oh, there’s a big one in 
there. Look at that guy. Bear meat. I love it. And nothing washes down bear like a local beer. 
Oh, that is not a— that’s not a twist top. [Music] See if we can get this open. Of course we can—
premium beer from Noboribetsu. Mmmmmmmmm
Wow. I mean it just complements the bear so well. I guess it does it BEARY well. 
But yeah, it’s almost like a black and tan. And they had other kinds of the premium craft beer 
from Noboribetsu, but I went with the one that won the awards. So, what a day. I feel like we did 
so much fun stuff. And, you know, being able to go and see Hell Valley up close, to go on a hike 
through the woods, to show you the ninjas and the samurai—that was definitely my favorite of all 
of my time here. Thank you so, so much for being here with me. If you enjoyed this video, please 
give me a big thumbs up, comment, subscribe, and don’t forget to DLING DLING DLING DLING the 
Noboribetsu. And it’s after 5 right now, so I’m going to be heading over to that sauna to just 
relax for 1,700 yen. I will see you next week.

This is Japans Hot Spring town from HELL! Step inside Hokkaido’s Hell Valley (Jigokudani) — a volcanic wonderland of steaming craters, bubbling lakes, and world-famous onsen hot springs in Noboribetsu, Japan. This video is your full guide to one of Hokkaido’s most dramatic destinations: hiking through sulfur vents, relaxing in onsens, exploring samurai villages, spotting demons, visiting the famous Noboribetsu Bear Park, and eating some of the wildest food you’ll ever find in Japan.

What’s Inside:

-Walk the trails of Hell Valley (Jigokudani) with steaming vents, volcanic rocks, and surreal landscapes

-Soak in the legendary Takimotokan Onsen with indoor/outdoor baths, saltwater and freshwater pools, waterfalls, and forest views

-Visit Lake Oyunuma, a rare 1-km hot lake heated by 150°C sulfur vents, plus tranquil natural foot baths in the woods

-Explore Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura, an Edo-period samurai and ninja theme park with geisha shows, sword demos, and live-action performances

-Discover the town’s famous oni demons and the animated Enma Shrine

-Ride the Noboribetsu Ropeway up the mountain to the Noboribetsu Bear Park” (登別クマ牧場), home to playful Hokkaido brown bears, panoramic views, and cultural exhibits

-Local food you can’t miss: fiery Enma Ramen, sweet potato dumplings, honeycomb soft-serve, wasabi pizza, wasabi pickles, venison, and even Hokkaido bear — all washed down with award-winning Noboribetsu craft beer

This is the complete Noboribetsu experience — volcanic landscapes, hot springs, bear park, cultural adventures, and food you won’t believe until you try it. Perfect for planning your Hokkaido trip or diving into one of Japan’s most unique destinations.

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22 Comments

  1. Hey there Country Collectors! Hell Valley lived up to its name — sulfur steam, wild landscapes, onsens, demons, samurai, bears, and some of the craziest food I’ve ever tried 🍜🐻🔥

    If you were here in Noboribetsu, what would you do first: soak in the onsen, explore the Samurai Village, meet the bears, or dive straight into the ramen?

    Drop your answer below 👇 and let’s see what everyone would choose!

    ✈ Planning your own trip to Japan? Here are some tools I used and loved:

    👉 Klook App – I use this to book excursions & activities
💥 Use code THECOUNTRYCOLLECTORS for 10% off your first booking
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📲 Download here: https://tinyurl.com/35pczx7a

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    Thanks for being here! You are what makes this amazing adventure possible!

  2. 動画の更新を楽しみに待ってました!
    今回は登別に行ったのですね☺
    北海道に住んでいても知らない情報がたくさんありました。
    素敵な動画をありがとうございます💕

  3. So many local foods🤤 Wasabi snacks, wasabi pizza, bear meat?! etc….. wanna taste it👅

  4. Love this video. I love every single of your videos in Japan, please keep filming more local places in Japan…. 🎉 the ice cream, the park, the locals.

  5. This is your best Japan video so far! Loved the landscape, the ninjas, the demons, the bears, the deer just walking down the street. So cool! Food looked awesome too. I want to try Wasabi bugles, pickles and pizza, but that honeycomb ice cream was my favorite. Thanks for showing a place I never knew about.

  6. please correct me if i am wrong, where are the locals to hang out with ? do Japanese people have social time ? do they go out drinking and dance and have fun this way.. looks like your most of the time alone , what is nothing wrong with, but your Thailand videos have always been having fun with locals, thanks for the amazing video once again ! its beary intresting !

  7. Hey Bud.. Looks great.. id love those wasabi Bugles.. love deer meat. Bear i dont think ive had. Great vid.. thanks -Fred

  8. Wow! Truly an amazing place. Who can resist ninjas & samurai?
    Thank you for introducing us to this gem. The world is such an amazing place.
    The geyser reminds me of Old Faithful. My daughter & her friend were totally gob smacked by the idea of a geyser.
    I love cloud forests. It's such a surreal thing to be above the clouds and not being in a plane.
    As for the venison and bear in a can, we ate moose & rabbit meat all the time when I was growing up in NL, CAN. At some point, my mom learned to can salmon and moose meat so, both seasons were extended. We hated it! Lol! We used to be able to look forward to end of salmon season and, lobster season. By the end of both those seasons, we were done! Now, I seldom eat salmon or lobster & never eat moose or rabbit.
    Hope you enjoyed your picnic.

  9. Definitely not the prettiest place…. Black water??? A lot to do… active volcano?? Yikes… you need to go back to Thailand… volcanos, tsunamis… demons..stepping back in time is cool… Mr. Japan… cool.. loved your costume…. Love the sauna hotel… just too expensive!! I think I’d like a sweet potato dumpling… the ice cream looks delicious!!! Yum honey comb!!! Not a fan of the venison… or bear….or wasabi… Well another great video… thanks for sharing!!! ❤️

  10. Argh! I always get so hungry watching your videos Adam! I may come and join you xxx And Molly just asked "do you get to keep the purple bear from the cable car?"….. and of course loved the baby bears. Evelyn would be all in for the food there too. WE may come and join you.

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