The charm of the Lake Toya onsen town is that you can enjoy it simply by walking—no car needed. The lakeside promenade, hand baths and foot baths dotted around the streets, souvenir shops, and fireworks over the lake at night. Kamonoya, which runs 11 whole-house rentals in the Lake Toya onsen town, shares the local operator’s way of enjoying a stroll through the onsen town.

What kind of place is the Lake Toya onsen town?

The Lake Toya onsen town spreads along the southern shore of Lake Toya and is one of Hokkaido’s leading hot-spring areas. The hot springs are a gift of Mount Usu’s volcanic activity, and the very setting—embraced by lake and volcano—is this town’s character. Hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops are gathered compactly along the lake, a size you can comfortably walk end to end. Access is about 2 hours by car from New Chitose Airport or Sapporo, and about 20 minutes by bus from JR Toya Station.

Hand baths and foot baths | snacking on hot springs between strolls

A specialty of the onsen-town stroll is the hand baths and foot baths scattered through the streets. Tired from walking? Dip into a foot bath. Passing a shopfront? Warm just your hands. This “snacking on hot springs” is one of the delights of the Lake Toya onsen town.

• They are generally free, and easy to drop into mid-walk.
• If you plan to use a foot bath, carrying a towel is handy.
• Foot baths in the cold season are special. Soaking while watching the snow is a winter pleasure at Lake Toya.

Walk the town collecting hand baths and foot baths like a stamp rally, and you will naturally end up circling the whole onsen town.

The lakeside promenade | walking slowly among sculptures and the lake

On the lake side of the onsen town, a promenade lets you walk while taking in Lake Toya, Nakajima, and the mountains on the far shore. Sculptures from the “Toya Lake Sculpture Park” are dotted along the way, giving it the air of an open-air museum with the lake as its backdrop.

Morning is the best time: fewer visitors, a calm lake surface, and clear air. Leaving your lodging for a 30-minute lakeside walk and returning for breakfast is a privilege only those who stay overnight enjoy. Dusk, when the lake surface takes on color, is beautiful too—perfect for a walk with a camera. We also cover the best views in our Lake Toya viewpoints article.

A day bath and souvenirs | rounding off the walk

Hotels in the onsen town typically accept day visitors for bathing. Some have large baths and open-air baths with lake views, and a soak after working up a sweat on your walk is exceptional. Hours, fees and conditions differ by facility, so please check directly with each one.

For souvenirs, the confections of Wakasaimo Honpo, a long-standing shop in the onsen town, are a classic. Taking a break at the main store while shopping is another pleasure of the onsen-town stroll.

End the evening stroll with the long-run fireworks

The highlight of a Lake Toya onsen-town evening is the Lake Toya Long-run Fireworks Festival. From late April to the end of October, fireworks are launched from the lake for about 20 minutes from around 20:45 every night. Because they are set off from a moving boat, they can be enjoyed from anywhere along the onsen town’s lakeshore.

Stroll down to the lake after dinner, watch the fireworks, and walk back to your lodging. This “walk out to see fireworks” proximity is, we believe, the greatest value of staying in the onsen town. Tips for watching are in our Long-run Fireworks Festival article.

For onsen-town strolling, choose a whole-house rental in the center

All Kamonoya properties are whole-house or whole-unit rentals with full kitchens, so you can relax without meeting other guests. If strolling the onsen town is your goal, a property in the center is by far the most convenient. For couples, Lake Toya Building 1R (sleeps 3, from ¥7,000/night) or Toya Terraced House (sleeps 4, from ¥11,000/night); for families, Toya House (sleeps 8, from ¥24,000/night); for groups, Toya INN-East with its large screen (sleeps 11, from ¥30,000/night). All are within walking distance of the fireworks and the lakeside promenade. See all from the list of properties. For where to buy ingredients and local food tips, see our Lake Toya food guide.

Booking directly through our official site is the best-value official rate, with no agency commission (best-rate guarantee). Check availability here.

FAQ

How long does an onsen-town stroll take?

Just the lakeside promenade plus the hand and foot baths takes about 1–2 hours. Add souvenir shops, a day bath and a café break and you can enjoy a relaxed half-day. Combined with the evening fireworks (about 20 minutes), even an afternoon on your arrival day is plenty.

Where can I take a day bath?

Hotels in the onsen town typically accept day bathers. Hours, fees and conditions vary by facility and season, so please contact each one directly. As Kamonoya’s properties are whole-house rentals, many guests combine them with onsen-hopping.

Can I enjoy an onsen-town stroll in winter too?

Yes. The fireworks season (usually late April to the end of October) is over, but the stillness of the snow-covered lakeside is unique to winter, and the warmth of a foot bath feels all the more welcome. Roads can be slippery, so wear non-slip shoes and dress warmly. Lake Toya is also a convenient winter base for ski trips—see our winter ski base article.