Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei

Yugokorotei is the late option on the Annupuri side. Day visitors can come in from six in the morning until midnight, with last entry at eleven, so there's time to eat dinner in Hirafu and still drive over for a long soak before bed.

The spring comes up at 49°C from the southern foot of the Niseko range and runs into every tub without being recycled. It's a sodium bicarbonate water with sulphate and salt, and the hotel rates it as a concentrated water that stays kind to skin. A gentle slope leads you down to the outdoor bath, where the water has a thick, soft feel.

From December through March day entry costs ¥1,800. If you book ahead, the front desk does a dinner set with rental towels for ¥3,800. Look up the cleaning days before a morning visit, because on those days the baths open at four in the afternoon.