Jozankei Daiichi Hotel Suizantei

Beside the Toyohira River in Jozankei Onsen, a hot-spring village tucked 60 kilometres south of central Sapporo, Suizantei occupies a five-star ryokan-style property where river-facing rooms track the seasonal foliage — blazing maples in October, snow-laden birch through February.

The hotel draws onsen visitors making the 90-minute bus connection from Sapporo's Makomanai subway terminal, a route that eliminates the need to rent a car. Free parking is available for those who drive in from New Chitose Airport instead. Breakfast here carries its own reputation locally — a formal kaiseki-influenced spread rather than a buffet afterthought.

Check-in opens at 15:00, giving guests time to reach the village before dark in winter months when Jozankei's valley light fades early.