Niseko's Natural Spring Water

The Niseko area is known across Japan for its crystal clear spring waters. There are a number of spring sources that pour forth fresh, cool water year round and you will often see both locals and tourists alike stopping to get their fill. The best part about all of the Mt Yotei springs is that they are free; you are welcome to fill up on as much of the spring water as you like.

Water springs are points where naturally flowing underground water is pushed up to the surface. There are many kinds of springs and they occur all over the world.

In most cases, underground water is filtered by the earth along its journey and rises to the surface very clean. Due to its purity, spring water is highly valued as a source of drinking water. Of course, each spring will vary in how pure the water is and how much pours forth from the ground—some springs are just a muddy trickle, while others are an endless stream of crystal clear H₂O.

In short, Mt Yotei. It takes between 50 and 100 years for snow melt to filter through the iconic mountain before arriving at one of the many springs throughout Niseko. The snowmelt slowly seeps into the ground and enters underground streams in the Yotei highlands before eventually emerging in one of the springs throughout surrounding lowlands.

Already a popular destination for family outings, Fukidashi Park is the largest Yotei spring in the area with over 80,000 tonnes of water gushing up each day. The expansive park is stunning when it's warm. In spring and summer, the park is filled with the smell of blooming flowers and the sounds of children as they laugh and play. In October, the surrounding forests become an explosion of fiery autumn colours before the leaves fall to the ground.

In addition to clear spring water, you can also pick up fresh local produce and goods, such as potato croquettes, coffee brewed with Fukidashi spring water and delicious soft-serve ice cream.

This is a popular stop for more than just fresh spring water from Yoteizan no Wakimizu. Located just behind the spring water's source is a tofu shop called Wakimizu no Sato.

The shop is just as famous as the spring water and is regularly bustling with lines of guests streaming in and out. Here, the natural spring water is used to make their tofu and their tofu donuts sell out so quickly they need to make regular batches to throughout the day. They cook up an array of more than a dozen different tofu dishes and they offer free samples so you can try before you buy.

This little spring water tap is just across the road from the Niseko Grand Hotel Onsen in the hot spring area between Niseko and Rankoshi Town known as Yu no Sato.

This is the least known of the three springs and is easy to miss. Next time you are planning to soak in an onsen in or around Yu no Sato, be sure to bring a water bottle or two and fill up on some water for the day.