A Steam Cloaked Healing Retreat − HOTEL KUMOI
Sounkyo
– A Hidden Sanctuary in the Mountains
Clouds hang over sheer cliffs. Mist thickens in the air. Spray rises from waterfalls, and steam curls up from the earth.
This is a sanctuary where nature and mystery intertwine
— once called Kamuy Mintara, “the garden where the gods play,” by the Indigenous Ainu people.
A century ago, the Meiji-era poet Keigetsu Ōmachi gave this place its name: Sounkyo
— a hot spring village nestled at the foot of Mount Daisetsu.
Here, you’ll find a landscape that echoes with the memory of a primordial earth:
towering rock formations, black forests steeped in stillness, and the scent of sulfur rising from deep within the ground.
The wildness of Hokkaido still lives on in this land.
The sound of rushing water. The song of birds. The texture of bark beneath your fingers. The heavy presence of fog.
Embraced by untouched nature, you begin to feel the seasons shift around you.
In this time and space, where your senses awaken one by one — you are held, gently, just as you are.
A Steam Cloaked Healing Retreat
Hotel Kumoi is a Quiet Inn in the Heart of Sounkyo.
And, Hotel Kumoi is a small, time-worn hot spring inn that has quietly stood in Sounkyo for generations —
mended gently, bit by bit, as the years have passed.
We are not a grand ryokan. We may not offer elaborate hospitality or lavish meals.
But what we do offer is simple, wholehearted.
Meals made with the deep blessings of Hokkaido’s soil — humble yet full of honest flavor.
Rich, healing waters drawn straight from the earth — a sulfur spring of rare purity.
And small, tidy rooms, where you can breathe and truly rest.
At the foot of Mount Kurodake, let us welcome you with warmth and care —
as if to a mountain lodge, or a quiet toji retreat.
May your night here be free, slow, and deeply your own.
About the Rooms
Once, Hotel Kumoi had over fifty guest rooms.
With the passing of time, we’ve gently reshaped our way of being — now offering just thirty-three.
Each room remains floored with traditional tatami mats,
preserving the quiet charm of years gone by.
They are simple, modest in size, and intentionally unadorned.
While we do not offer modern luxuries, you’ll find thoughtful companions for your stay :
a carefully curated selection of books, a warm cup of herbal tea before bed,
and the stillness to truly unwind.
Step away from the rush of travel, and find a moment of calm
— a space to return to yourself, in both body and spirit.
The Story of Our Hot Spring
In earlier times, settlers from Hokkaido’s Tokachi region would travel to Sounkyo
during the winter off-season, seeking rest and recovery through toji — traditional hot spring healing.
The waters of Hotel Kumoi Onsen, rich in the quiet power of Hokkaido’s land,
are a rare find even in Japan : a 100% free-flowing, natural sulfur spring of exceptional quality.
With its mildly alkaline properties, the spring is known for its soft, silky feel.
It helps smooth rough or dull skin and is often called a “beautifying bath”
for the way it gently enhances clarity and radiance.
Because it is low in irritation, it is safe and soothing for children and those with sensitive skin.
It is also believed to support mental well-being — easing symptoms of nervous tension, insomnia, and low mood. This is not just a place to bathe — but a place to warm the body, quiet the heart, and return to yourself.
Kumoi Dayori - Letters from the Mountains
Rising behind Hotel Kumoi are the grand peaks of the Daisetsuzan Mountain Range
— including Mount Kurodake, and further beyond, Mount Asahidake, the highest summit in Hokkaido.
This vast range stretches across 2,000-meter-class mountains, linking to the Tokachi and Eastern
Daisetsu ranges in the south and east. Together, they form what is often called the roof of Hokkaido.
Daisetsuzan National Park is home to hot springs, waterfalls, alpine lakes, wetlands,
and rare flora and fauna — a living reminder of the ancient breath of the Ice Age.
It is also recognized as one of Japan’s largest and most expansive national parks.
At Hotel Kumoi, we aim to offer not just a stay, but an experience
— one that allows you to feel the solemn, dreamlike atmosphere of Sounkyo,
and to breathe in the presence of untamed, primordial Hokkaido.
Through Kumoi Dayori, we share glimpses of Sounkyo and the Daisetsuzan mountains,
told from the quiet perspective of those who live close to the land.
人若し余に北海道の山水を問えば、
第一に大雪山を挙ぐべし。
次に層雲峡を挙ぐべし。
大雪山は頂上広くして、
お花畑の多き点に於いて、
層雲峡は両崖の高く且つ奇なる点に於いて、
いづれも天下無双。
大町桂月