Day Trips from SapporoRoadside Station Mashu Onsen: Free Foot Bath and Strawberry Soft Serve
By Chaporo, a Sapporo local Published 
Quick answers
- A free, source-flowing hot spring foot bath
- Mashu Ruby strawberry soft serve at Cream Dowa; venison burgers at Home Sweet Home
- Tourist information with maps and leaflets in other languages
- 9:00–18:00 (May to October), 9:00–17:00 (November to April); 66 cars
On a drive around Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo you will end up at Roadside Station Mashu Onsen, in the center of Teshikaga. It is close to Lake Mashu, Lake Kussharo and Bihoro Pass, and you can rest, eat and plan in one stop.
The free foot bath
There is a free foot bath fed straight from the hot spring, a nice way to ease your legs after driving.
Tourist information
The information corner has maps and leaflets for Lake Mashu, Lake Kussharo, Lake Akan and the viewpoints around them, including leaflets in other languages, so it is a good place to plan the day.
Food and souvenirs
- Mashu 80% buckwheat soba: stone-ground local buckwheat, a classic souvenir
- Mashu Ruby: a local strawberry grown with geothermal heat, made into jam, sweets and cheese tarts
- Gelato: about 16 flavors at Cream Dowa, a popular ice cream shop from Kawayu
- Venison burger: made with local Ezo deer at Home Sweet Home
I had the Mashu Ruby strawberry soft serve from Cream Dowa: the sweet-tart strawberry goes perfectly with the creamy soft serve.
Hours and parking
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Hours | 9:00–18:00 (May to October); 9:00–17:00 (November to April) |
| Closed | December 30 to January 3 |
| Foot bath | Free |
| Parking | Free, 66 cars (plus 25 extra spaces from early May to October) |
See the Teshikaga tourism page (in Japanese).
Getting there: eastern Hokkaido is a long way from Sapporo (about five hours to Teshikaga by car), so most people fly into Memanbetsu, Kushiro or Nakashibetsu airport and rent a car there. The roadside station is on Route 241 in central Teshikaga.
Near Roadside Station Mashu Onsen
Ryogoku, the soba shop with the original soba ramen, is close by.
Ryogoku: The Original Soba Ramen in TeshikagaA local's guide to Teuchi Soba Ryogoku near Mashu Station in Teshikaga: the original soba ramen (Chinese noodles in soba broth), handmade soba and rice bowls, hours and closing day.
Lake Mashu Observatory No. 1: The Classic View, Parking and the FogA local's guide to Lake Mashu Observatory No. 1 in eastern Hokkaido: the view, the Kamuy Terrace shop, how the three observatories compare, parking and what to do if the lake is in fog.
Lake Mashu, Lake Kussharo and Lake Akan: A Local's Eastern Hokkaido Road TripA two-night road trip around Lake Kussharo, Lake Mashu and Lake Akan to the Kushiro Wetland, from a Sapporo local who drove it: the order that works, what each lake is like, the boat to the marimo, and weather and driving tips.
FAQ about Roadside Station Mashu Onsen
Q1. Is the foot bath free?
Yes.
Q2. What should I eat there?
The Mashu Ruby strawberry soft serve, or a venison burger.
Q3. What are the hours?
9:00 to 18:00 from May to October, 9:00 to 17:00 from November to April.