Ryokan, Lake Shikotsu
Ao no Za
Ao no Za is a ryokan of suites on the shore of Lake Shikotsu, an hour from New Chitose Airport, every suite over a hundred square metres with its own open-air onsen facing the lake.
the room
The rooms
The suites are modern Japanese, in dark stone, oak and the deep blue that gives the ryokan its name, with sofas to the lake, low beds and a terrace onsen in stone; the largest add a dining table for a party together.
to unwind
The onsen and the spa
Every suite has its own open-air onsen on the terrace, the lake beyond the rail. The ryokan adds shared baths, a spa for treatments and a lounge round a fire.
the table
Dining
Dinner is a kaiseki of Hokkaido's sea and fields, plated with care, and on our tours the last evening of The Wild North Tour of Hokkaido is a farewell dinner here, in our own dining room.
the setting
Lake Shikotsu
Lake Shikotsu fills a caldera south of Sapporo, deep and still and among the clearest lakes in Japan, ringed by forest and three volcanoes. The ryokan stands above the small onsen town on its eastern shore.
A jetty reaches out from the lakeshore, forest paths lead away from the door, and the peaks of Eniwa and Tarumae stand across the water.
Our guide to Lake ShikotsuEvery hotel in Hokkaido
NearbyMizu no UtaTakinoyaSapporo Grand HotelJozankei Tsuruga Mori no Uta
our tours here
The tours that stay at Ao no Za
- SpringThe Cherry Blossom Tour of HokkaidoNights 8 to 9 here28 April to 10 May 2027See the journey
- SummerThe Summer Tour of HokkaidoNights 3 to 4 here25 June to 6 July 2027, or 11 to 22 July 2027See the journey
- SummerThe Wild North Tour of HokkaidoNights 8 to 10 here27 July to 6 August 2027See the journey
questions
Questions about Ao no Za
Where is Ao no Za?
On the eastern shore of Lake Shikotsu, south of Sapporo, about an hour by car from New Chitose Airport.
Which of your tours stay at Ao no Za?
The Cherry Blossom Tour of Hokkaido, The Summer Tour of Hokkaido and The Wild North Tour of Hokkaido stay here.
Does every suite at Ao no Za have an onsen?
Yes. Every suite carries its own open-air onsen on the terrace, facing the lake, and the ryokan adds shared baths and a spa.
Can Ao no Za be part of a private journey?
Yes. Beyond the tours that stay here, a Custom Tour of Japan can include Ao no Za on dates of your own, created around your party alone. The Expert Japan Itinerary is a journey planned to the day by us, travelled at your own pace.
Ao no Za, with us.
Tell us the dates you have in mind, or the tour that caught your eye, and we will answer with the journey that brings you to Ao no Za.