Hana Momiji Jozankei Review 2026: Sapporo Ryokan Guide

The first stop on my 6-day, 5-night Sapporo adventure was the hot spring village of

'Jozankei'

While Jozankei has tons of different ryokans,

I chose the most reasonably priced one,

'Hana Momiji'.

✅ Check-in: 3:00 PM / Check-out: 10:00 AM

✅ Room Type: Economy Japanese Style Room

✅ Bath tax of 150 JPY per person is extra

Based on my stay on February 10, 2025,

I booked a room on Agoda including breakfast and dinner for ~$250,

and after applying cashback, the actual cost was around ~$205.

There are quite a few ways to get to Jozankei,

but we chose the most budget-friendly combo:

the free shuttle bus + Kappa Liner.

In this post, I'll break down the entire booking and travel process

for both the shuttle bus and the Kappa Liner in detail,

so even first-timers won't get lost!

How to Use the Jozankei Free Shuttle Bus

The free shuttle bus operated by Hana Momiji is

only available by reservation.

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JR Sapporo Station North Exit 'Group Bus Terminal'

"Momiji" means maple leaf in Japanese, so the bus has maple leaves painted on it.

It's super easy to spot!

📌 Operating Hours

Sapporo Station → Hana Momiji: Departs at 15:00

Hana Momiji → Sapporo Station: Departs at 10:00

(Takes about 60 minutes)

No reservations allowed if fully booked or on bus holidays

The booking page supports English and other languages,

and reservations can only be made under the name of the main guest who booked the stay,

so make sure to double-check this!

Since it's a free bus, the competition for booking is fierce.

Make sure to book the bus as soon as you confirm your hotel reservation!

How to Book and Use the Kappa Liner

(A must-know if you miss out on the free shuttle!)

Since the shuttle bus wasn't running on our checkout day,

we took the Kappa Liner on our way back.

This is also a great option if you couldn't book the free shuttle,

or if you only need a one-way trip like us.

The Kappa Liner booking page also supports English, so it's super easy to navigate.

First, select Round Trip/One-Way → Choose number of passengers.

Select your travel date and time, then move on to the next step.

Keep in mind that bookings open one month prior to your travel date.

✅ Recommended stop for Hana Momiji guests:

'Jozankei Yunomachi'

→ It's just a 1-minute walk from the ryokan.

On your way back to Sapporo,

you can choose to get off at either Sapporo Station or Susukino.

I logged in with my Google account and paid by credit card,

and my Travel Wallet card worked perfectly without any issues.

Once the payment is complete, your PDF boarding pass will be emailed to you.

Make sure to print it out and bring it along!

Room Review & Amenities

The Japanese-style room we stayed in

is the smallest room type at Hanamomiji, but

it was so much more spacious than a typical business hotel,

making us super happy with our choice.

Even with our four large suitcases, we had plenty of room to spare!

Since we spent all our time at the hot springs and the public baths,

we didn't end up using our in-room shower even once.

However, because the bathroom and toilet are completely separate, it's super convenient for families

traveling together so you don't get in each other's way.

Hanamomiji Private Bath: Tennoyu

Next up: the private bath 'Tennoyu' which we booked in advance!

While you can always use the public bath on the 2nd floor, we wanted a cozy, private

experience, so we made a reservation beforehand.

Hanamomiji offers a total of three guest-only private baths

(Tennoyu, Maruyu, and Kakuyu),

and they all cost 2,200 yen for a 1-hour session.

You pay for the private bath at checkout (cards accepted! 💳)

​

Booking is super simple.

Just follow the steps: Select Date → Select Time.

Since the highly popular Tennoyu fills up really fast,

if you are planning to use a private bath, I highly recommend booking it

right after you secure your room reservation!

Inside the private bath, they have everything you need—from shampoo and body wash

to a hair dryer, toner, and lotion.

We visited the public bath the next morning,

and honestly, it was so wonderful on its own that booking a private bath isn't absolutely necessary.

So keep in mind, a private bath booking is a great bonus, but not a mandatory must-do!

Honest Review of the Kaiseki Dinner

And now, for the part I was most curious about: the Kaiseki dinner!

The reviews online were pretty mixed.

As someone who isn't a huge fan of seafood,

I found many dishes to be a bit too fishy, so I barely touched those plates.

I heard you can upgrade your Kaiseki course,

and looking back, I kind of wish I had done that!

In the end, we just had a light bite and finished off the night

with cup noodles and fried chicken we grabbed from Seicomart.

The convenience store was a bit of a walk, but strolling through the falling snow

was so pretty that it actually turned into a highlight! 💕

If you want to enjoy a relaxing winter getaway in a snowy hot spring town,

Jozankei Hanamomiji is absolutely worth

visiting at least once.

With great value, amazing hot springs, and cozy rooms,

it made for an overall wonderful, satisfying stay.

With great amenities like game facilities and a bar,

it’s a fantastic place to stay even if you're traveling with kids.

Excellent value for your money

The Kaiseki dinner was a little disappointing

Highly recommended if you want to experience a magical, snow-covered hot spring village