Yunokawa Hot Spring has long been associated with legends dating back to the Muromachi period, when its waters were said to cure illness and injury. However, the area did not begin to develop in earnest until the Meiji era.
During the Battle of Hakodate, a field hospital for the shogunate forces stationed in Goryokaku was established here. It is said that Enomoto Takeaki, one of the commanders, was dissatisfied with the relatively low temperature of the water and remarked, “If we dig deeper, we are sure to find hotter water.”
Inspired by this account, a local businessman named Tosuke Ishikawa, who specialized in well drilling, followed faint plumes of steam rising from the ground and successfully discovered a hot spring with a temperature exceeding 100 degrees Celsius.
Soon after, additional hot springs were found, and the area quickly developed into a lively hot spring town lined with inns and shops.
Today, more than 20 hotels and traditional inns welcome approximately 1.3 million overnight guests each year—about half of all visitors staying in Hakodate.
The area is also known for its easily accessible footbaths, scenic viewpoints overlooking the Tsugaru Strait, and a tropical botanical garden.
In particular, the tropical botanical garden is especially popular from December through Golden Week in May, when visitors can see Japanese macaques relaxing in the hot springs.
As the monkeys soak and unwind, visitors often find themselves equally relaxed, making for a truly warm and memorable experience.