Skip to content
Michi-no-Eki JournalMap
Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Hokkaido

Michi-no-Eki Shikabe Geyser Park

道の駅 しかべ間歇泉公園

Watch a geyser, steam seafood in the hot spring vapor, and take home Shikabe tarako at this food-focused roadside station in southern Hokkaido.

Updated Michi-no-Eki JournalRead in Japanese

Illustrative image — not an on-site photograph

Location
Shikabe, Kayabe District
Road
Hokkaido Prefectural Route 43 | Onuma Park–Shikabe Line
Hours
09:00–17:00
Approximate market hours from March 20 to November 30. See the hours section for winter and individual shop hours.
Parking
Cars: 45 / Large vehicles: 6
My stamp

Record this station in your journal

Records are saved in this browser. Visited stations receive a stamp and count towards your nationwide progress.

Nationwide progress
— / 1,238 stations
How to enjoy

Choose how to enjoy your visit

Eat, shop, play, take in the view or rest. Choose from the station’s strengths to suit your day.

See first
Shikabe Geyser and footbath

Admission to the paid area is approximately ¥300 for adults and ¥200 for elementary and junior high school students. Watch one eruption before moving on to the food stalls.

Eat for lunch
Hama no Kaasan Shokudo

Home-style cooking by the women's group of the Shikabe fisheries cooperative. Hours are approximately 11:00–14:00; arrive early for popular seasonal dishes.

Try an activity
Shikabe hot spring steam kitchen

Buy the designated ingredients at the market and register to use the steam kitchen. You cannot bring your own ingredients; adults should handle the steam pots.

What to buy
Shikabe tarako and Shirokuchihama makombu kelp

Chilled foods and processed seafood are the main draws. A cooler bag makes shopping easier if you are driving back toward Hakodate.

Go farther afield
Shikabe Park or the Onuma area

Allow around an hour for the station alone. For a half-day visit, add the park, hot spring district, or Onuma Quasi-National Park.

Shopping notes by 吉見 麦音

Once you see the vapor, you will want to take tarako and kelp home.

Yoshimi (吉見 麦音) sees this station as a place to bring Shikabe food home in the car, as well as to watch the geyser. Start with the vapor, have lunch at Hama no Kaasan Shokudo or the steam kitchen, then choose Shikabe tarako and Shirokuchihama makombu kelp. These local specialties connect sightseeing and shopping, giving even a short stop a sense of Shikabe.

Highlights

Michi-no-Eki Shikabe Geyser Park in Shikabe brings together the Shikabe Geyser, a Hokkaido Heritage site, Shikabe tarako (salted pollock roe), Shirokuchihama makombu kelp, and scallops from the mouth of Funka Bay. Soak your feet while waiting for the geyser to erupt every 10 to 15 minutes, choose seafood in the market, and steam scallops or eggs at the hot spring steam kitchen. For lunch, try Hama no Kaasan Shokudo; for a shorter stop, have soft serve or Shikabe-yaki, then shop for tarako and kelp before leaving. The restaurant, fresh fish, and prepared dishes may sell out or close on irregular days, so leave some flexibility around lunchtime when driving from Hakodate or Onuma.

  • #Shikabe Geyser
  • #Shikabe tarako (salted pollock roe)
  • #Shirokuchihama makombu kelp
  • #Scallops from the mouth of Funka Bay
  • #Hama no Kaasan Shokudo
  • #Hot spring steam kitchen
  • #Footbath
  • #Southern Hokkaido drive
Why I like it

Reasons to stop here

01

Even the wait for the geyser becomes a food experience

The natural Shikabe Geyser erupts about every 10 to 15 minutes. You can wait at the footbath, then steam seafood or eggs at the adjacent hot spring steam kitchen: sightseeing and eating are connected by the same vapor.

02

Tarako and kelp make the market worth visiting

The market focuses on Shikabe seafood products, including Shikabe tarako (salted pollock roe), Shirokuchihama makombu kelp, and scallops from the mouth of Funka Bay. These are useful for meals at home as well as souvenirs.

03

Restaurant, prepared food, and sweets offer options

Hama no Kaasan Shokudo generally serves from 11:00 to 14:00 and closes when ingredients run out. On busy days or after a late arrival, you can switch to Shikabe-yaki, Koita no Okazuya prepared dishes, soft serve, or food to take away from the market.

Route idea

Ways to plan your stop

Spend your time at the station or add somewhere nearby. These ideas help you plan around your companions and the weather.

A lunchtime drive from Hakodate or Onuma

Make the geyser and a seaside lunch the main attractions

On arrival, first enter the paid geyser area and wait for an eruption at the footbath. Then try simmered fish or a tarako set meal at Hama no Kaasan Shokudo, and choose Shikabe tarako and kelp at the market afterward. This is the most direct way to enjoy the station.

Parking → Geyser Park and footbath → Hama no Kaasan Shokudo → Shikabe Food and Specialty Products Hall

The restaurant advises that it does not accept reservations for seats or dishes and closes when ingredients run out. If you will miss lunchtime, consider other snacks as well.

A 60 to 90 minute visit with family or friends

Add a short hot spring steaming experience

Choose scallops, eggs, or a vegetable and meat set at the market and steam them at the hot spring steam kitchen. Waiting and taking the food out yourself makes it more of a travel experience than simply eating it.

Buy ingredients at the market → Register → Hot spring steam kitchen → Eat at the pavilion or a rest area

Adults should handle the steam pots. Keep children away from the vapor and let them watch and enjoy the food instead.

A short break en route to Mori IC or Onuma Park IC

Use the stop for shopping and a break

If time is limited, focus on the toilets, soft serve, and shopping for tarako, kelp, and prepared dishes. In this seafood town, choosing something for dinner or breakfast the next day is reason enough to stop.

24-hour toilets → Soft serve or Shikabe-yaki → Market → Departure

Many items need refrigeration, so do not leave them in a car in summer. Market and shop hours can be shorter in winter.

A southern Hokkaido drive with uncertain weather

Focus on indoor spaces and hot spring vapor on a rainy day

You can enjoy the geyser and footbath while using covered areas, and the market, restaurant, prepared-food shop, and sweets are close together. In rain, the hot spring vapor, shopping, and food can make a satisfying stop without a long outdoor excursion.

Parking → Market → Restaurant or snack → Geyser Park

The ground can be wet, and winter is cold. Bring a towel if you plan to use the footbath.

A day linking nature and hot springs in southern Hokkaido

Make a half-day trip of Onuma and Shikabe's hot springs

Have lunch and shop at the station, pause at Shikabe Park or in the Shikabe hot spring district, and continue to Onuma Quasi-National Park if time allows. Seafood, hot springs, and views of Mount Komagatake can fill a southern Hokkaido day trip from Hakodate.

Station → Shikabe Park or Shikabe hot spring district → Onuma Quasi-National Park → Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto or Hakodate area

If continuing toward Onuma, allow for evening travel time and seasonal road conditions.

Hours

Opening hours

Shikabe Food and Specialty Products Hall
9:00–17:00 / winter 10:00–15:00 or 17:00

From March 20 to November 30, approximately 9:00–17:00 every day. From December 1 to March 19, approximately 10:00–15:00 Monday through Thursday and 10:00–17:00 Friday through Sunday and public holidays.

Hama no Kaasan Shokudo
11:00-14:00

Closes when ingredients run out. The restaurant advises that dishes and seats cannot be reserved.

Shikabe hot spring steam kitchen
9:00–15:30 / opens at 10:00 in winter

Only designated ingredients bought at the market may be used. In winter, weekday hours generally end at 15:00.

Shikabe Geyser Park
9:00–17:00 / shorter winter hours

Admission is approximately ¥300 for adults, ¥200 for elementary and junior high school students, and free for preschool children. Footbath use is included.

Closing days
Winter Wednesdays and the New Year period

Generally no regular closing days from March 20 to December 31. Closed every Wednesday from January 1 to March 19. Check official notices for temporary closures.

Family

Visiting with children

Stars show the editorial recommendation for each age group on a five-point scale. Read the reasons alongside each rating.

Ages 1 and under
★★★☆☆

Good for a short toilet or nursing break and shopping.

Keep infants away from steam and hot food. A short visit to the toilets, market, and indoor rest areas suits them better than a long stay.

Ages 2–3
★★★☆☆

The geyser is impressive, but adults must supervise children at the footbath and steam pots.

Eruptions come in roughly 10 to 15 minute intervals. If children lose interest, switch to soft serve or the market. Keep them away from the steam pots.

Ages 4–6
★★★★☆

The vapor, geyser, and steamed food make easy-to-grasp experiences.

Adults should do the steaming while children watch from a distance. Even the wait before eating can become part of the trip.

Elementary school children
★★★★☆

Enjoy learning how the geyser works and steaming food with hot spring vapor.

See the geyser explanations in the observation building and cave passage, then continue to hot spring steaming or tarako souvenirs.

Keep away from hot steam

The hot spring steam kitchen uses high-temperature vapor. Have children watch from a distance, such as from the pavilion.

Towel for the footbath

A towel makes it easier to move on to eating or shopping after using the footbath.

Rainy-day options

The market, restaurant, footbath, and geyser viewing area are close together.

Go nearby for outdoor play

Food and hands-on activities are the focus at the station. Add Shikabe Park or the Onuma area if children want room to move.

Event

Make an event part of your visit

Permanent spaces and dated events are listed separately. Events can change both the atmosphere and crowds; use the official links for details.

Checking event dates.

Spaces used for events

Seasonal items in official news

As of July 2026, posts featured summer items such as ramune soda soft serve, ramune shakes, and chilled soba with kelp-root stock. Products rotate, so check official news shortly before visiting.

Roadside station anniversary festival

An announcement for the 10th anniversary festival appeared in April 2026. Information on annual events appears in the official events section and on social media as dates approach.

Local cooking experience with the seaside mothers

A reservation-only group experience in cooking home-style dishes with Shikabe seafood is available. It is geared toward educational trips and groups, separate from ordinary individual visits.

Hot spring steam kitchen

A permanent hands-on facility with ingredients that change by season. Choosing from scallops, octopus, eggs, meat, and vegetables available on the day is part of the fun.

Local feel

Reasons to return

Practical ideas and things to consider when spending time here.

The wait for an eruption is easy to fit into a schedule

The geyser erupts about every 10 to 15 minutes, so the wait after entering usually feels manageable. Combine it with the footbath, observation building, and market to see the main attraction even on a short visit.

Source: Roadside station official site and Shikabe Town

Plan a restaurant visit around lunchtime

Hama no Kaasan Shokudo generally serves from 11:00 to 14:00 and closes when ingredients run out. Visitor accounts also often focus on the food, so if arriving late, leave room to switch to snacks, prepared dishes, soft serve, or market purchases.

Source: Roadside station official site and visitor accounts

Hot spring steaming stays with you as an experience

Buy designated ingredients and steam them yourself. Beyond eating scallops or eggs, waiting amid the vapor can become a travel memory. Adults should do the work while children watch from a distance.

Source: Hakobura: Hot Spring Steam Kitchen

Rain does not erase the appeal

The footbath, geyser viewing area, market, and restaurant are close together, so a rainy-day visit can focus on hot spring vapor and food. If the weather is poor, staying at the station may be more satisfying than adding a long walk nearby.

Source: Visitor accounts and facility layout

Shopping calls for a plan to keep food chilled

Many tempting products, including Shikabe tarako, fresh fish, and prepared dishes, need refrigeration. If stopping en route to Hakodate or Onuma, plan when to buy them and bring a cooler bag for more choice at the market.

Source: Official market information and tourism association

Winter changes the schedule

From December through mid-March, market and park hours are shorter and Wednesday closures apply. For a winter drive in southern Hokkaido, check the hours, road surface, and sunset time, and aim for a daylight visit.

Source: Official hours and Shikabe Town
Movie

Preview the place on video

Official videos show the market and nearby park before you visit. Audio and captions are in Japanese.

Before your visit

Things to check before setting out

Opening and closure days, individual businesses and facilities for children or dogs can affect your plans.

  • Hama no Kaasan Shokudo generally serves 11:00–14:00 and closes when ingredients run out. Arrive early if lunch is your aim.
  • Only designated ingredients bought at the market may be used at the hot spring steam kitchen. Outside ingredients are not allowed.
  • Admission to Geyser Park is approximately ¥300 for adults, ¥200 for elementary and junior high school students, and free for preschool children; footbath use is included.
  • Winter hours are shorter and Wednesday closures apply. Check official notices before leaving from December through mid-March.
  • Official guidance lists approximately 45 standard-car spaces, six large-vehicle spaces, and three accessible parking spaces. Temporary parking guidance may be posted during busy periods.
  • Bring a cooler bag if buying Shikabe tarako, fresh fish, or prepared dishes.
  • Approximate driving times are one hour from Hakodate Station, 30 minutes from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station, and 35 minutes from Onuma Park IC or Mori IC.
Food

Eating and shopping

Specialities, places to eat, sweets and bakeries can all give you a reason to stop. Check individual menus for current prices and availability.

  • Meal
    Shikabe Premium Tarako Gozen set meal
    Hama no Kaasan Shokudo / check availability
  • Hands-on food
    Scallops and eggs at the Shikabe hot spring steam kitchen
    Buy ingredients; use is generally free
  • Shopping
    Shikabe tarako
    Chilled souvenir
  • Shopping
    Shirokuchihama makombu kelp
    Processed seafood
  • Snack
    Yukemuri-dokoro Shikabe-yaki
    10:00–16:00; hours are approximate.
  • Sweets
    Soft serve and seasonal shakes
    Seasonal items available
Food mood

What would you like to eat?

A meal, a sweet treat, market shopping or something to take away: choose a focus for the day instead of trying everything at once.

Full lunch

Home-style seaside dishes and the Shikabe Premium Tarako Gozen set meal at Hama no Kaasan Shokudo, among others

A main meal featuring seafood landed in Shikabe and tarako.

Approximately 11:00–14:00. Service ends when ingredients run out; the restaurant advises that dishes and seats cannot be reserved.

Hands-on meal

Scallops, eggs, vegetable and meat sets, and more at the Shikabe hot spring steam kitchen

Steam the food yourself with hot spring vapor, making this a good shared experience with family or friends.

Only designated ingredients bought at the market may be used. The selection changes with the season.

Quick bite

Yukemuri-dokoro Shikabe-yaki, Koita no Okazuya prepared-food shop, and soft serve

Snack options when you want to avoid a restaurant wait or leave after watching the geyser.

Individual shops may close or sell out.

Take home

Shikabe tarako, Shirokuchihama makombu kelp, processed seafood, prepared dishes, and fresh fish

Bring Shikabe flavors home. Prepare a cooler if buying chilled products.

Fresh fish and prepared dishes vary by day.

Seasonal treats

Sweet shrimp rice bowls, ramune soda soft serve, ramune shakes, and chilled soba noodles, among others

Seasonal products often appear in official news. Check shortly before visiting for something that interests you.

Limited-season or limited-quantity items may already have ended.

Access

Location and surroundings

Driving directions from your location
Open in your map appOpen in Google Maps
Explore stations near 鹿部町 (Japanese guide)

If the map does not load, open it in Google Maps

1
Roadside station
Michi-no-Eki Shikabe Geyser Park

Watch a geyser, steam seafood in the hot spring vapor, and take home Shikabe tarako at this food-focused roadside station in southern Hokkaido.

Open in Google Maps
Food outlets and the market on the station grounds share the station pin. Nearby places are separate destinations to combine with your visit.
Nearby

Places to visit nearby

Park and flower walks
Shikabe ParkJapanese guide
About 10 minutes by car from the stationConvenient for a short outdoor break after eating

Enjoy food and the geyser at the station, then let children move around a little more.

Hot springs and rest
Shikabe hot spring districtJapanese guide
Approximately a few to 10 minutes by car from the stationEasy to pair with a break from after lunch into the evening

A good choice for adults driving through Shikabe who want to enjoy its hot spring town as well as the geyser.

Lakes and nature walks
Onuma Quasi-National ParkJapanese guide
About 30 minutes by car from the stationEasy to combine with a half-day or full-day drive

Have lunch and shop at the station, then add scenery or a walk in the afternoon.

Viewpoint and monument
Funka Bay Viewpoint (Hokuto Song Monument)Japanese guide
Around the station / approximately within walking distanceEasy to visit for a few minutes before or after eating

Add a view of Funka Bay to a day of food and shopping.

Seasonal event and town walk
Area around the Shikabe Sea and Hot Springs Festival venueJapanese guide
Within Shikabe TownInclude it only on event dates, allowing for crowds and traffic

For a seasonal drive that makes the whole of Shikabe Town, not only the roadside station, the destination.

Share

Send your travel companions a possible stop.

Share on XShare on LINE

Send a correction

Let us know if information on this page, such as hours or closing days, is incorrect. Our editors will review your message before updating the guide.

We use your submission only to review and improve our content and to reply about your message.

Updated 2026-09-28Explore the nationwide map →