[Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture] There are 3 public baths in a small hot spring town that has been open for over 920 years! ｜Go to Akayu in Yamagata Prefecture! [First part (hot spring edition)]

ikoke
2022.11.07
Last updated: 2024.04.12

table of contents

1 What is Akayu Onsen? What is the efficacy?
- 1.1 What is the quality and efficacy of Akayu Onsen?
2 There are three public baths in a small hot spring area! Was there more before?
3 Information on each public bath
4 It's good to stay overnight, but we also recommend stopping by and taking a bath! Let's go to Akayu Onsen!

Akayu Onsen is located in the southern part of Yamagata Prefecture, which is known as the hot spring kingdom.The hot spring town is located just 5 minutes by car or 30 minutes on foot from a station where the JR Yamagata Shinkansen also stops.

It is a small hot spring town with 14 unique inns, including some that allow pets and others that resemble art museums. In this small hot spring town, public baths have been renovated to fit the daily lives of the citizens, and there are day-use baths that are loved by tourists as drop-in baths.

Focusing on the renovated public bath, we will also introduce the history and benefits of Akayu Onsen.

Please enjoy until the end.

What is Akayu Onsen? What is the efficacy?

It is said that it began in 1093 (Kanei 7) when Yawata Taro Yoshitsuna, who was accompanying the unification of Oshu, discovered a hot spring that gushed out in response to an oracle. Legend has it that when wounded soldiers soaked in the hot water, the water turned red and healed their wounds, hence the name ``Aka-yu.''

Akayu Onsen a historic hot spring that will be 930 years old next year in 2023 .

What is the quality and efficacy of Akayu Onsen?

Akayu Onsen has three sources, and for a single hot spring area, there are two types of sources . The names of the sources are ``Mori-no-Yama Source'', ``Mori-no-Yama No. 2 Source'', and ``Yugawara Source''.

The Morinoyama source is a sulfur, sodium, and calcium chloride spring that is said to have high medicinal properties and can be expected to have many effects .

Yugawara Onsen is a simple hot spring with gentle ingredients and little irritation, making it popular as a hot spring that even people with sensitive skin can safely bathe in .

In both cases, the water is colorless and transparent, and you cannot see the hot water with the naked eye.

There are three public baths in a small hot spring area! Was there more before?

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Akayu Onsen had six public baths (community baths): ``Akayu Motoyu'', ``Azumayu'', ``Eboshi no Yu'', ``Oyu'', ``Tambayu'', and ``Towanoyu''. There were also 14 hot spring inns, as well as footbaths and drinking fountains, demonstrating the abundance of hot spring water available .

Oyu and Tanbayu were closed early due to lack of successors and aging, leaving only four public baths, but Eboshiyu, which had its own source, was retained, and the others were integrated and renovated. There are currently three businesses.

Information on each public bath

We will introduce the characteristics and bathing fees of each of the three public baths.

Eboshi-yu

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This place was located in a residential area. It is quite old as it has not been rebuilt, but since it has its own source, the quality of the spring water is good.

What's more, the special feature of this place that Karan Shower is also a hot spring. Enjoy the hot springs and the bathing fee is 120 yen! It's a nice hot spring. I'm so jealous of my neighbors.

Eboshiyu＜Information＞

Name: Eboshiyu
Address: 356-2 Akayu, Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture
Business hours: 6:00-11:30/14:00-21:30
Closed: Friday
Admission fee: 120 yen *100 yen for elementary school students and under (common to all public baths) *Free for children under 3 years old
URL: Nanyo City Official URL (Akayu Onsen Public Bath)
Spring quality classification: Sulfur-containing sodium calcium chloride hot spring
Efficacy classification: Cuts, skin diseases, women's diseases, burns, diabetes

Google Map

Akayu Motoyu

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Akayu Motoyu, located in the center of Akayu Onsen Town, has two hot spring baths, so you can enjoy the different baths while taking a bath. The bathing fee is 240 yen. As this is a public bath, soap and shampoo are not provided, so be sure to bring your own.

It is also effective against cuts, burns, chronic skin diseases, chronic women's diseases, weak children, and diabetes, which are common to Akayu Onsen.

Although there is a separate entrance, there is also a souvenir shop, and there is also a footbath attached. It's also fun to take a peek after taking a bath.

Akayu Motoyu＜Information＞

Name: Akayu Motoyu
Address: 754-2 Akayu, Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture
Business hours: 8:00-14:00/15:00-21:30
Closed: Wednesday
Admission fee: 240 yen *100 yen for elementary school students and younger (common to all public baths) *Free for children under 3 years old
URL: Nanyo City Official URL (Akayu Onsen Public Bath)
Spring quality classification: Sulfur-containing sodium calcium chloride hot spring
Efficacy classification: Cuts, skin diseases, women's diseases, burns, diabetes

Google Map

Yukotto

Akayu Onsen Yukotto opened on June 5, 2022, taking over the Akayu Onsen public baths Azumayu and Towanoyu. There is also a private bath for disabled guests (reservation required).

The general bathing fee is 300 yen, and you will be given a rinse-in shampoo and body soap at the entrance that you can use up. What's more, we sell towels and rent bath towels, so you can feel free to take a bath even if you come empty-handed!

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comes in two bathtubs, one lukewarm and one hot and the two types of hot spring water are mixed and flow directly from the source .

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The rest corner was spacious, and there was a surprising wine vending machine . Akayu is also a land with a history of wine production, with active grape cultivation and four old wineries and two new wineries.

It makes me so happy to be able to drink delicious wine after taking a bath! Don't worry, we also have freshly squeezed grape juice for those driving

Yukotto <Information>

Name: Yukotto
Address: 3004-1 Akayu, Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture
Business hours: 6:00-22:00
Closed: Tuesday (Thursday if it is a holiday)
Admission fee: 300 yen *100 yen for elementary school students and under (common to all public baths) *Free for children under 3 years old
URL: Akayu Onsen Yukotto
Spring quality classification: Sulfur-containing sodium calcium chloride hot spring
Efficacy classification: Cuts, skin diseases, women's diseases, burns, diabetes

Google Map

It's good to stay overnight, but we also recommend stopping by and taking a bath! Let's go to Akayu Onsen!

Akayu Onsen has a history of nearly 930 years. There are three public baths at Akayu Onsen, and one of them is Yukotto, which was newly built in June of this year to take over the two public baths.

All three public baths have good spring quality, and each has its own unique characteristics, making them very attractive facilities. Akayu Onsen is a hot spring area that will make you want to take a bath, with a public bath with a retro Showa era, a footbath, a public bath with a souvenir shop, a barrier-free public bath, and a public bath where you can even drink wine.

Would you like to come and visit us? We also recommend taking a ladder bath during your breaks so you don't get too wet!