Autumn leaves and hot springs, the ultimate relaxation. Nyuto Onsenkyo, where seven hot springs spring up in the mountains

Nyuto Onsenkyo is the collective name for seven hot springs that spring up along the Sendatsu River, which has its source in Mount Nyuto (1,478m above sea level), towering over the border with Iwate Prefecture, in the mountainous area of ​​Senboku City in the mid-western part of Akita Prefecture, famous for Kakunodate and Lake Tazawa. The entire area is designated as Towada-Hachimantai National Park, and the road along the Sendatsu River (Prefectural Route 194) comes to a dead end at Kuroyu Onsen at the very back, making it impossible to get from the Akita side to the Iwate side by car.

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Nyuto Onsenkyo is colored by autumn leaves from mid-October to mid-November

Nyuto Onsenkyo are, from downstream to upstream, Tsurunoyu, Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo, Taenoyu, Okama Onsen, Kaniba Onsen, Magoroku Onsen, and Kuroyu Onsen. The springs vary in quality, and a "Yumeguricho" (a pass for 2,500 yen is available for overnight guests only) allows you to bathe in all the hot springs. A circular bus called "Yumegurigo" operates, which takes you around each hot spring. The area has been designated a national health resort hot spring by the Ministry of the Environment.

Nyuto Onsenkyo never disappoints visitors in any season, but it is especially recommended to visit during the autumn foliage season. From mid-October to mid-November, spending time surrounded by colorful trees while soaking in the hot springs is an exceptional experience.

Nyuto Onsenkyo Information

• Facility name: Nyuto Onsen Cooperative Association
• Hot Spring Tour Book: Adults 2,500 yen, Children 1,000 yen *Exclusive to guests staying at Nyuto Onsenkyo
• URL: Nyuto Onsenkyo
• access:
  • Public transportation: Take the Akita Shinkansen or JR Tazawako Line bus from Tazawako Station to Nyuto Onsenkyo and get off at the designated bus stop for each hot spring. Take the Airport Liner from Akita Airport to Nyuto Onsenkyo for approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes.
  • By car: Approximately 1 hour from Morioka IC on the Tohoku Expressway

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The thatched-roof tenement house at the entrance dates back to the Edo period. It is still used as a lodging facility for the hot spring inn "Tsuru-no-yu Onsen."

Tsuru no Yu is the hot spring closest to Nyuto Onsenkyo. There are two inns: Tsuru no Yu Onsen and Tsuru no Yu Annex, Yama no Yado. It's located about 3km into a forest road from the prefectural road where the local bus to Nyuto Onsenkyo runs. You can drive right up to the inn, but if you're taking the local bus, get off at the Aarupa Komakusa bus stop a little before and transfer to a shuttle bus. It's also possible to get off at Tsuru no Yu Onsenguchi bus stop, which is the closest to Tsuru no Yu Onsen and Yama no Yado, and walk, but this is not recommended as it's a mountain path.

Tsuru no Yu is the oldest hot spring in Nyuto Onsenkyo. Records show that Satake Yoshitaka (1611-1672), the second lord of the Kubota Domain (Akita Domain), visited the hot springs for a cure in 1638. Registers of regular visitors have been preserved since the Genroku period (1688-1704).

The tenement-style building with a thatched roof at the entrance to Tsuru-no-yu Onsen was the headquarters where guards were stationed when Satake Yoshitaka stayed, and is a nationally registered tangible cultural property. It is currently used as a lodging building.

Tsuru-no-yu Onsen has four hot springs with different qualities that gush out from within the grounds, called "White Hot Springs," "Black Hot Springs," "Naka-no-yu," and "Taki-no-yu." A bathhouse has been built for each hot spring, and in the center is a large open-air mixed bathing bath. The hot spring in the mixed open-air bath is "white hot springs." All of the hot springs are directly drawn from the source. Day-trip bathing is also possible.

Source name: White water

• Spring quality: Sulfur-containing sodium, calcium, chloride, and bicarbonate spring (hydrogen sulfide type)
• Main effects: Beauty bath. Also known as cold bath.
• It is a beautiful milky white hot spring with a rotten egg smell (hydrogen sulfide smell).It has a slightly salty taste and is said to be a beauty bath.

Source name: Kuroyu

• Spring quality: sodium chloride and bicarbonate spring
• Main effects: Nugudamari no Yu (warming water) and Kodakara no Yu
• It is a milky, grayish hot spring with a slight smell of hydrogen sulfide.

Source name: Nakanoyu

• Spring quality: sodium bicarbonate and hydrogen sulfide salt spring
• Main effect: Eye bath
• It is a type of sulfur spring. It has a hydrogen sulfide smell and is said to be effective against all kinds of illnesses. The water is generally milky white, but its color changes slightly depending on the season and weather.

Name of the source: Takinoyu (cascading water)

• Spring quality: Sulfur-containing, sodium-chloride, bicarbonate spring
• *All hot springs are used free-flowing.
• *Yama no Yado serves plain hot water.

Tsurunoyu Onsen Information

• Facility name: Secret Hot Spring Tsuru-no-yu Onsen
• Address: 50 Sendatsuzawa National Forest, Tazawa Lake, Senboku City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0187-46-2139
• Mobile phone: Calls allowed (NTT docomo only)
• Wi-Fi: Free for guests only
• Accommodation fees etc.: Please refer to the official website or travel booking site
• Daytime bathing fee: Adults 700 yen, Children 300 yen
• URL: Secret Hot Spring Tsuru-no-yu Onsen

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• Facility name: Tsuru no Yu Annex Yama no Yado
• Address: 1 Yunotai, Tazawa Lake, Senboku City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0187-46-2100
• Mobile phone: Calls allowed (NTT docomo only)
• Wi-Fi: Free for guests only
• Accommodation fees etc.: Please refer to the official website or travel booking site
• URL: Tsuru no Yu Annex Yama no Yado

Google Map

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Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo: Family-friendly with Western-style rooms

Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo is the most conveniently located and modern inn in Nyuto Onsenkyo, with a local bus stop right in front of it. Both Japanese-style and Western-style rooms are available, making it a relaxing place for the elderly and those with small children.

Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo has two types of hot springs: simple sulfur springs and sodium bicarbonate springs. There is the Tazawako Kogen no Yu, a simple sulfur spring with an indoor bath and an open-air bath, and the Nyuto no Yu, an indoor bath only with sodium bicarbonate springs, and both are built the same for men and women. Both day-trip hot springs allow you to use the hot springs, but no private baths are available.

Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo Information

• Facility name: Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo
• Address: 2-1 Komagatake, Ihouchi, Tazawako, Senboku City
• Phone number: 0187-46-2244
• Mobile phone: Calls accepted (NTTdocomo, au, SoftBank)
• Wi-Fi: Free
• Hot spring: Simple sulfur spring/sodium bicarbonate spring
• efficacy:
  • Simple sulfur spring/Chronic skin diseases, chronic gynecological diseases, cuts, diabetes, etc.
  • Sodium bicarbonate spring/cuts, burns, chronic skin diseases, etc.
• Accommodation fees etc.: Please refer to the official website or travel booking site
• Daytime bathing fee: Adults 800 yen, Children 400 yen (ages 4 to elementary school)
• URL: Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo

Google Map

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Taenoyu: A popular bathhouse for women, where the sounds of the river are soothing and the hospitality is heartwarming

Taenoyu is located right next to the Taenoyu Onsen bus stop, and is a popular inn built along the Sendatsu River, where you can enjoy an open-air bath while watching the river flow. There are two types of hot springs: a magnesium-calcium sulfate spring and a simple hot spring .

There are eight baths, including private baths, and the men's and women's baths are switched at 8pm, so you can enjoy all of them in one night.

Magnesium-calcium sulfate springs are known as "golden waters" and are generally brown in color, but this changes depending on the season, temperature, weather, etc. They are acidic hot springs containing iron and sulfur, giving them antibacterial properties. On the other hand, simple hot springs are colorless, transparent, neutral, and soft, making them gentle on the skin.

This comfortable inn boasts a relaxing, purely Japanese interior and attentive hospitality.

Taenoyu Information

• Facility name: Taenoyu
• Address: 2-1 Komagatake, Ihonai, Tazawako, Senboku City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0187-46-2740
• Mobile phone: Calls accepted (NTTdocomo, au, SoftBank)
• Wi-Fi: Free
• hot spring:
  • Magnesium-calcium sulfate spring/simple hot spring (both directly from the source)
• efficacy:
  • Magnesium and calcium sulfate spring / chronic skin diseases, arteriosclerosis, cuts, burns, etc.
• Simple hot springs: neuralgia, joint pain, sensitivity to cold, fatigue recovery, health promotion, etc.
• Accommodation fees etc.: Please refer to the official website or travel booking site
• Daytime bathing fee: Adults 1,000 yen, Children (elementary school students and younger) 500 yen
• URL: Taenoyu

Google Map

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A former wooden elementary school has been turned into a hot spring inn. The nostalgic atmosphere of Okama Onsen

Okama Onsen is located right in front of the Nyuto Onsen bus stop. The inn was built in 1977 (Showa 52) using building materials donated from an elementary school in Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture, which was to be rebuilt. The old wooden school building has been almost completely recreated.

The hot spring is an acidic arsenic-sodium chloride sulfate spring with its own source. The water is a cloudy gray-brown color that changes depending on the season and temperature. There is a lot of muddy residue, so you can even use it as a mud pack. Because it is acidic, it is effective against skin diseases and athlete's foot, while calcium sulfate springs are also effective against high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, stroke, and rheumatoid arthritis.

The bathrooms are separated into men's and women's indoor and outdoor baths, and because the spring water temperature is as high as 98°C, cold water is added to keep it at an appropriate temperature. The indoor baths are available in both hot and lukewarm water, and the outdoor baths are open even in winter. The foot baths outside the building are only available during the green season (April 1st to October 31st), but are free for anyone to use and warm themselves.

Okama Onsen Information

• Facility name: Okama Onsen
• Address: Sendatsuzawa National Forest, Lake Tazawa, Senboku City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0187-46-2438
• Closed: Thursdays (for both overnight stays and day-trip bathing)
• Mobile phone: Calls accepted (NTTdocomo, au, SoftBank)
• Wi-Fi: Free
• Hot spring: Acidic arsenic-containing sodium chloride sulfate spring
• Accommodation fees etc.: Please refer to the official website or travel booking site
• Daytime bathing fee: Adults 600 yen, Children (junior high school students and younger) 300 yen
• URL: Okama Onsen

Google Map

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The open-air bath surrounded by forest is popular. The clear hot spring water gently warms you at Kaniba Onsen.

Kaniba Onsen is located close to the bus stop "Nyuto Onsen Kaniba Onsen," the last stop on the bus route. It is a rather large inn for a remote location, and was named after the many river crabs that live in the nearby stream. There are 15 rooms, including bedrooms.

Kaniba Onsen is a historic hot spring that is said to have been discovered in 1846. There are two spring sources, but both are simple sulfur springs, and the large mixed outdoor bath surrounded by forest is very popular.

The mixed outdoor bath is located about 50 meters from the main building, with a large amount of hot spring water gushing out from the side. The water is clear and colorless, and of course it is free-flowing. The water temperature is slightly warm at around 40°C, so it is a pleasant hot spring that won't make you sick even if you soak for a long time. There are also indoor baths for men and women.

The water is mildly alkaline and has skin-beautifying properties that are beneficial for women, and is effective against chronic skin diseases, chronic gynecological conditions, cuts, and diabetes.

Kaniba Onsen Information

• Facility name: Secret Hot Springs Kaniba Onsen
• Address: Sendatsuzawa National Forest, Lake Tazawa, Senboku City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0187-46-2021
• Mobile phones: Calls allowed (except NTT docomo, depending on location)
• Wi-Fi: Free
• Hot spring: Simple sulfur spring
• Effective for: chronic skin diseases, chronic gynecological diseases, cuts, diabetes, etc.
• Accommodation fees etc.: Please refer to the official website or travel booking site
• Daytime bathing fee: Adults 800 yen, children (elementary school students) 400 yen, infants 200 yen
• Day-trip bathing closed: Wednesdays
• URL: Kaniba Onsen

Google Map

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A surprising transformation in the spring of 2025: A luxury hot spring inn in a hidden hot spring, "Magoroku Onsen Rokuan"

Magoroku Onsen is a hot spring located at the very back of Nyuto Onsenkyo. It was popular as a traditional hot spring inn within Nyuto Onsenkyo, but was forced to close in 2022 (Reiwa 4) due to a lack of a successor, much to the regret of many. However, those involved with the hot spring resort discussed the fact that Magoroku Onsen is an essential hot spring in Nyuto Onsenkyo, and after extensive renovations, it was reopened in April 2025 as a year-round inn.

The inn has been renamed " Magoroku Onsen Rokuan ," and while retaining the secret hot spring known as " Yama no Yakushiyu " something not found in the Nyuto Onsen area until now, it has been reborn as a luxury inn with a private feel.

There are two baths: "Karako no Yu" and "Ishi no Yu." "Karako no Yu" has only an indoor bath and is a simple hot spring, while "Ishi no Yu" is a mixed bath with an indoor bath and an open-air bath, and is a simple sulfur spring. The open-air bath attached to the guest room is also a simple sulfur spring.

All hot springs contain some amount of sulfur, which gives off a hydrogen sulfide smell, and the water is either colorless or slightly cloudy gray. The fact that the water changes with the seasons and temperature is another part of the charm of hot springs.

To get to Magoroku Onsen, take the local bus from the Nyuto Onsen bus stop in front of Okama Onsen, which is about a 15-20 minute walk away, or a shuttle is available. If you're driving, you can drive directly to the inn during the green season, but in winter (late November to the end of March, depending on the amount of snowfall; please inquire), you'll need to park your car in the private parking lot in front of Okama Onsen and walk about 15-20 minutes. Be sure to bring boots as the roads will be snowy.

Magoroku Onsen Information

• Facility name: Magoroku Onsen Rokuan
• Address: Sendatsuzawa National Forest, Lake Tazawa, Senboku City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0187-46-2224
• Mobile phone: Calls accepted (NTTdocomo, au, SoftBank)
• Wi-Fi: Free
• Spring quality: Simple hot spring, simple sulfur spring, radioactive simple sulfur spring [hydrogen sulfide type]
• Effective for: gastrointestinal disorders, skin diseases (hives), wounds, diabetes, etc.
• Accommodation fees etc.: Please refer to the official website or travel booking site
• Day-trip bathing fee: Adults from 700 yen, elementary school students and younger from 400 yen
• URL: Magoroku Onsen Rokuan

Google Map

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Steam rises silently from the surrounding area. The wildest "Kuroyu Onsen" in Nyuto Onsenkyo

Kuroyu Onsen is a hot spring located at the source of the Sendatsu River. Get off at the bus stop in front of Nyuto Kaniba Onsen, the last stop on the local bus route, and it is about a 15-20 minute walk (pick-up service available). You can also get to the hot spring by car. The inn is located in the snowy countryside, so it is closed in the winter. It is open from early April to early November.

The site is home to a small hot spring area, similar to Unzen Onsen and Noboribetsu Onsen, where the distinctive smell of sulfur springs hangs in the air and hot springs gush forth. The hot spring water is drawn directly from the overflowing source, making bathing in the water a truly rustic experience.

Kuroyu Onsen was discovered a long time ago, in the 1670s during the Edo period, and like Tsuru no Yu, it was the official hot spring of the Akita Satake clan.

There are two types of spring water that gush out, and they are poured into the upper and lower baths, respectively. The upper bath is located a little distance from the main building and has a covered mixed outdoor bath and indoor bath, where the cooled hot spring water flows from the source through a wooden trough. The mixed outdoor bath is an extremely wild hot spring with a view of the Yubatake.

The Shimoyu bath, located a short distance downhill from the Kamiyu bath, has sturdy wooden indoor and outdoor baths for men and women, as well as a waterfall bath. Both springs are basically acidic simple sulfur springs (hydrogen sulfide type), with slight differences in acidity, with the Lower bath being gentler.

Kuroyu Onsen has an inn, a hot spring treatment area, a thatched roof detached building, and a restaurant where you can have lunch, allowing you to enjoy the great outdoors at the very heart of Nyuto Onsenkyo.

Kuroyu Onsen Information

• Facility name: Kuroyu Onsen
• Address: 2-1 Kuroyuzawa, Ihouchi, Tazawako, Senboku City, Akita Prefecture
• Phone number: 0187-46-2214
• Mobile phones: Calls allowed (NTT docomo, au/SoftBank depending on location)
• Wi-Fi: Free
• Hot spring: Simple sulfur spring (hydrogen sulfide type)
• Effective for: hypertension, arteriosclerosis, peripheral circulatory disorders, rheumatism, diabetes, etc.
• Accommodation fees etc.: Please refer to the official website or travel booking site
• Daytime bathing fee: Adults 800 yen, Children (elementary school students) 400 yen
• Opening period: Mid-April to early November
• URL: Kuroyu Onsen

• *The listed prices, facilities, business hours, holidays, mobile phones, Wi-Fi, etc. are current as of September 2025.
• *Bear sightings are becoming more frequent. Please be careful and carry bells, whistles, bear repellent spray, etc., and avoid traveling alone. Also, be careful of hornets.

Google Map

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