Nyutou Onsen

Hot spring connoisseurs’ favorite hidden gem surrounded by mountains

 
Located at the foot of Mount Nyuto in Akita Prefecture, the Tohoku Region, Nyuto Onsen Village is a nature-rich resort which is home to seven hot spring inns. Stretching across the neighboring area, Towada-Hachimantai National Park features volcanic mountains, highlands, lakes and the like, which altogether form a tranquil and magnificent mountainous landscape. Surrounded by mountains and virgin beechen forest, all these inns offer a sense of peacefulness and tranquility. Dubbed a “hidden hot spring gem,” Nyuto Onsen Village is in fact very popular among hot spring fans. Characterized by folktale-like ambiance, this mountain resort is a perfect place to escape from busy life and relax.

Furthermore, Nyuto Onsen Village offers various seasonal attractions. If you are visiting in spring or summer, you can expect to quench your thirst with spring water and enjoy a relaxing walk in the lush beechen forest in the neighboring area. In winter, the sheer amount of snow enhances the resort’s tranquil and fantastical atmosphere. This hidden resort offers a unique experience of bathing in open-air baths while observing a snowscape.

Nyuto Onsen Village is distinguished by its large variety of hot springs. All the seven inns have different spring sources, which produce different types of spring. Their open-air baths command different views of the surrounding nature such as the forest and streams, making this resort a perfect destination for hot spring hopping. Day-trip visitors can purchase a Yumeguricho (hot spring hopping passport) for 1,800 yen to bathe in all the seven hot springs and take the Yumeguri-go bus that connects all the inns.

Located near Nyuto Onsen, Lake Tazawa is Japan’s deepest lake with a depth of 423.4 meters. Its azure waters are mysterious and beautiful.

Featuring the oldest hot spring in Nyuto Onsen Village, Tsurunoyu Onsen is a historical inn with a thatched roof.

Taenoyu features an open-air bath situated along a stream, allowing guests to relax in the spring while gazing at the waterfall.

This region’s iconic delicacy is a hot pot dish using Japanese mountain yam. The miso or soy sauce-flavored hot pot loaded with balls of grated yam and mountain vegetables is a perfect dish to treat yourself to nutrient-rich mountain delicacies.

Editor’s tip:

This area is known for a legend of a beautiful woman named Tatsuko, who is said to have transformed into a dragon. Situated by Lake Tazawa, Gozanoishi-jinja Shrine is believed to be a beauty enhancing spot. This beauty enhancing power might be even more effective when paired with the hot spring’s healing benefits for the body and the mind.

※ The information herein is as of April 2021