Nyūtō Onsen and the 7 Unique Ryokans Deep in the Mountain

Nyūtō Onsen (乳頭温泉郷) is a rural hot spring resort in Akita Prefecture (秋田県) that consists of six ryokans and one hotel, each having its history, style, and spring quality. Listed as one of the 100 Japan Hidden Scenic Spots (日本の秘境100選), the resort is quietly nestled deep in the mountain at the base of Mt. Nyūtō.

It is literally the best spot for those who enjoy bathing. With the seven onsen facilities that are scattered within a 20-minute walking distance (apart from Tsuru-no-Yu), it is possible to try out the onsen across all seven places in one day (although we would recommend that you should at least stay overnight there).

Tips:
→ If you don’t plan on staying overnight at Nyūtō Onsen resort, it is best to bring your towels and shower set because not all of them supply these for free.
→ If you plan to stay at one of the ryokans and also want to try out the onsen in the other six ryokans, purchase a Yumeguri-chō (湯めぐり帖) for 2,500 yen. It is basically an admission ticket that allows you to enter all the onsen pools in Nyūtō Onsen. For more information, please click HERE.
→ It may be easier to use THIS WEBSITE to book your stay at Nyūtō Onsen as it is in English.

And if you are bored of the onsen, you can take a short stroll into the beautiful forest that surrounds Nyūtō Onsen resort (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ. HERE is a map with trekking and hiking routes you can follow (although in Japanese). The total length and approximate time required for each course are marked in the circle next to each route. The shoe icons indicate the difficulty of each route. The more shoes that are colored, the harder the course is. If you need assistance reading the map, you can contact us HERE with your inquiries, and we will get back to you.

• Route numbers 1 to 5 are trekking courses around Nyūtō Onsen resort
• Routes 6 to 8 are hiking courses to the summit of Mt. Nyūtō (乳頭山頂) that can be done in half a day
• Route 9, being the hardest hiking route that is only recommended for hikers with a lot of experience, will lead you all the way up to the top of Mount Akita-Komagatake (秋田駒ヶ岳)

As indicated on the map, the season for hiking is from June to early October every year. From mid to late October till late May, the mountains surrounding Nyūtō Onsen are covered in thick snow deemed too dangerous for hiking.

Six Ryokans Plus One Hotel at Nyūtō Onsen Resort

• Tsuru-no-Yu (鶴之湯) – open from 10 am to 3 pm for day-trip tourists: the oldest facility in Nyūtō Onsen with a milky color onsen. You will be bathing in thatched-roof terraced houses
  • On Mondays, only the outdoor pool is closed for day-trip tourists for cleaning. If Monday is a public holiday, the cleaning will take place on the next business day
  • The cost is
    • 600 yen for adults
    • 300 yen for elementary school students and younger
    • 220 for towels
• Tae-no-Yu (妙乃湯) – open from 10:30 am to 3 pm for day-trip tourists: is best known for its modern Japanese-style interior and outdoor bath pools along a mountain stream
  • The last admission for day-trip tourists is at 2 pm.
  • The cost is
    • 1,000 yen for adults
    • 500 yen for elementary school students and younger
• Kuroyu Onsen (黑湯溫泉) – open from 9 am to 4:30 pm from Thursday to Tuesday for day-trip tourists: has a great mountain view
  • The last admission for day-trip tourists is at 4 pm.
  • On Wednesdays, it opens to day-trip visitors from 9 am to 11 am. The last admission is at 10:30 am.
  • The cost is
    • 800 yen for adults
    • 400 yen for elementary school students
• Ganiba Onsen (蟹場溫泉) – open from 9 am to 4 pm for day-trip tourists: its outdoor bath pools are surrounded by virgin beech forest
  • The cost is 800 yen
  • A face towel costs 300 yen
  • A bath towel costs 1,500 yen
• Magoroku Onsen (孫六溫泉) – open from 9 am to 4 pm for day-trip tourists: its onsen pools draw hot spring water from four different natural sources
  • The cost is 600 yen.
• Ōkama Onsen (大釜溫泉) – open from 9 am to 4:30 pm for day-trip tourists: was renovated from a school
  • The cost is
    • 600 yen for adults
    • 300 yen for elementary school students and younger
• Kyūkamura Resort (渡假村 乳頭溫泉鄉) – open from 11 am to 5 pm for day-trip tourists: is the most modern facility in Nyūtō Onsen
  • The last admission is at 3 pm

Important: Unless you enjoy the onsen in a mixed-gender bathing facility (in which you are allowed to cover yourself with a bath towel), you aren’t allowed to enter the onsen pool with a towel (yes, that means you have to be naked).

Tips:
→ To all fall foliage lovers, come to Nyūtō Onsen in October. From early October, the mountains are slowly dyed with yellow and orange, with the autumn foliage peaking from mid to late October each year.
→ You can join a Cycling Tour to explore Nyūtō Onsen. Refer to HERE for more details!

Click HERE to skip to Nyūtō Onsen Resort’s access information.

Tsuru-no-Yu (鶴之湯)

Tsuru-no-Yu’s history is traced back to 1638, when the second lord of the Akita Domain, the head of the Taketa clan, visited the facility for therapy.

The medical quality of the spring at Tsuru-no-Yu was proven just by how this spot was discovered. This onsen was discovered by a local hunter who saw a white crane healing its wounds in the spring. The spot was then named “crane’s hot spring” – “Tsuru-no-Yu”.

This facility is the most famous in Nyūtō Onsen. Its main wing – Honjin (本陣), as shown in the photo above, retains its original looks from the 1600s with little renovation done inside. It is the perfect spot if you want to travel back in time to the Edo period when samurais would be walking around (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.

Tip: As you can imagine, booking a room in Honjin is difficult. So try to book as early as possible (at least 6 months in advance)! But if you still couldn’t get a room in Honjin, you are always welcome to walk around in the areas other than the guest rooms (entry to the onsen pools obviously will cost you money if you aren’t a ryokan guest).

Onsen at Tsuru-No-Yu

Unfortunately, the best onsen pool in Tsuru-no-Yu is the mixed-gender pool, which may deter many people, including the Japanese, from going. Surrounded by nature, the natural spring water that comes out from the bottom of the pool forms a lot of bubbles that many people may find particularly interesting to watch (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.

The spring water also contains baking soda components and salt, so it can effectively remove sebum and dead skin cells. Plus, it has a moisturizing effect!

If the mixed-gender pool isn’t something you are comfortable with, there are gender-separated onsen pools (although smaller) that you can utilize more comfortably (no private bathtub, unfortunately).

There are another four different onsen pools for visitors to enjoy: one female-only outdoor pool and three indoor pools, each with different types of hot spring water.

Tip: To our lovely female friends, if you want to enjoy the hot spring water in the mixed-gender pool but don’t want to bathe with the other gender, head to Shiro-Yu (白湯) bath pool (^_-)-☆.

For more information on Tsuru-no-Yu, please refer to their website HERE. You can make a reservation HERE if you can’t make a phone call to book your stay.

Winter at Tsuru-no-Yu

Although winter is freezing cold at Nyūtō Onsen resort, there is something you can take part in during the winter at Tsuru-no-Yu apart from playing with the snow.

At the front gate of Tsuru-no-Yu, you will find this small snowdome, a temporary shrine for the god of winter!

The dome’s entrance might seem small, but it is actually quite spacious inside. You can even fully stand up if you are short enough (;´∀｀).

Outside of Tsuru-no-Yu’s building, these smaller snowdomes are lit up inside.

But remember to wear enough clothes before you step out. It may look really warm with the orange lighting, but it is actually freezing outside at night!

How to Get to Tsuru-no-Yu

Click HERE to return to Nyūtō Onsen Resort’s accommodations list.

Tae-no-Yu (妙乃湯)

Tae-no-Yu is a luxurious ryokan with high-quality service and facility. Soon after you enter this ryokan, you should be able to smell a strong woody aroma from its wooden interior decoration, making it popular amongst female guests.

Dinner and breakfast at Tae-no-Yu are filled with Akita’s local dishes, such as Kiritanpo Nabe (きりたんぽ鍋), which is an Akita-style hot pot. Another Akita’s local special dish is the incredibly smooth Inaniwa udon (稲庭うどん).

Both dishes are must-try dishes when you come to Akita prefecture and should be made available to order when you stay overnight at Tae-no-Yu (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.

Kiritanpo is an Akita local dish that is made from mashed rice. The mashed rice is then made to form into cylinders around cedar skewers before it gets roasted over an open hearth. It is usually consumed as one of the hot pot’s ingredients or grilled with sweet miso paste.

Onsen at Tae-no-Yu

The same as Tsuru-no-Yu, the onsen pool with the best view is the mixed-gender pool. But at Tae-no-Yu, they will provide special bath towels for female guests to use, which will put your mind at ease during your bath time (^_-)-☆.

And we want to stress that the view from their mixed-gender pool is the most beautiful view you will come across out of all the onsen pools in Nyūtō Onsen. Surrounded by nature (as they all are), you will also see a mountain stream flowing quietly next to the pool that you will be indulging your body in.

If sharing your bath time with strangers just isn’t something you want to do or experience, that is okay! They have private onsen pools you can book even if you aren’t staying overnight at this gorgeous ryokan (*´ω｀).

At Tae-no-Yu, they have two different onsens: Kin-no-Yu (金の湯) and Gin-no-Yu (銀の湯), which means gold onsen and silver onsen, respectively.

Kin-no-Yu is a golden acidic hot spring containing minerals such as iron (known for treating certain skin diseases and wounds). After you come up from the onsen, you will feel like your whole body is coated with a moisturizing layer!

Gin-no-Yu, on the other hand, is transparent. The spring acidity is quite mild and suitable for small kids or those with sensitive skin. As Gin-no-Yu is highly effective in warming your body up, straight after you come out of Kin-no-Yu, jump straight into Gin-no-Yu to wash away some of the minerals that might be too strong for your skin. This method is especially recommended for those who have sensitive or fragile skin!

For more information, please visit their website HERE!

Tip: For those with special dietary requirements like us, let the ryokan know in advance so they can cater to your request!

How to Get to Tae-no-Yu

Click HERE to return to Nyūtō Onsen Resort’s accommodations list.

Kuroyu Onsen (黑湯溫泉)

Kuroyu Onsen is also a ryokan with a long history that can be traced back to the Edo period (1603 – 1868). Just like Tsuru-no-Yu, the ryokan is known for its thatched roof.

The most special thing about Kuroyu Onsen is its Hanare (離れ), a hatched-roof cottage located on high ground around 100 meters from ryokan’s main building.

Also, out of all the other onsen facilities at Nyūtō Onsen, Kuroyu Onsen offers its customers a choice to cook for themselves. This option is particularly attractive to those with a limited travel budget. You will need to bring your own ingredients to cook (pre-made meals or bento boxes might be the easiest option as there will be a microwave for you to use (^_-)-☆).

The Kuroyu Onsen’s outdoor onsen pools, whether it is mixed-gender or not, all have spectacular views of the mountains in the distance and are even more stunning during the autumn season! But unfortunately, they don’t have any private onsen pools available. Nevertheless, if you do decide to drop by and use the Kuroyu Onsen, your skin will still be as smooth as a baby’s afterwards (≧▽≦)!

As Kuroyu Onsen is buried deep in the mountain, it only opens from mid-April to early November each year. Booking can be made through Kuroyu Onsen’s website HERE.

How to Get to Kuroyu Onsen

Click HERE to return to Nyūtō Onsen Resort’s accommodations list.

Ganiba Onsen (蟹場溫泉)

Ganiba Onsen is another ryokan that we love. Although the exterior of the ryokan may look relatively simple and plain, what matters is always the interior, right?

They have two gorgeously built indoor onsen pools, one made of wood and one made of stones. With the scenery viewed from the big window, each scenery gives you a completely different but relaxing vibe.

Kaniba Onsen’s mixed-gender pool is 50 meters from the nearby beech forest. Located just along the river, the whole onsen pool blends in perfectly with nature (*´ω｀).

Tip: To the lovely ladies reading this article, Kaniba Onsen allocates an hour each day for the mixed-gender pool to female guests from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm (^_-)-☆.

Click HERE to check out more photos of their onsen pools on Kaniba Onsen’s website and for more information about the ryokan!

Tip: For those with special dietary requirements like us, ensure you let the ryokan know in advance so they can cater to your request!

How to Get to Ganiba Onsen

Click HERE to return to Nyūtō Onsen Resort’s accommodations list.

Magoroku Onsen (孫六溫泉)

Important: Magoroku Onsen is currently closed for renovation.

Magoroku Onsen is known for its hot spring of strong curative effect. The locals would call their onsen “Yama-no-Yakutō (山の薬湯), which means medical onsen in the mountain.

It is also a ryokan that is popular amongst hikers as it is located at one of the trailheads of the hiking track to the top of Mt. Nyūtō. If you plan to hike Mt. Nyūtō, let the ryokan know your plan in advance, and they will accommodate your schedule for you to have dinner earlier.

With different onsen pools containing different sources of spring water, the one pool that you won’t want to miss out on is their Karako-no-Yu (唐子の湯). The radium mineral hot spring can only be found there!

Although they don’t have private onsen pools available, they have single-gendered pools, even open-aired ones. But one thing to note is that the changing room is connected to both a female-only outdoor pool and a mixed-gender indoor pool. So please read the sign carefully before you open the door!

Tip: For those with special dietary requirements like us, let the ryokan know in advance. They will try their best to cater to your request!

How to Get to Magoroku Onsen

And check out their access information page HERE. We love their hand-drawing Nyūtō Onsen resort map!

Click HERE to return to Nyūtō Onsen Resort’s accommodations list.

Ōkama Onsen (大釜溫泉)

Fancy taking a bath inside a Japanese school? Come to Ōkama Onsen!

But actually, the ryokan wasn’t renovated from a closed-down school. Instead, it was rebuilt by using the building material of a school close by in 1977 after the original ryokan was burnt down.

As the building material was from a school, the exterior of the ryokan resonates with the primary schools back in the good old days!

From April to October, at the front gate, there are tubs with onsen in them for anyone who wants to rejuvenate themselves from all that traveling (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.

Hot Spring at Ōkama Onsen

The onsen here is strongly acidic as it contains iron and sulfur. This may not be suitable for those with sensitive skin.

People who have tasted the water described the spring water as being sour. But because of these acidic characteristics, the onsen will help get rid of old/dead skin and tighten your pores at the same time!

What is even better is that the spring water contains many natural moisturizing elements that will keep your skin smooth and soft (^_-)-☆.

Tip: For those who are vegetarians like us, make sure you let the ryokan know in advance so that they can cater to your dietary requirements!

How to Get to Ōkama Onsen

Tip: If you are staying overnight at Ōkama Onsen but have trouble reaching the ryokan due to situations outside of your control, such as poor weather conditions or you have missed the last bus bound for Nyūtō Onsen resort, please give them a call, and they should be able to arrange a pick-up service for you.

Click HERE to return to Nyūtō Onsen Resort’s accommodations list.

Kyūkamura (渡假村 乳頭溫泉鄉)

Kyūkamura is one of the 37 hotels owned by the National Park Resort Chain.

Although the hotel itself doesn’t have the secrecy element like the other six ryokans, the facilities in Kyūkamura are suitable for families or the elderly due to its level of service, modern facilities, and location.

Onsen at Kyūkamura

Strangely enough, they don’t have a private onsen pool that is available for renting (we would have thought that a hotel chain like this should have the funding to build a few private pools…). So if you don’t want to share your shower/bath time with strangers, make sure you book one of their Western-style rooms with a shower/bath attached.

In one of their indoor bathing area, a bigger onsen pool is divided into two smaller pools, each with a different type of onsen.

The one with the milky color is called Tazawako-Kōgen-no-Yu (田沢湖高原の湯), which is known to remove excess sebum from your skin.

The clearer onsen is Nyūtō -no-Yu (乳頭の湯). The spring water, known for containing moisturizing properties, will soften the keratin surface of your skin, making your skin feel soft and supple.

Dining at Kyūkamura

Dinner at Kyūkamura is all made from local and seasonal ingredients. Their kaiseki-ryōri (traditional multi-course Japanese dinner) isn’t just perfect for your Instagram photos, but all the dishes are mouth-watering and delicious!

In the morning, you will be enjoying their buffet which will give you enough energy and nutrients to kick start your exciting adventures (^_-)-☆.

Tip: For those with special dietary requirements like us, let the hotel know in advance so they can cater to your request!

Camping at Nyūtō Onsen

From June to early October, you can also book to camp at Nyūtō Onsen with Kyūkamura. Note that the campground is 1.5 km from the hotel, so rather than getting off at the bus stop – Kyūkamura-mae (休暇村前), get off at Tsurunoyu Iriguchi (鶴の湯温泉入口) instead.

The camping facility is not currently listed on the hotel’s English website, so you will have to refer to the Japanese website HERE for more details. Again, if you require translation assistance, please contact us HERE, and we will get back to you.

How to Get to Kyūkamura

Click HERE to get back to Nyūtō Onsen Resort’s accommodations list.

Yumeguri-chō (湯めぐり帖)

How to Get to Nyūtō Onsen

By Train and Bus

To get to Nyūtō Onsen by train, the fastest way is to take the bullet train/Shinkansen “Komachi (こまち)” to get to JR Tazawako Station (田沢湖駅). From JR Tazawako Station, change for Ugoku Kotsu’s (羽後交通) Nyūtō Line (乳頭線). It takes around 40 minutes to get to the onsen resort. This may sound like a long time to some of you, but time will really fly when you continue to gaze at the beautiful scenery from the window!

By Shinkansen to Tazawako Station:

• From Tokyo Station (東京駅): approx. 3 hours
• From Sendai Station (仙台駅): approx. an hour and 15 mins
• From Akita Station (秋田駅): approx. an hour

By Airplane

You can also catch a flight to Akita Airport, and from there, there are reservation-based shared taxi services that will bring you straight to Nyūtō Onsen. Although it is more expensive, it is a more convenient way. For more information about the price and timetable and to make a booking, please refer to the Akita Airportliner’s English website HERE.

• Note reservation through the internet must be made by 5 pm 2 days in advance. If you are booking through a phone call, please do so by 5 pm the day before

Click HERE to return to Nyūtō Onsen Resort’s accommodations list.

Explore the Stunning Lake Tazawa Close by

Whether you are transmitting at Lake Tazawa to get to Nyūtō Onsen or self-driving, visiting Lake Tazawa is a must when you come to this part of Akita prefecture!

On top of the beautiful scenery, there are a couple of interesting attractions to visit around the lake.

For more information, please refer to our article on Lake Tazawa!