Experience a step back in time at Sukayu Onsen (酸ケ湯温泉), a legendary hot spring retreat nestled at an altitude of 900 meters in Aomori’s Hakkoda Mountains. Established over 300 years ago, this historic inn is world-famous for its massive 1,000-Person Bath (Sennin Buro,ヒバ千人風呂), a rare 248-square-meter mixed-gender bathhouse crafted entirely from aromatic hiba cypress. As the first site in Japan to be designated a “National Recreational Hot Spring Resort,” Sukayu is celebrated for the potent healing properties of its cloudy, acidic sulfur waters. As a base for hiking the pristine trails of Towada-Hachimantai National Park, Sukayu Onsen offers an authentic “Tōji” (hot spring healing) experience, one of Japan’s most iconic cultural treasures.
All You Need to Know About Sukayu Onsen Ryokan
- The Origin of Sukayu Onsen
- The Mixed-Gender Bath at Sukayu Onsen, Hiba Sennin Buro
- Visiting Sukayu Onsen as a Day Customer
- Events at Sukayu Onsen
- How to Get to Sukayu Onsen
- Sukayu Onsen Campsite (酸ヶ湯キャンプ場)
Tips:
☛ In front of Hiba Sennin Buro, there is a wooden spring water fountain for anyone to utilize. The fresh spring water is sourced from Hakkoda Mountains and is delicious.
☛ You can leave your valuables in the lockers near Sennnin Buro and Tama no Yu’s entrance.
☛ If you are a vegetarian like us, don’t forget to inform them of your dietary requirements when you book (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
The Origin of Sukayu Onsen
Sukayu Onsen was discovered approximately 300 years ago. At the time, it was called “Shika-yu 鹿湯”.
The onsen was found by a hunter who saw shika (deer) healing their wounds with the onsen. From this, the onsen was then called Shika-yu.
After its discovery, because of the high acidity of the onsen water, the name became Suka-yu 酸ヶ湯 (the “su” meaning “acid” in Japanese).
The Mixed-Gender Bath at Sukayu Onsen Ryokan, Hiba Sennin Buro
If you are looking for memories that will last you a lifetime, taking a bath at Sukayu Onsen’s Hiba Sennin Buro might be the one you want to challenge yourself with. The traditional inn is most famously known for its mixed-gender bath. And yes, when we say mixed-gender, it is a public bathing facility that both genders can use at the SAME TIME Σ(ﾟДﾟ).
As its name suggests and shown in the photo, Hiba Senin Furo is huge and can accommodate massive crowds of both genders. While we are unsure if it can really accommodate a thousand people, a few hundred shouldn’t be a problem!
Surprisingly, Westerners are in the photo as well! So don’t be shy when you get there. We even met a Caucasian family at Sennin Buro!
Because of its capacity, there are heaps of shoeboxes at the entrance to Sukayu Onsen. Rows of indoor slippers are also laid on the ground for its customers’ convenience (see the last three photos in the Instagram post).
Obviously, you can’t take a photo of Hiba Sennin Buro, but you can take a commemorative photo with the face-in-the-hole board in the ryokan’s reception area (see the 3rd photo in the Instagram post).
Important: Each onsen pool at Sukayu Onsen has a different temperature and acidity. One of them, called Nettō (熱湯), has a pH of 1.7. Due to the strong acidity, you may want to bathe there for only 5 to 10 minutes.
Before you head off to warm up in the hot springs, it is a good idea to check with the hotel whether they have a guide indicating how long an individual should stay in the onsen.
Regardless of Sukayu Onsen’s unique bathing system, the sulphur-based onsen is said to be quite effective for those with various physical disorders, such as muscle and joint pain and poor circulation (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
Renting a Bathing Suit at Sukayu Onsen Ryokan
To make it more comfortable for everyone to enjoy Hiba Sennin Buro, a special bathing suit (yuamigi, 湯浴着) can be rented from the ryokan shop for 500 yen (see the 4th photo in the Instagram post). You can also purchase the female Yuamigi for 1,300 yen.
Tip: Sennin Buro is female-only between 8 am and 9 am.
Bathing at Sukayu Onsen Ryokan’s Mixed-Gender Bath, Hiba Sennin Buro
Unlike the photo from Aomori Prefectural Tourism Federation on the right, the Hiba Sennin Buro is filled with steam, and the lighting is dim. So, even if you don’t wear a yuamigi, people in the indoor bathing area won’t be able to see your body clearly. It was like wearing a pair of fogged eyeglasses when we bathed at Hiba Sennin Buro. Thus, there is no need to worry too much about being stared at by others when you bathe at Sennin Buro.
Moreover, the area is also divided between males and females. The shower/rinsing area is blocked by wooden dividers so that people in the onsen pools can’t see you while you rinse.
Sukayu Onsen Ryokan’s Single-Gendered Bath, Tama no Yu (玉の湯)
If you don’t want to bathe with the opposite gender, Tama no Yu (玉の湯) is Sukayu Onsen’s single-gender hot spring facility that you can enjoy. While not as big as Sennin Buro, Tama no Yu is spacious as well.
To get to Tama no Yu, please follow the directional signs in the reception area. The female-only and male-only Tama no Yu are located far apart.
Visiting Sukayu Onsen Ryokan as a Day Customer
If you don’t have time to spend a night at Sukayu Onsen, you can utilize its hot spring facility as a day customer between 7 am and 6 pm. The last admission is taken at 5:30 pm.
The mixed-gender Hiba Senin Furo is female-only between 8 am and 9 am.
The cost for day customers at Sukayu Onsen is 1,000 yen for adults and 500 yen for elementary school students. Please purchase the ticket from the vending machine at the entrance. Don’t worry, there are English notations on the machine.
There should be staff at the entrance checking your ticket. A towel set will be provided to you once the staff takes your ticket (see the piles of yellow towels in the 3rd photo in the Instagram post).
Events at Sukayu Onsen Ryokan
At Sukayu Onsen, various guide tours are scheduled depending on the reason. For more information on what is on and the exact dates the tours are on, please refer to the announcement on their website HERE and use Google Chrome’s translation function at the top right of the address bar to translate the webpage. The tour guide can speak English, so you can still participate in the tour even if you don’t understand Japanese (‘ω’)ノ.
- Snowshoe Hiking in January and February.
- Snow corridor trekking from late March to the beginning of April.
- Trekking in the summer months
Important: Please also note that tour bookings must be made at the hotel’s reception desk (usually at least 1 day in advance). The tours are not free, even if you stay overnight at the hotel.
How to Get to Sukayu Onsen Ryokan
Please take the JR Bus Mizuumii-Gō (みずうみ号) and get off at Sukayu Onsen (酸ケ湯温泉).
- From Aomori:
To get to Sukayu Onsen, please take JR Bus Mizuumii-Gō from either JR Aomori Station’s bus stop no. 11 or bus stop no. 1 located at JR Shin-Aomori’s east exit. - From Lake Towada (only accessible from mid-April to mid-November):
- To get to Sukayu Onsen, please take JR Bus Mizuumi from JR Tohoku Bus Nenokuchi Station (ジェイアールバス東北 子ノ口駅)
- Refer to our article on How to Get to Oirase Gorge and Lake Towada for more information.
Tip: If you are coming from Aomori and want to stay overnight at Sukayu Onsen, book their free pick-up and drop-off services in advance (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
The hotel is currently picking up its guests from the bus stop at Shin-Aomori Station, east exit, at 10:15 am and 2 pm. The drop-off back to the same location from Sukayu Onsen departs the hotel at 8:50 am and 12:30 pm.
The travel time between JR Aomori Station and Sukayu Onsen is approximately 60 minutes.
Sukayu Onsen Campsite (酸ヶ湯キャンプ場)
If you are visiting the area during the summer months, the Sukayu Campsite operates from late June to October. Please refer to their website HERE. Again, the website is in Japanese, so translate it with Google Chrom’s translation function. If you need assistance, contact us HERE, and we will get back to you (‘ω’)ノ.
Discover Other Attractions Around the Area
Embark on an unforgettable journey along the Hakkoda-Towada Gold Line, a premier scenic route connecting the majestic Hakkoda Ropeway to the emerald waters of Lake Towada. Starting with the towering Hakkoda Snow Corridor and the healing waters of legendary “secret” hot springs like Sukayu Onsen, before descending into the breathtaking Oirase Gorge. This route is the ultimate way to discover the raw natural beauty of Northern Japan.
For more information, please refer to our article on Hakkōda Mountains!
