If you are like us, who love traditional Japanese gardens, afternoon tea in a nice cafe, or even camping, Tenshukaku Natural Park (天守閣自然公園) is a must-visit spot. In autumn, the park is beautifully illuminated, making the visit to Akiu Onsen more worthwhile. Moreover, there are two free foot spas and a public onsen bathhouse for your relaxation during your visit. The best news is that private hot spring pools are available, too!
About Tenshukaku Natural Park
Reading the park’s name, you are probably expecting to see a castle keep. However, the Tenshukaku Natural Park is actually more of a grand Japanese strolling garden with large ponds filled with Koi fish.
The park is located where the castle named Yumoto Koyatate (湯元小屋館) was. This castle was built by the first lord of Akiu village in the Muromachi period (室町時代). While the park is named Tenshukaku, the castle at the time didn’t have a castle keep because such a thing didn’t exist back then. The garden wasn’t a part of the castle’s features either.
The garden’s construction actually started relatively recently, just shortly after the end of World War Two. When Hayasaka Ichitarō (早坂市太郎) returned to his hometown wounded after the war, he bought this piece of land and successfully discovered a hot spring source. The traditional garden was then made over 14 years to complement the hot spring and was completed in 1972.
This garden differs from other Japanese gardens in the number of stone arrangements. You will be surprised by the number of stone and rock decorations placed in the park! Those rocks and stones were all sourced locally from debris salvaged from Mt. Ōsawa (大澤山). There is also two free foot spas that are open from mid-March to late November.
Tenshukaku Natural Park is now developed into a multi-purpose complex where you can camp and dine or enjoy the onsen from April to autumn.
Tenshukaku Natural Park’s Hot Spring Facilities
In addition to the amazing rock formations, there are two free foot spas in the park for you to enjoy from March to November (as long as you have paid for the garden’s entry). On a chilly day, you can pay a little extra for a nice hot spring session. If you aren’t comfortable bathing with strangers, there is a private pool you can rent out on weekends and public holidays.
Tenshukaku Natural Park’s Flower Calendar
- Plum blossom: March to April
- Cherry blossom: Mid to late April
- Rhododendron, Azalea, Wisteria, and many more: May
- Japanese dogwood, Iris, Hydrangea, Water lilies, and many more: June
Akiu Night Museum (秋保ナイトミュージアム)
- From late October to mid-November, the lighting show called Akiu Night Museum is held from 5 pm to 9 pm.
- The last admission is at 8:30 pm.
- The admission fee is
- 1,000 yen for junior high school students and above (1,500 yen for weekends and public holidays)
- 500 yen for children 4 years old and older
Tenshuaku Natural Park’s Opening Hours, Admission Fee, and Access Information
- Tenshukaku Natural Park is open from 10 am to 5 pm (5:30 pm on weekends and public holidays) except for the 3rd Friday from December to February and on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
- The garden is closed at 4 pm.
- The garden’s admission fee is
- 400 yen for adults
- 100 yen for children from the age of 4 to elementary school students
- Free if you utilize the public onsen pool
- From December to February, the admission fee is halved.
- You will get a discount if you are a campground or Lodge Village (木の家ロッジ村) customer.
- If you plan to take Miyagi Kōtsū or Sendai City Bus, get off at Akiu Onsen Moto (秋保温泉湯元). The park is then a 15-minute walk away.
- If you plan to take Takeya Kōtsū, get off at Ki no Ie-mae (木の家前).
Discover Other Fantastic Attractions in Akiu Onsen
If you want to visit a hot spring town in the Tōhoku region, Akiu Onsen in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, has to be one of your top choices. Not only is this one of the top three hot spring towns in northeastern Japan, but it was also loved by two past Japanese emperors. This was how it earned the title of Nihon San Miyu (日本三御湯), a name bestowed to only three onsen towns by Emperor Juntoku (順徳天皇) in the early 13th century!
If the above sounds enticing, refer to our Akiu Onsen article to plan your visit!
