If you plan to visit Nyūtō Onsen, one of the top hot spring towns in Akita Prefecture, we highly recommend booking a night with Tsuru no Yu (鶴之湯). It is the oldest ryokan in town and was once a spa for the lords of the Akita domain. Thus, besides the guestrooms and public baths, a thatched-roofed tenement house where the lord’s guards stayed remained!
Tsuru no Yu’s History
The History of Tsuru-no-Yu 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”.
Tsuru no Yu’s Honjin
The 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. 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).
Klook.comOnsen 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 you aren’t comfortable with a mixed-gender pool, there are gender-separated onsen pools (although smaller) that you can utilize more comfortably (unfortunately, there is no private bathtub).
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. If you can’t make a phone call to book your stay, you can make a reservation HERE.
Visiting Tsuru no Yu as a Day Visitor
- 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
- 700 yen for adults
- 300 yen for elementary school students and younger
- 200 for towels
- Coin-operated lockers are available at Building 2’s entrance.
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
Please take Ugoku Kōtsū’s (羽後交通) Nyūtō Line (乳頭線) or Komagatake Line (駒ヶ岳線) from JR Tazawako Station (田沢湖駅前) or Lake Tazawa (田沢湖畔) and get off at Arupakomakusa (アルパこまくさ) stop.
- There is no English timetable available. Please refer back to the Japanese bus stop name when you read the Japanese timetable HERE and click “乳頭線” or “駒ヶ岳線”. The current one-way bus fare is 520 yen.
- Instead of matching the Japanese name of the bus stops on the timetable, you can also use one of Japan’s Transport Apps.
- Please call Tsuru no Yu at 0187-46-2139 when you arrive at JR Tazawako Station for the ryokan to pick you up from Arupakomakusa.
Other Hot Spring Ryokans and Hotels in Nyūtō Onsen
Nyūtō Onsen (乳頭温泉郷) is a rural hot spring resort in Akita Prefecture 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, the resort is quietly nestled deep in the mountain at the base of Mt. Nyūtō.
For more information, please refer to our article on Nyūtō Onsen!
