A winter trip to Tohoku and Michinoku is almost always accompanied by a visit to a hot spring. There's no better way to experience the essence of a winter trip to Japan than soaking in a snow-viewing bath in the Tohoku region, a place brimming with travel romance. So, let's take a look at some hot springs in and around resorts in Tohoku, sorted by area, that you should definitely soak in if you're planning a ski trip there
[Near Lake Tazawa Ski Resort]
Nyuto Onsen (Akita Prefecture)
The open-air bath surrounded by a beautiful beech forest with a view of the snow is the best
Tazawako Ski Resort is easily accessible, just a 30-minute bus ride from JR Tazawako Station, and boasts a large slope with a variety of courses and stunning views of Lake Tazawa, Japan's deepest lake. There are many tourist attractions and hot springs in the surrounding area, but one hot spring that is definitely worth a visit is the famous Nyuto Onsenkyo. Full of Michinoku atmosphere, the seven hot springs (inns) have a hidden hot spring atmosphere, retaining the facades of traditional culture such as thatched roofs, and some of them date back to the Edo period. Each has its own hot spring source, and day trips are also possible. You can also travel between the seven inns on the Yu Meguri bus
Of the seven hot spring inns, Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo is the most recently renovated and modern facility. You can enjoy two types of hot springs: Tazawako Kogen no Yu simple sulfur spring and Nyuto no Yu sodium bicarbonate spring
Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo (day bath)
Opening hours: 11:00-17:00
Price: Adults 800 yen
Official website: http://www.nyuto-onsenkyo.com/index.html
[Mountain Field Miyagi Zao Sumikawa Nearby]
Togatta Onsen "Kami no Yu" and "Kotobuki no Yu" (Miyagi Prefecture)
Two public baths that are always crowded with locals and skiers
Togatta Onsen is a hot spring located in Zao Town, Katta District, Miyagi Prefecture. Mountain Field Miyagi Zao Sumikawa is conveniently located just an hour and a half from Sendai and boasts 100% natural snow. It is a popular powder spot well known among freeskiers, with beautiful frost-covered trees, backcountry fields, and even a CAT skiing operation. Togatta Onsen is a nearby hot spring that can be visited from here, and there are many hot spring inns, but the public baths "Kami no Yu" and "Kotobuki no Yu" are popular with locals and skiers
"Kami no Yu" is a retro hot spring where you can relax with the scent of Aomori cypress. It is a free-flowing bath with hot and lukewarm water for both men and women. "Kotobuki no Yu" has hotter water that is 100% sourced from the hot spring. The building is a reproduction of a bathhouse from the Edo period, and is full of charm
"Kami no Yu" and "Kotobuki no Yu" (day-trip baths)
Opening hours: Kami no Yu 9:00-20:30 | Kotobuki no Yu 6:00-10:00, 12:00-20:30
Price: Adults 400 yen
Official website: http://toogattaspa.jp/index.html
[Tengendai Highland Soba]
Shirabu Onsen Azumaya Ryokan (Yamagata Prefecture)
Relax and feel the history of the hot springs, which dates back over 700 years
Shirabu Onsen is about a five-minute drive from the Tengendai Ropeway entrance. There are several hot spring inns where you can drop in for a soak, but Azumaya Ryokan is particularly popular for its rustic open-air baths, a wide variety of hot springs that are 100% natural spring water, and outstanding cuisine! The inn is famous for its "waterfall bath," a stone bathtub that has been passed down for 400 years. It is said that applying the hot waterfall to the affected area has a therapeutic effect on the body
Shirabu Onsen Azumaya Ryokan (day bath)
Opening hours: 11:00-16:00
Price: 700 yen for adults
Official website: http://www.shirabu-higashiya.com/
[Near Appi Kogen Ski Resort]
Appi Onsen Shirakaba no Yu (Iwate Prefecture)
The open-air bath with its tranquil and calm atmosphere is the largest in Tohoku!
Appi Onsen's Shirakaba no Yu offers a variety of baths, including the largest open-air bath in the Tohoku region, a large bath, a rock bath, a reclining bath, and a tub bath. The open-air bath, surrounded by the warmth of wood, offers a calming view of the starry sky, making you want to soak in it forever. Shirakaba no Yu is a clear, colorless bath that is smooth and comfortable on the skin, perfect for beautiful skin. There is also a large bath that can accommodate 400 people at once, and a large sauna. Located in the ANA Holiday Inn Resort Appi Kogen, it is also available for day trips
Appi Onsen Shirakaba no Yu (day bath)
Opening hours: 13:00-23:00
Price: Adults 1,200 yen on weekdays (800 yen when the open-air bath is closed)
◆ Official website: https://www.appi.co.jp/heal/heal-top/
[Near Hachimantai Resort Panorama and Shimokura Ski Resort]
Shin-Appi Onsen Seiryukaku (Iwate Prefecture)
The strongest salt spring in Iwate Prefecture is a "rejuvenating bath" that warms you up in a different way
Shin-Appi Onsen is conveniently located near Hachimantai Resort Panorama and Shimokura Ski Resort. There are two hot springs, the source of the large bath is commonly known as "Kin no Yu" (golden hot spring) and is a pale yellow-brown color. The other is "Gin no Yu" (silver hot spring) and is a slightly lighter yellow-brown color than Kin no Yu
The water at Shin-Abi Onsen Seiryukaku contains 20g of salt, which is about twice the salt concentration of seawater, making it the only strong salt spring in Iwate Prefecture. The salt is effective for beautiful skin, and it is also known as a beauty bath and rejuvenation bath. There is also an open-air bath with artificial radium ore hot spring. Day trips are possible, and we recommend the plan where you can relax in a private room after a relaxing bath and receive the inn's special bento lunch box.
2 or more people: 4,400 yen/person + 75 yen bathing tax | Weekends and public holidays 2 or more people: 5,500 yen/person + 75 yen bathing tax
Shin Appi Onsen Seiryukaku (day bath)
Opening hours: 10:30-18:00
Price: Adults (middle school students and above) 800 yen
Official website: https://www.sinappi.jp/
[Around Amihari Onsen Ski Resort]
Amihari Onsen (Iwate Prefecture)
Five hot springs in a vacation village directly connected to the Amihari Onsen Ski Resort
Tohoku is full of hidden hot springs with a Michinoku atmosphere, but Amihari Onsen in Iwate Prefecture is a famous hot spring with a history of 1,300 years, and has long been said to cure all ailments. "Amihari Onsen" refers to the five hot springs located within the grounds of Kyukamura, which is directly connected to the Amihari Onsen Ski Resort. The main building of Kyukamura has "Daishaku no Yu," which has an indoor bath and an open-air bath, "Hakusen no Yu," an indoor bath, and near the ski resort there is "Yakushi no Yu," a day-trip hot spring, "Senjo no Yu," which has an indoor bath, an open-air bath, and "Shikaoi Foot Bath," so you can enjoy five unique hot springs in total. (Senjo no Yu and Shikaoi Foot Bath are closed in winter.)
Amihari Onsen (day-trip bath)
Opening hours: Different prices for each of the five hot springs
. Amihari Onsenkan Yakushi no Yu, available for day trips, costs 600 yen for adults
. Official website: https://www.qkamura.or.jp/iwate/
[Inside Shizukuishi Prince Hotel Ski Resort]
Shizukuishi Takakura Hot Springs (Iwate Prefecture)
Relax and enjoy a stay at Shizukuishi Prince Hotel
This hot spring is located at Shizukuishi Prince Hotel, inside Shizukuishi Ski Resort. Day trips are also available. The covered open-air bath is comfortable and you can relax even when it's snowing. In winter, you can relax in the beautiful open-air bath with a view of the snow. There is a pond nearby, and you can see the carp swimming up close, giving you a truly Japanese atmosphere
Shizukuishi Takakura Onsen (day bath)
Opening hours: 5:00-9:30 / 14:00-22:00
Price: Adults 800 yen
Official website: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shizukuishi/facility/onsen/
[Near Geto Kogen Ski Resort]
Geto Plateau Hot Springs Usamorinoyu (Iwate Prefecture)
Enjoy a blissful hot spring after enjoying a tree run in heavy snow
Geto Kogen Onsen is a natural hot spring with a weak alkaline spring pumped up from 1,700 meters underground within the ski resort, which is highly effective in beautifying the skin. At an altitude of 1,000 meters, there is also an open-air snow-viewing bath with a great view, a reclining bath, and a far-infrared sauna. Unusually for a sauna, it has exterior windows, giving a sense of openness and making it comfortable even for long periods of time. After bathing, you can also relax in the observation lounge
On night game days, opening hours are extended from the usual 7pm until 10pm, making it the perfect time to warm up after a chilly night game
Geto Kogen Onsen Usamori no Yu (day bath)
Opening hours: 10:00-19:00, Wednesday 14:00-19:00
Price: Adults 900 yen
Official website: https://www.getokogen.com/winter/11onsen/index.html
[Near Hoshino Resorts Nekoma Mountain]
Nekoma Onsen Goshiki no Mori (Fukushima Prefecture)
A beauty bath with high moisturizing effects that keeps you warm
This luxurious natural hot spring, "flowing directly from the source," springs from within the grounds of Urabandai Lake Resort. With a neutral pH of 6.8, the water has a high heat retention effect and does not cool down easily after bathing, promoting blood flow and metabolism. It contains over 200mg of metasilicic acid, a natural moisturizing ingredient with skin-beautifying properties, far exceeding the 100mg that is said to be effective, making it a beauty bath that can be called a "natural lotion." "Hibaraminoyu" is an open-air bath with a spectacular view overlooking Lake Hibara. The indoor "Aurora no Yu" is a large bath with a large window that fills the air with the view, making you want to take a long, relaxing bath
Nekoma Onsen Goshiki no Mori (Day Trip Bath)
Opening hours: 9:00-10:30 / 13:30-21:00 (Day Trip)
Price: Adults (middle school students and above) 1,200 yen
Official website: https://www.lakeresort.jp/hotspring/
Ogishima Onsen Tamanoyu (Fukushima Prefecture)
Stay overnight and enjoy plenty of local sake and Aizu cuisine
Tamanoyu Ryokan at Ogishima Onsen is located close to the old Alts Bandai Ski Resort, which became Nekoma Mountain in the 2023-2024 season. This hot spring offers a spectacular view, allowing you to relax in a large bathtub while gazing at the majestic Mount Bandai. The hotel is renowned for its Aizu local cuisine, including sweet-boiled carp, which was a treat for the feudal lords of Aizu during the Edo period, and horse sashimi, a specialty of Aizu. With a sake advisor on hand, you can enjoy delicious local sake to your heart's content. So, you'll definitely want to stay overnight and relax. Of course, it's also possible to stay here and commute to Nekoma Mountain
Daytime bathing is also possible, but there are some weekdays when the bath is closed, so be sure to check Instagram beforehand if you plan to drop by
Ogishima Onsen Tamanoyu Ryokan (day bath)
Opening hours: 13:00-17:00 (varies depending on business days)
Fee: Adults 700 yen
◆ Official website: https://www.lakeresort.jp/hotspring/