Tsurunoyu, Beppu City, Oita Pref.

Noncommercial, but well managed.

Most frequently asked and yet difficult to answer is “What is your most favorite onsen?” Well, my recent answer is "Beppu Onsen", Oita Prefecture in Kyushu. Actually, Beppu is huge area with roughly eight hot springs zones; Beppu, Kan’nawa, Myoban, Shibaseki, Kamegawa, Horita, Hamawaki, and Kankaiji. There are hundreds of soaking places of various types.

Tsurunoyu, one of my favorites located in a Myoban Onsen area, is a hidden gem. It's a noncommercial (free) mixed open-air bath. It’s well-kept and recommendable for those without vehicles, as you can reach with about 20 minutes walk from bus stop.

There is a wooden shack, you can change and leave your stuff inside. Left part with white door is for women. It’s a kind of wild hot springs and when I first visited there nearly 10 years ago, it was a primitive site. In recent years, it became more and more organized and looks like a commercially run onsen, especially after someone put stones on the bottom of the soaking pond.

Managed by volunteers. Don't leave garbages.

Hot spring is rather hot around 43-45 degrees C, not recommendable for visiting in midsummer. The sulfur smell of the hot spring is very strong, it remains on your skin for hours after soaking.

There is no rule for clothing. But if Japanese soakers are there, they might not welcome soakers in swim-suites (Because it’s an onsen bath for us and a bath is for soaking in your birthday-suites). But usually and hopefully they don’t complain about women’s clothing.

Although I always go there alone, I can’t recommend solo woman to visit. A woman in late 20’s was killed nearby in 2009. It gets crowded on weekends. In the winter, sometimes water level gets too low to soak.

◆ Tsurunoyu (鶴の湯）

Type: Gender Mixed Open-air bath

Business hour: 24 hours (noncommercial)

Equipment:  None except changing space

Access: take a bus toward Myoban Onsen from Beppu Station.　Get off the bus @  Myoban Clinic, then walk backward a little and turn right toward inland at the first corner. Walk straight passing under the expressway, then the graveyard on your left to the end of the road. It takes about 20 minutes from the bus stop. If you drive to the site, leave the dead end space to make a turn when you park (notice written in Japanese).

Location: 33°18'45.6"N 131°26'53.8"E

My rating: A (A-E):

Overall view from upper road

Housenkaku, Fukiage Onsen @ Onikoube, Miyagi Pref.

Onikoube Onsen of Naruko Spa Area, Miyagi Pref. is known as a very active geothermal area, and Fukiage Onsen (吹上温泉) at Onikoube Onsen is famous for geysers and a hot spring waterfall.  I made a day visit to a ryokan named Hounkaku (峯雲閣) to soak in the natural hot spring waterfall. It's usually soakable late May through October, too cold to soak during winter and in early spring and late fall.

Hot spring waterfall was lukewarm in early Oct.

There is another large mixed bath just outside of indoor baths.

Another angle of the mixed bath same above.

Indoor bath is gender separated.

Outside of the Hounkaku.

This is highly recommended for mixed bath beginners. Ladies are allowed to wrap their bodies with bath towels and usually you can meet other ladies and probably you don't feel being isolated. Swimsuit bathing is prohibited.

◆Hounkaku, Fukiage Onsen (Onikoube Onsen), Naruko Spa Area
（鳴子温泉郷、鬼首温泉、吹上温泉、峯雲閣） 

Type: Gender  Separated indoor baths, one gender mixed open-air bath, and natural hot spring waterfall

Business hour for day visit: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Holiday for day visit: Monday

Admission fee: ¥500

Address: 16 Fukiage, Onikoube, Naruko Onsen, Osaki City, Miyagi Pref.

Location: 38.80219, 140.67157

Access: Only a few bus services a day from the Naruko Onsen Railway Station, taking about 30 minutes. Get off at the "Kanketsusen mae（間欠泉前）" bus stop and walk about 5 minutes. 

My rating (A - E):  A

Rotenburo, Izumoyumura Onsen, Unnan City, Shimane Pref.

History of Izumo Yumura Onsen (出雲湯村温泉) in Shimane Prefecture dates back to 8th century but it's a very quiet small onsen area now. There are two onsen inns, a public bath house, and a natural soaking pond called just "rotenburo" (open-air bath) on the riverside. This pond is my favorite.

It's easy to find. There are steps to walk down to the river shore just 20-30 meters from the public bath house. You'll see small bubbles come up from the bottom sand in the pond. Yes, it's ideal temperature at around 40°C.

River Hii (pronounce HEE) and Izumo Yumura Onsen. If you get to the Izumo Ymura Onsen, the rotenburo is easy to find.

There is no changing room and other facilities. Closing optional. I couldn't find a notice to ban swim suites bathing, but I heard local people doesn't welcome visitors' swim suite bathing. I recommend you to visit in the night or early morning.

Close up of the roenburo. Onsen is gushing from the bottom sand.

 ◆Rotenburo, Izumo Yumura Onsen (出雲湯村温泉露天風呂）

Type: Gender mixed. Closing optional

Available hour: Anytime, anyday

Admission fee: Free

Equipment: Nothing

Geocode:  35.21821,132.90807

Access: Take a bus from Kisuki Station of JR Kisuki Line to Izumo Yumura Onsen. The bus and railway services are both sporadic. From the bus stop, it's a few minutes walk.

My rating (A - E): A

Shiriyaki Onsen, Nakanojo-machi, Gunma Pre.

Two soakers preparing step in the hot spring river. Four soakers including Onsen Soaker near upper right corner. Upper part of the river is frozen.

Located near the famous Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma Prefecture, the Shiriyaki Onsen(尻焼温泉), literally means "buttocks burning hot springs", is one of the rare onsens gushing from the bottom of the river and soakable entire width of the river year round in beautiful location. This in one of my most favorite onsens in Kanto Region.

A part of the Nagasasazawa-gawa or Nagasawazawa river, makes a large open-air bath, about 25 meters by 30 meters. If you watch carefully, you can see hot springs are gushing from the bottom. Temperature of the river water was 30-38°C last weekend. I found comfortable spot of around 38°C and soaked an hour and half. The air temperature was 3-4°C.



Clothing is optional. In the summer, many families visit and soak wearing swimsuits, bring tubes for swimming and other goods. Well, it looks like beach sides and I avoid to visit in mid summer.

In the winter, many male visitors soak in their birthday suites just hanging washing towels in front of their bodies. Ladies soak in swimsuits or in clothe for mixed baths, but there is no changing room and you have to change clothes in your car or public rest room nearby.

There is also an indoor bath at the riverside. Clothing prohibited in this bath. The water temperature here is warmer than in the river as hot springs directly piped in this bath.

There is only a few ryokans around without any kind of shops, you need to bring towels and other stuffs you may need.

If you're nature oriented, you'll like the Shiriyaki Onsen.


You can see the hot spring pool over the roof of the indoor bath.

◆Shiriyaki Onsen (尻焼温泉）

Type: Gender Mixed open-air bath.

Address: Kuni, Nakanojo-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma Pref.

Location: 36.648460, 138.64791

Access: Almost all soakers visit with their own vehicles. If you want to visit with public transportation, take bus from Naganohara Kusatsuguchi Station of Agatsuma Line to Hanasiki Onsen (花敷温泉). There are only tree or four service a day for each way. You can walk to Shiriyaki Onsen from the Hanashiki in 15-20 minutes.

Available hour: Round the clock round the year. Sometimes the water level is too high to soak especially after heavy rain and snow melting season.

Admission fee: Free

Equipment: indoor bath

My rating (A-E): A


The red letters tell "Swim Suites Prohibited".

Yokikan, Ito Onsen, Shizuoka Pref.

Came back from Ito Onsen, Shizuoka Prefecture. My pick today is a ryokan named "Yokikan". A 30 meters long in-house cable car (see pictures on their official website) takes you to an open-air bath on upper floor. You can see the Ito town, the sea and others from the bath.

It's a mixed bath, but as for day visit, probably they will let you or your group to soak for yourself or yourselves when business is slow. If you stay overnight, it turns "ladies only bath" at 7:30PM to 9:00PM and 6:00AM to 7:30 AM.

There are gender separated indoor baths as well. If you also want to soak indoor bath, you have to pay another ¥1,000. Of course you can soak as much asu you want if you stay over night.

Limited express "Izu Odoriko" takes you to Ito directly from Tokyo Station taking less than 2 hours.



◆Yokikan, Ito Onsen, Shizuoka Pref. （伊東温泉陽気館）

Type: Gender mixed open-air bath, gender separated indoor baths

Address: 2-24 Suehiro-cho, Ito-shi, Shizuoka Pref.

Location:  34.966944, 139.090591

Access: About ten minutes walk from the Ito Station.

Business hour of day visit : 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Holiday: Busy season (new year, golden week, mid August)

Admission fee: ¥1,000 (including bath towel hire)

Link: Official website of Yokikan in English

My rating (A-E): B


Inside of their cable car.

Furusato Kanko Hotel, Furusato Onsen, Kagoshima Pref.

[update] Furusato Kanko Hotel filed for bankruptcy and Kagoshima District Court accepted their filings on Oct 2, 2012. The hotel was closed down end of Sep.

The mysterious Ryujin-buro (Dragon God Bath) is usually crowded during day time.

Furusato Onsen is located south of Sakurajima, an active volcanic island in Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Pref, in Kyushu Island. Furusato Kanko Hotel is known for its Ryujin-buro, a scenic open-air mixed bath faced on Kinko Bay.

The word Ryujin stands for "Dragon God", and there is a shrine just beside the bath. You have to wear white Yukata (Kimono) to soak the bath regardless your gender (For the Quick Movie and Photo Gallery, see their official site). Because it's supposed to be rude to show your body to the god. Apart from onsen pools, it's one of the very rare "clothing necessary" onsens.


You'll see many small stone statue under roots of the Ficus wightiana. The tree is more than 200 years old.

Although the sodium hot spring is clorinated and circulated (hot spring water is being reused), I could recognize mild touch of the onse water. There are gender separated indoor baths, and private baths, too.

Please note "Ontake", the volcano in the Sakurajima Island is very active, minor explosion counts more than 700 times in a year recently, and sometimes they have to close the Ryujin-buro due to volcanic ash.


A view of the Sakurajima from Shiroyama Park, Central Kagoshima City. Furusato Onsen sits south (right side on the picture) of the island.


◆Furusato Kanko Hotel, Furusato Onsen, Kagoshima Pref.（古里温泉　ふるさと観光ホテル）

Type: Gender mixed open-air bath, gender separated indoor baths, private baths

Address: 1076-1 Furusato-cho, Kagoshima City, Kagosima Pref.

Location: 31.551774,130.656482

Access: Free hourly shuttle services (only in the afternoon on weekdays) from the Sakurajima Port Bus Terminal, taking 15 minutes one way.

Business hour of day visit: 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM

Holiday: As for Ryujin-buro, usually unavailable up to 3:00 PM on every Monday and Thrsday, every Wednesday for indoor bath.

Admission fee: ¥1050 for Ryujin-buro and indoor bath including rental yukata, ¥530 for indoor bath only, ¥3150 for private bath (one hour)

Link: Official web-site (Japanese Only)

My rating (A-E): C


Hot spring for drinking located at lobby of the hotel.

Kappa-no-yu, Oku-yagen Onsen, Aomori Pref. Closed Down

[update] Kappa-no-yu reopened in April 2011. It's no more gender mixed onsen. Available for men from 7AM to 9AM, 11:10AM to 1:00PM, and 3:10PM to 5:00PM. As for wemwn, from 9:10AM to 11:00AM and 1:10PM to 3:00PM. Available until 11:00AM only on every Wednesday.

The Kappa-no-yu, at Oku-yagen Onsen in Aomori Prefecture (see my post dated May 1, 2009) is unavilable now, closed down by the end of March according to a recent local newspaper's report.

Infringement of the public bath law was mentioned in the article. It was an open-air mixed bath without gender separated changing rooms. It said the officials were planning to build gender separated changing rooms, separated baths, and screens to block watchers to reopen the Kappa-no-yu in the future.

I guess increase of WANIs (as for WANI, see my post dated Jan. 23, 2010) in recent years is part of the reason. A friend of mine and I met five or six WANIs there in the summer of 2006, when we were to leave.

The Japanese traditional mixed baths are decreasing. The rotenburo (open-air bath) at Yunokami Onsen, Fukushima Pref. closed down about a year ago (see my post dated May 14, 2009), and swim suites bathing introduced at the Funsenchi, Gero Onsen in Gifu Pref. (see my post dated Jan. 17, 2009) recently.

Wulai Hot Springs, Taipei County, Taiwan

A soaker and feet bathers. The hot springs water itself is almost transparent, looks gray after mixing with bottom sand. (photo: Mar. 2010)

Wulai（烏來） is a small town of Atayal or Tayal tribe in Taipei County, North Taiwan. It's famous for onsen as well. I made my fourth visit here with a friend of mine, and soaked ourselves in the naturally gushing hot springs on the banks of the Nanshih River the other day.

We found the place to soak at the left side of the bridge over the Nanshih River. You have to make your own soaking pond here, moving rocks to mix river water and the hot springs to make adequate temperature for soaking. Fortunately, a kind man gave his soaking space for us, so we didn't have to work hard to get a pond.


You can find readymade soaking ponds at the right side of the bridge.(photo: Mar. 2010)

The hot springs gushing from the bottom sand and very hot, more than 60°C in the sand at my visit. We had to keep stirring water around us to mix river water and hot springs. Swim suites are necessary. There are no changing rooms around there, but a nearby grocery store made us change clothe in their toilet with small money.


Primitive changing rooms are ready at the right side of the bridge.(photo: Mar. 2010)

If you go right side of the bridge, you'll find more organized (?) place for soaking with some concrete made ponds. There are four private changing rooms, and the ponds for washing and for soaking are separated.The river flows slower around here, and many people swim in the river for cooling down after soaking in the hot springs.


There are many hotels with hot springs on the both side of the river. (photo: Feb. 2009)

Of course there are hotels and resorts you can make a day visit. Don't forget to try bamboo tube rice（竹筒飯）, one of the aboriginal dishes.

Access is easy. There are frequent direct bus to Wulai from 青島西路 (Qingdao West Rd? location 25.044587,121.51858) , south side of the Taipei Railway Station, taking about one and half hours and the fare is $70 one way. Although many guidebooks recommend to go to Xindian（新店） with MTR (subway) first, then to take the bus to Wulai($40) from just behind of the tourist information center at the Xindian station to avoid traffic jam in central Taipei, this bus gets desperately crowded especially on weekends, and the road is winding. If you go with small kids and aged people, I recommend you to take the bus from central Taipei. Get off the bus at the last stop at Wulai in either case and just walk around. You will find the bridge I mentioned.


Souvenir shop looks very much like one in Japan. (photo: Feb. 2009)

Nabeyama-no-yu, Beppu City, Oita Pref.

[Update] Road to the the Nabeyama-no-yu closed down after a 28-year-old lady was attacked and killed near the Nabeyama-no-yu on Aug.31, 2010. The murder suspect was arrested in August 2011. (updated Sep. 12, 2011)

A wild mud bath. You can see the Beppu Bay if the sky is clear. (photo: Jan. 2008)

For those looking for onsens in wild settings, I strongly recommend this Nabeyama-no-yu(鍋山の湯), near Myoban Onsen(明礬温泉) in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture.

You can enjoy two types of Onsen here. One is usual hot spring bath, transparent with many small black mineral encrustations, and the other is mud bath. Located upper stage, the mud bath has spectacular view. If the sky is clear, you can see the Beppu Bay through Yukemuri, or streams of Onsen steam of Kannawa Onsen.


Transparent onsen bath. It was lukewarm at my visit. But it's very hot at the fountainhead.

Beware of slippy mud. I was so excited to find this mud bath and when I rushed to the bath, I slipped and hit my leg on a lock hardly, and I came back with a big purple and green bruise on my leg.

If you are willing to walk nearly an hour each way like me, it's accessible without a car. Take a bus numbered 5, 9, 24, 41, or 43 from the west exit of the Beppu Railway Station and get off at the Myoban Onsen(明礬温泉) stop. Bring a detailed map and check it before start walking.

If you visit with a car, don't leave valuables in your car. I heard some reports of theft.


A small mud bath. Rocks around the bath was so slippy.

◆Nabeyama-no-yu (鍋山の湯）

Type: Gender mixed open air bath. No signboard on clothing rules. Available anytime for free.

Equipment: Nothing. No toilets, no changing rooms.

Access: Possible to visit without a car, if you walk nearly an hour one way.

Location: 33.314884,131.44207

My personal rating (A-E): A＋

Shimizuya Ryokan, Yunokami Onsen, Fukushima Pref.

Typical Japanese style ryokan room. Kotatsu in the center of the room is an electric heater. While having dinner at a dining room, ryokan people prepare Futon, the Japanese style sleeping mats in the room. (photo: Feb 2010)

Spent last weekend at Shimizuya Ryokan(清水屋旅館) of snow covered Yunokami Onsen(湯野上温泉) in Fukushima Prefecture with my husband. He doesn't like onsen at all, but he is a train spotter and agreed with me to stay here because this ryokan sits right beside railway of Aizu Tetsudo.


I couldn't recognize more than one hundred years of its history from its appearance.

This is the oldest ryokan in Yunokami Onsen. I chose here as I often feel longer run ryokans tend to supply better hot springs. They started business in Meiji era in 1890.

It's a pity that original buildings were covered up by renovation and nothing tells its long history, and stained carpet and others show they need another massive renovation. If you want to stay at an up market ryokan, you'd better choose another place.


Rotenburo of the Shimizuya isn't so open because of the roof. The temperature of the hot springs is different in each bus tub.

Their rotenburo, open-air bath is gender mixed and ladies only time is set from 4:00PM to 6:00PM. There are four bath tubs and a big Sakura (cherry blossom) tree at rotenburo area. The transparent hot springs are smooth without strong scent, good for my husband and satisfactory for me. Indoor baths are gender separated, and ladies' bath is bigger.


Indoor bath for men. Ladies' bath is twice as big.

◆Shimizuya Ryokan, Yunokami Onsen
(湯野上温泉　清水屋旅館)

Type: Gender mixed open-air bath (Ladies only from 4:00PM till 6:00PM), gender separated indoor baths



Business hour: They accept day visit soaking from 10:00AM to 6:00PM. For overnight stay, advance booking is necessary, check in time is 3:00PM and check out time is 10:00AM.

Admission fee: ¥500 for day visit. Overnight stay starts from ¥8550 with dinner and breakfast per person. If you stay alone, extra charge necessary.

Equipment & Service: Complementary soaps and shampoos. For a overnight staying guest, a hand towel, a bath towel, a tooth brash and tooth paste, a Yukata (bathrobe and pajamas) are ready. I mean you don't have to bring anything special for overnight stay.


You can see the only one station building with miscanthus or straw thatched roof in Japan here at Yunokami Onsen.

Address: 762 Idaira Yunokami Simogo-machi, Minami Aizu-gun, Fukushima Pref.

Location: 37.296945,139.900085

Access:
If you have a Japan Rail Pass, go to Koriyama(郡山) with Tohoku Shinkansen from Ueno(上野) or Tokyo(東京) , then to Aizuwakamatsu(会津若松) with Banetsu-saisen line(磐越西線) and change trains to Aizu Tetsudo line(会津鉄道) at Aizuwakamatsu to Yunokamionsen(湯野上温泉). Japan Rail Pass doesn't cover Aizu Tetsudo, and you have to pay ¥820 extra one way.

If you don't have a Japan Rail Pass, taking Tobu line from Asakusa(浅草) through Shinfujiwara(新藤原) then to Yunokami Onsen is cheaper at ¥3760 one way without express fee.

Link: Map of Shimizuya in English (scale changeable)

My rating (A - E ): B for the onsen, C for the room


My husband satisfied with this scenery from the window of our room.

【Related post】Rotenburo at Yunokami Onsen, Fukushima Pref. Closed Down (May 14, 2009)

Tips to avoid Wani & unpleasant experience at mixed baths

Are these alligators or crocodiles? Many Japanese inluding myself can't recognize the difference. (Oniyama Jigoku, Kannawa Onsen, Beppu City, Oita Pref. in Jan.2008)

The number of Wani is said to be increasing at mixed baths in Japan. The Japanese word "Wani" stands for both crocodiles and alligators.

Maybe you say "Hey, you share an onsen bath with crocodiles and alligators in Japan? Isn't it too dangerous?" Well, wani appearing at onsen is different from ordinary wani and often described as "Wani Otoko" (Crocodile Man or Alligator Man) as well. Many Japanese except onsen enthusiasts doesn't know its existance yet. It has following characteristics.

Spices: Homo Sapience

Gender: Male only (as far as I know)

Habitat: Gender mixed baths, especially open-air baths not far away from big cities (within 2-3 hours).

Action: Spends long time in mixed bath, waiting for female soakers. Sometimes brings in big bottle of water or tea preparing for hours of soaking. When a target comes, it gazes at her body with eyes wide open, without blinking. Sometimes it follows and approaches victims without a word. Usually they don't make  groups, visits mixed baths by themselves. It's easy to recognize them as they have sharp eyes like real wani. (,,ﾟДﾟ)∩

Of course most soakers are well-mannered, but many female soakers I talked with say they met wanis more often recently. As for me, I saw some wanis in last few years including the Kawaranoyu, Tsubame Onsen, Niigata Pref. in Aug.2008. (left)

They threaten our custom at the mixed bath of "not to see, not to show" and the number of the mixed bath is decreasing  in inverse proportion of the the mannerless people.　（*｀へ´*）

Followings are tips for ladies to avoid wani and unpleasant experience at mixed bath. If you have other suggestions, please leave a comment.

1) Go with your husband or boyfriend.
Wani never stares at ladies with male partners.

2) Go with your friends.
I think three or four of you is enough to drive wani out. Just stare at him and chuckle.

3) Choose day and time
Less possibility to meet wani on weekdays, in the early morning, and in the night. Some onsens with mixed baths set "ladies only time".

4) Towel wrapping
Soaking towels in the bath tub is generally against bathing manner in Japan, but many onsens with mixed bath allow ladies to wrap their body with bath towels.

5) Choose muddy bath
Some onsens aren't transparent. If you soak yourself in a muddy or milky white onsen, you don't have to care about being watched at least while soaking.

6) Inform the manager
He or she will drive wani out, I hope. But wani knows unstrict onsens and onsens without managers.

7) Talk to wani
If you meet a wani unfortunately, just talk to him "Wani desuka? (Are you a wani?)" I think he will leave. But if he answers "Yes, so what?" I have no idea what to say next.

8) Dare not go
There are many good gender separated onsens in Japan. If you just want an onsen experience, you don't have to persist with a mixed bath.

9) Swimsuites bathing
Go to the onsen allow swimsites bathing. But swimsuites bathing is different from our onsen culture. The onsen is to soak in a bath in your birthday suites, not in a pool with swimsuites, I guess.

Finally, I want to suggest wanis to take advantage of their special talent in different fields. How about trying a Guiness World Record of "Keep eyes open without blinking"?

Osenkaku, Takaragawa Onsen, Gunma Pref.

The mixed gender open-air bath named "Kodakara no yu" in the midwinter, not in early Dec. (photo: courtesy of the Osenkaku, Takaragawa Onsen)

This onsen ryokan is everyone's favorite without a doubt. There are four big rotenburos or open-air baths along Takara-gawa, the River Takara. One of them is for ladies only, and other three are mixed gender baths. All of them are harmonized with surrounding nature and you don't have to choose season to visit　as you can enjoy any time of the year. I spent hours hopping the four baths and an indoor bath at my last visit in  March.


The Main building of the Osenkaku, Takaragawa Onsen in the midwinter.

It's a huge estate (at leaset for the Japanese). If you make a day visit, pay admission fee at the Takaragawa-sanso just besides the bus stop, put your valuables in a locker (¥100 necessary), walk through junks (you'll see) to the rotenburos. Changing rooms are gender separated, and ladies are allowed to rap their body with bath towels, it's easy for female first-timers to try the mixed bath here. You can rent a bath towel (¥100). If you need a hand towel, you have to buy it (¥200).


"Maka no yu", the biggest open-air bath in the night.

Landmannalaugar, Iceland

Landmannalaugar located southeast of Iceland is known for a highland trekking base rather than hot springs. I made a short slideshow from my travel photo album of last August. It's two minutes long without any sound. Of course some pictures of hot springs are included.

Kaniyu, Okukinu Onsenkyo, Tochigi Pref.

Daiichi Rotenburo, or the first open-air bath exclusively for ladies at Kaniyu. (photo: Nov. 2009)

I went hiking last Sunday to Okukinu Onsenkyo (奥鬼怒温泉郷） in Tochigi Prefecture. There are four onsens at Okukinu Onsenkyo; NIkkosawa, Teshirozawa, Hacchonoyu and Kaniyu. All of them but Teshirozawa accept day visit soaking and I visited all three. Kaniyu (加仁湯) is the biggest among them.

There are one rotenburo for ladies, many mixed gender rotenburos, gender separated indoor baths, and some private baths for overnight staying guests. They have five fountainheads.