Nyuutou Onsen Village (Akita): A Fairytale Hidden Hot Spring in the Mountains

Nyuutou Onsen Village is a famous hidden hot spring in the Tohoku region of Japan, located 30 minutes by car from Lake Tazawa in a deep mountain forest. It consists of seven hot springs, with the most famous being the 300-year-old Tsurunoyu Onsen, featured in the drama 'IRIS'. A unique aspect of this area is the tradition of mixed-gender bathing. Visitors are advised to stay overnight to fully enjoy the experience. Tsurunoyu Onsen is particularly special but difficult to book, especially the main inn, which requires reservations months in advance. Even if staying at another onsen, it's easy to visit Tsurunoyu during the day by bus. Initially, the plan was to visit all seven hot springs, but upon closer inspection of the map, it became clear that the bus from Lake Tazawa to Nyuutou Onsen only goes to the Tsurunoyu Onsen entrance stop. In the snowstorm, it takes nearly 3 kilometers to reach the main inn, a journey that takes about two hours round trip, only reaching the halfway point at Yamanoyado. The shuttle bus between the seven onsens was missed, leaving Tsurunoyu unvisited. The second map shows the bus route and stops, with the right side's Kuroyu and Sunroku Onsen roads closed due to heavy snow. The left side's Tsurunoyu bus doesn't go directly, making walking difficult, so staying overnight or using the daytime shuttle is recommended. Getting off at Kyukamura, it's a secret snowy forest retreat with thick snow and beautiful scenery. Walking to Kaijou Onsen and back to Kyukamura, there was still time to enjoy a day-use onsen for 600 yen per person. However, towels are not provided, so bring your own. After finishing the Nyuutou Onsen Village trip, the bus ride back to Tazawa Station offered a beautiful sunset view. #Akita #NyuutouOnsenVillage #JapanHotSprings #TohokuJapan #IRIS