This is a famous hot spring that has been used for over a thousand years. Together with Iyonokuni Dogo Onsen and Settsunokuni Arima Onsen, it is known as one of the three major ancient hot springs of Japan. It was visited by many of the daimyo leaders in the Warring States period (1467 to 1590) in the Middle Ages. It was also visited by writers and artists without stop during the Edo period (1603 to 1868). It is a hot spring with history.

The secret to it being loved by people over such a long time is its great variety of efficacies. It has a rare spring quality for Japan. It possesses the effects of a bijin-no yu hot spring (beautiful skin, detoxification and peripheral vasodilation effects) a shinzo-no yu hot spring (lowers blood pressure and is effective on arteriosclerosis and hypertension) and a netsu-no yu hot spring (for elderly people with a strong heat insulation effect). The hot spring also has an abundant amount of hot water. It boasts an output of five tons every minute drawn from a tunnel 50 meters underground. There are a number of ryokan inns that are proud of their natural sulfur springs drawn directly from the source.

There is a relatively mild climate throughout the four seasons for Tohoku here. After taking a stroll through the elegant hot spring district, please enjoy fresh seafood caught in Onahama Port.

A thematic journey in the Tohoku region:Hot springs