Red hot springs

Akayu Onsen” is a small hot spring town located in Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture.Unusually for Yamagata Prefecture, where many hot spring resorts are located in the mountains, there are 14 hot spring inns and 4 public bathhouses scattered throughout the town.All inns are only a 5-minute cab ride from JR Akayu Station, and convenience stores, supermarkets, and restaurants are conveniently located nearby.


Akayu Hot Spring, which boasts a history of more than 920 years since its opening, is a historic hot spring that was discovered by Minamoto no Yoshie, who was responsible for the unification of Oshu, during a battle in 1093 by his younger brother Yoshitsuna, who was accompanying him. When Yoshitsuna and other soldiers soaked their battle-wounded bodies in the hot water, their wounds were quickly healed and turned bright red with blood, which is said to be the origin of the name “Akayu Onsen. During the Yonezawa Domain period, the hot spring was protected as a “Hako-yu” (a bathhouse for the lord) and flourished as a place of entertainment authorized by the domain.


Nanyo City, where viticulture is flourishing, has six wineries, and a wine tasting at each winery is recommended. Nanyo is also a noodle town with many unique ramen restaurants as well as nationally popular ramen restaurants.