7 Onsen in Akita worth your time

A historic caldera hot spring resort founded in 807, offering therapeutic waters and a traditional morning market at Gassan's base.

What it is

• A National Health Spa Resort established in the year 807.
• A hot spring town located on the eastern edge of the Hijiori Caldera.
• A mountain retreat situated along the Dozan River at the base of Mount Gassan.
• A trailhead for hikers planning to climb the slopes of Mount Gassan.

What to see

• The wooden Old Hijiori Post Office building dating back to 1937.
• Six public footbaths located at various points throughout the town.
• Sodium-chloride and sodium-hydrogen carbonate hot spring waters.
• Heavy winter scenery with snowfall often exceeding four meters deep.

When to go

• Spring through autumn to visit the morning market operating since 1917.
• Winter months to experience one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan.

Getting there

• Take a bus from Shinjo Station for a sixty minute journey to the resort.

Read more about Hijiori Onsen

A hot spring resort in Akita featuring rare fossil seawater baths and local marshland cuisine in a former manor house.

What it is

• A hot spring area in Daisen City discovered during natural gas drilling in 1964.
• The site formerly served as a Japanese Army training ground.
• Shohoen is the only remaining accommodation and occupies a former manor house.
• The hot spring water is classified as fossil seawater containing iodine and sodium chloride.

What to see

• The Shohoen manor house which serves as the primary local inn.
• A dress photography resort located at the former Kowakubi Hotel site.
• A local post office that has been established at the site since 1967.

Getting there

• The site is a five minute drive from the Nishisenboku Smart Interchange.
• Mineyoshikawa Station is located four kilometers east of the hot spring area.

Read more about Kowakubi Onsen

A historic hot spring resort in Yamagata featuring six districts, public bathhouses, and footbaths centered around castle ruins.

What it is

• A hot spring resort consisting of six distinct districts in Yamagata Prefecture.
• Founded in 1458 after a monk reportedly discovered the natural spring source.
• A former post town that flourished along the historic Ushu Kaido road.
• The area ranks second in the prefecture for total hot spring water output.

What to see

• The central ruins of Kaminoyama Castle which anchor the resort area.
• Four public bathhouses and five footbaths available for visitor use.
• Sodium-calcium chloride and sulfate springs sourced from five active wells.
• Historical sites visited by the famous traveler Isabella Bird in 1878.

Getting there

• The resort is accessible via the Kaminoyama Onsen railway station.

Read more about Kaminoyama Onsen

A hot spring facility in Akita known for its healing waters and proximity to a local ski resort.

What it is

• A hot spring facility also known as Kodakara no Yu founded in 1984
• The site features the Karamatsu Sanso Tohei Onsen inn and day-trip bathing
• The spring water contains sodium and calcium sulfate at 51.3 degrees Celsius
• The location includes the Tohei Mansion which was the former residence of Yoshisuke Aiyukawa

What to see

• The historic Tohei Mansion former residence on the grounds
• The Kyowa Ski Resort located in the immediate vicinity
• Natural hot spring baths reopened under the current name in 2015

Getting there

• A 20-minute drive from Ugo-Sakai Station
• Located 20 kilometers from the Kyowa Interchange

Read more about Karamatsu Onsen

A historic high-altitude hot spring resort famous for its highly acidic sulfur waters and adjacent mountain ski slopes.

What it is

• A hot spring resort located in Yamagata City at 880 meters elevation
• Legendary discovery dates back to 110 AD by Kibi no Tagayu
• Designated as a National Health Resort by the Japanese government in 1958
• Part of the Zao Quasi-National Park established in 1963

What to see

• Three public bath houses named Kamiyu, Shimoyu, and Kawarayu
• The Sukawa Onsen Shrine located upstream along the Sukawa River
• Zao Onsen Ski Resort situated adjacent to the hot spring town
• Forty-seven different hot spring sources producing acidic sulfur water

Getting there

• Buses run from Yamagata Station to the Zao Onsen Bus Terminal

Read more about Zaō Onsen

A coastal hot spring resort in Akita offering sodium-rich baths, lodging, and discounts for Resort Shirakami train passengers.

What it is

• A hot spring facility located in Happo Town, Akita Prefecture.
• The site features a hot spring, lodging, a restaurant, and a gym.
• The hot spring water contains sodium, sulfate, and chloride.
• The building underwent a major renovation in July 2007.

What to see

• Bedrock bath equipment is available for visitor use.
• The facility is adjacent to the Gosho no Dai Auto Campsite.
• Akita Shirakami Experience Center is located directly to the south.

Getting there

• Akita Shirakami Station is a two-minute walk via a bridge.
• The facility is a forty-minute drive from Noshiro City.

Official site

www.hatahatakan.jp

Read more about Hachimori Isaribi Onsen Hatahata-kan

A quiet hot spring town in Akita discovered during oil drilling, offering high-salinity waters and a free public footbath.

What it is

• A hot spring resort in Mitane Town featuring sodium and calcium chloride water.
• The spring was discovered in 1952 during a search for oil.
• The area is ranked twelfth among the New Akita Thirty Scenic Views.
• The town-owned facility Yuparu provides both bathing and lodging services.

What to see

• A free public footbath known as Kappa no Ashiyu.
• The Moritake Onsen Hotel which remains as a primary accommodation facility.
• Nearby leisure facilities including a golf course and a campsite.

Read more about Moritake Onsen