Nestled in a secluded valley of the Tohoku mountains near Lake Tazawa, the Nyuto Onsen cluster comprises seven historic ryokan inns, each fed by its own unique spring with differing mineral compositions and hues. In winter the area receives heavy snowfall, transforming the rotenburo outdoor baths into steam-shrouded sanctuaries surrounded by silent white forest. The most iconic inn, Tsuru-no-Yu, dates to the Edo period and retains a thatched-roof mixed bathing outdoor pool that has become one of Japan's most photographed onsen scenes. A shared communal bathing pass allows visitors to hop between multiple inns across the valley.
- Type
- Experience
- Category
- Snow/Winter
- Season
- Winter
- Month
- December – March
- Region
- Tohoku
- Prefecture
- Akita
- City
- Semboku (Tazawako area)
Highlights
- ◆Seven distinct hot spring inns with different mineral waters
- ◆Iconic snow-covered rotenburo outdoor baths at Tsuru-no-Yu
- ◆Edo-period thatched-roof ryokan atmosphere
- ◆Multi-inn hopping pass available across the valley
- ◆Deep mountain snowscape with complete tranquility