The Healing Waters of Nyuto Onsen

To experience the wonders of hot springs and delectable mountain produce, we’re travelling to northeast Japan in Akita Prefecture. Nyuto Onsen Hot Springs Village (nyutoonsenkyo) is home to a tapestry of ryokan onsen (a Japanese inn with hot spring baths) dotting the lush beech forests.

Although the countryside is often difficult to get to, Nyuto Onsen Hot Springs Village is hardly inaccessible—after landing at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, hop on a 3-hour bullet train ride to Tazawako station. The village is just a further 30-minute drive and is located in the southern region of Towada Hachimantai National Park.
Overlooking the natural bounty of Akita is Mt. Nyuto. At 1,400m high, it is said to resemble the elegant silhouette of a reclining lady. Apparently, the tip of this mountain resembles a nipple—hence its name. You can even catch a glimpse of the spectacular mountain range as you trek from one onsen ryokan to the next.

The mountainous region is famous for its locally-grown Akitatomatchi rice, used in a local delicacy called kiritampo; and from her largesse, pure spring waters that provide catchments of Japanese yamame trout and iwana char. Mt. Nyuto’s spring waters also nourish its surrounding greenery and support a lavish ecosystem of flora, such as matsutake mushrooms and yamanoimo (a mountain yam potato)—these are some must-have autumn ingredients in your trip to the Japanese heartlands.

But it’s not just the region’s culinary offerings that will win you over. Nyuto Onsen Hot Springs Village is a union of seven ryokan onsen, each with their own unique features, ranging from traditional tatami mat rooms dating back to the 1600s to modern facilities fit for a family stay. We recommend visiting a series of them to get a more rewarding experience.

And let’s not forget its star attraction: the glorious hot spring baths! Whether you’re looking for smooth skin that friends will envy or cures for ailments, these healing waters will reinvigorate your city-worn body. Within each ryokan, there are even baths with varying mineral and colour profiles, so don’t forget to try them all. Multiply that by seven, and you’d be well on your way to becoming an onsen connoisseur!

(TEXT Matthew fam Photography katsuhiko sato)

Turn the page to discover more about Akita prefecture!

Nature’s Bounty

Many ingredients used in Akita’s cuisine are sourced from the prefecture’s mountains and lush, fertile lands.

A stay in any one of Nyuto Onsen Village’s ryokan will pamper you with scrumptious local delights. At Tsurunoyu Onsen, you’ll get to enjoy one of the mountain region’s culinary treasures—Yamanoimonabe (mountain potato soup). In this dish, you’ll relish a comprehensive variety of Akita’s produce.

Its main ingredient is Yamanoimo, a mountain “potato” (it actually belongs to the yam family!) that’s larger, darker and coarser-skinned than your average household variety. Many chefs in Akita make use of this ingredient to make the special potato balls stewed in Yamanoimonabe. We speak to one of them from Tsurunoyu:“After removing its skin, we slice and then mash the Yamanoimo. We don’t use regular or sweet potatoes because their starch breaks apart when boiled and this doesn’t give the balls a firm structure. The potato balls are then kept in the fridge overnight to maintain their shape. Next, we add them in boiling water without adding extra seasoning. They have a fresh taste and chewy texture,” he shares.

The soup is stewed with other fresh produce from the region: shimeji and enoki mushrooms. At Tsurunoyu’s dining rooms, you’ll also get to enjoy Iwana fish cultivated from Sendatsu River. Sendatsu’s clean and clear waters are said to give the fish a mild, pleasant taste without any strong, fishy odours. Joining this medley of flavours is a healthy portion of sliced burdock root and fresh mitsuba (a type of wild Japanese parsley).

For a taste of carb heaven, look no further than Japan’s famed rice variety, the Akitatomachi. Fluffy and mildly sweet, this short-grained rice is a premium selection that’s usually harvested from end-September. We’re told that November yields the best harvest, so to taste the freshest batch, visit the region in the following months. The region’s famed rice is also used to make Kiritanpo, a hollow, cylindrical tube made from mashed rice. Traditionally, it is toasted on a skewer over fire or soaked in broth.

Here, you get to enjoy the steamed rice in a bowl, or through another one of Tsurunoyu’s specialities—deep-fried Akitatomachi rice balls stuffed with burdock, shiitake and dashi. So order up a pot and savour the best of Akita’s produce!

Visit Nyuto Onsen
>>Tsurunoyu Onsen
>>Kuroyu Onsen
>>Taenoyu Onsen
>>Nyuto Onsen Kyukamura
>>Ogama Onsen
>>Magoroku Onsen
>>Ganiba Onsen
>>Yamanoyado annex

How to get to Nyuto Onsen

By Train
Hop on JR bullet train, Akita Shinkansen Komachi(こまち). The nearest station for Nyuto Onsen is Tazawako station. There is hourly service from
Tokyo to Tazawako via Sendai and Morioka. The journey takes roughly 3.5 hours from Tokyo, 2 hours from Sendai and 40 minutes from Morioka. Book your seat in advance, as seats on all Komachi trains are reserved. Japan Rail Pass is accepted.

By Air
Nearest domestic airport is Akita airport. The flight takes 65 minutes from Haneda airport or 1 hour 25 minutes from Kansai airport. From Akita airport, there is a direct train service, Akita Airport Liner Nyutogo by JR, which is a 2-hour ride to Tazawako station.From Tazawako station, take a direct bus to Nyuto Onsen. The journey takes 55 minutes via Tazawa lake.
 

Drop by Lake Tazawa
Visit the deepest lake in Japan! Here, you’ll find the distinct golden statue of Tatsuko, the legendary beauty of Japanese folklore. Apart from historical sites dotted round the lake’s perimeter, you’d also be treated to Lake Tazawa’s spectacular views.

From Akita With Love

Bring back fond memories of Akita Prefecture with this assortment of treats!

>>Read more about Akita souvenirs

Faces of Akita

Kyoko Sato,
okami of Taenoyu
Having spent 26 years taking care of guests, Taenoyu’s affable owner knows all about the importance of good service and the must-visit towns in Akita!

What makes Taenoyu so special?
In the past, onsen were often treated like a gentlemen’s club. I thought, “Why not give this place a feminine touch instead?” So here’s an onsen marketed for women—and run by a female owner! On top of that, each of our 17 rooms has a different feature to enjoy various aspects of the Akita landscape, be it the lush mountain slopes or vast landscapes.

What is the most important aspect of service?
Our guests spend their precious time with us, so we have a responsibility to create beautiful memories for them. We practise omotenashi, that is to give an attentive, caring attitude, so tourists feel at ease. We also try to talk to guests in our Akita dialect for more authenticity, for example, “manzuigukite kedansu”, which loosely translates to “welcome from far away”.

How do you maintain premium service standards?
Every morning, we have a 30- to 40-minute meeting with the entire staff. We go through our feedback forms and figure out ways to continually improve our service. We train staff to always say “thank you”, and remind them to keep smiling.

Is Taenoyu closed during winter?
The roads are cleared of snow, so you’ll be able to access our hot springs even then! During winter, we get snowfall of up to 1.5 metres high, so most of our low-rise annexes will be partially submerged. This thick blanket absorbs sound, so you will be transported to a world of peace and tranquility. You might even see steam dramatically emerging from the snow!

Mr. Yasuhisa Ikeda,
the owner of Kuroyu Onsen
A third-generation owner and active member of the Onsen Association, Mr. Ikeda talks about how the group found its roots and its plans on reviving onsen as a popular mode of medical treatment.

How did the idea for an onsen association come up?
The seven onsen in Nyuto Onsen Village have different types of hot springs—each with its own unique features. Thus, we wanted our guests to visit all of them to experience the full spectrum of their goodness. From a business point of view, everybody benefits as it’s easier to coordinate marketing efforts.

Traditionally, who has made up your onsen clientele?
In the past, a major proportion of our clientele were made up of rice farmers who stayed in the ryokan after the harvest season. Soon after, onsen became popular as a rest stop among hikers. Then in 1997, the Akita Shinkansen (a high-speed rail line) commenced operations, bringing even more people to this hidden gem!

Has their profile changed in recent years?
As the Baby Boomer generation begins to age, fewer of them visit onsen. So we substitute this loss with clients from overseas, such as Thailand, Taiwan and Singapore, among others. We also focus on the affluent, health-conscious visitor who enjoys hikes and personal wellness.
The Senboku City government has registered this region as a place specialising in onsen. We hope this will attract more guests.

How can onsen be regarded as legitimate medical treatment?
We are working with the Ministry of Health in Japan to subsidise up to 30 per cent of the cost of onsen treatments under citizens’ health insurance. This way, we can revive the the onsen’s reputation as a place of treatment and attract guests who come for medical relief.

All year around Nyuto Onsen

Surrounded by mountains and forests, Nyuto Onsen Village offers scenic sights and rich harvests in every season.

春 – Spring (March to May)

夏 – Summer(June to August)

秋 – Autumn(September to November)

冬 – Winter(December to February)