Dake Onsen is one of Japan's few naturally acidic hot spring sources. The onsen source is located some 8 kilometers away from Dake Onsen town, meaning the hot spring water must be pulled from the source, travelling for around 40 minutes before it reaches the town. During this journey, the hot water becomes softer, making it gentle on the skin. Since the Dake Onsen's hot spring waters are acidic, it is recommended that visitors rinse in the shower after bathing in the town's onsen.
This onsen town is also a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing. The cherry blossom tunnel at Sakura Hill in Dake Onsen – an onsen town located on the periphery of Mt. Adatara – comes into full bloom in mid-April. Visitors are greeted with fantastic views of cherry blossom against a backdrop of Mt Adatara still sprinkled white with the remainder of last winter’s snow.
| Website | http://www.dakeonsen.or.jp/en/ |
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| Contact | Dake Onsen Tourism Association (+81) 243-24-2310 |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Access | 1-16 Dake Onsen, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Pref. 964-0074 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 15 min from the Nihonmatsu I.C. exit off the Tohoku Expressway By Public Transport: 25 min bus ride from Nihonmatsu Station (on the JR Tohoku Line). Get off the bus at Dake Onsen Bus Stop |
This weeping cherry tree is around 400 years old and is called the "daughter" of Miharu Takizakura, another famous cherry tree located in Fukushima. Countless visitors have visited from inside and outside the prefecture after hearing about the beauty of this cherry tree. Photography tip: Around 2 pm is the best time to take a picture.
Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art, located at the foot of Mt. Shinobu on the north side of Fukushima City, houses over 2,000 pieces of art, including paintings, block prints, carvings, craft works, and more. Some highlights of the museum's collection include paintings by Shoji Sekine and woodblock prints by Kiyoshi Saito, both of whom were born in Fukushima Prefecture, as well as a collection of impressionist art, and 20th century paintings by artists such as Ben Shahn and Andrew Whyeth.
Yuyu Land Hanawa Dahlia Park is located within Yuyu Land Hanawa hot spring and accommodation facility. 300 kinds of 5000 dahlias bloom in approximately 7000 ㎡ site from summer to autumn at the Dahlia Park. Hanawa Town is home to 18 small dahlia gardens including 4 located in elementary and junior high schools. The best time to visit in order to see these flowers is between August and October. An annual dahlia festival is held in Hanawa Town every year to celebrate these vibrant flowers.
In spring, this 150-year-old weeping cherry tree looks so different from one hour to the next. Viewed during the day, it is framed against a backdrop of snow-topped Azuma mountains. During the cherry blossom viewing season, Nakajima Jizozakura is lit up at night, its reflection glittering enchantingly on the surface of surrounding rice paddies.
It is said that Bandai Atami Onsen was founded about 800 years ago by Princess Hagi Hime, as the waters were thought to cure certain diseases. Now Bandai Atami Onsen has become famous in Japan as an onsen resort town with hot spring water that has beautifying effects. It is also well-known for the fantastic views bathers can enjoy of the Gohyakugawa River valley, which are visible from the town's open-air baths. The soft and gentle quality of the spring water makes your skin amazingly smooth, so please lie back, relax and rest your body, and mind too. Bandai Atami Onsen is popular as Koriyama’s go-to sanctuary for taking a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and the charming ryokan of this town attract people heading for Bandai Kogen sightseeing spots as well as those in Aizu.
Iwase Yumoto Onsen has been treasured as a hot spring resort for a long time. The rustic ryokan of Iwase Yumoto Onsen have quaint thatched roofs and are particularly photogenic lined up side-by-side. This old-fashioned area’s nostalgic atmosphere is definitely not to be missed if you would like to feel as if you have been transported back into the Japan of centuries gone by.
Outdoor hot spring baths line the sides of the valley at the foot of Mt. Futamata. The open-air baths of Futamata Onsen’s ryokan are situated in a very peaceful location, surrounded by ancient forests full of beech trees – all at an altitude of 800 m. Futamata Onsen’s hot spring baths have been used for about 1200 years, and are particularly revered for the hot spring water’s healing properties. What’s more, being close to Ouch-juku, Futamata Onsen is conveniently located for a visit during your trip to Fukushima.
Fukushima City's Iizaka Onsen has been used as an onsen town for over 1,000 years, and has been visited by legendary figures in Japanese literature such as Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), the master of haiku poems. Locals in Iizaka Onsen pride themselves on the well-known Japanese phrase “Beppu in the West; Iizaka in the East”, which refers to the best onsen towns in Japan.The Surikami River that passes through the town is lined on either side by 9 high-rise ryokan (Japanese-style inns). More ryokan can be found scattered about Iizaka Onsen. The town is also dotted with a number of communal baths and public foot baths. Some of Iizaka Onsen’s most well-loved local foods include include Enban Gyoza and soft-boiled eggs known as Onsen Tamago. Iizaka Onsen is also close to sightseeing spots such as Hanamomo no Sato, the Fruit Line, and Nakano Fudoson Temple.Iizaka Onsen is the site of the Iizaka Fighting Festival in October, the one night a year where a lively fight atmosphere overtakes the usually sleepy hot spring resort.