There are well-known onsen in Tohoku, but Kashi Onsen, is treasured as one of this region's smallest, most off-the-beaten-track hot springs. In fact, Kashi Onsen home to only one ryokan inn: Daikokuya. Daikokuya’s oiwaburo (big-stone bath), which is measures 5m by 15m, with a depth of 1.2m, is gently warmed up from the source water that gushes up from the bedrock at the bottom of the bath, which is decorated with a number of large stones and small jewels.
| Website | http://www.kashionsen.jp/(Japanese) |
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| Contact | Ryokan Daikokuya (+81) 248-36-2301 |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Opening Hours | Day trips to Daikokuya's onsen baths by non-staying guests is possible between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM |
| Parking | Available (Space for 30 cars and 2 buses) |
| Entrance Fee | Day trips to the onsen cost 700 yen per adult. |
| Related info | Please note that the Oiwaburo Bath is opened only to women from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM & from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. |
| Access | Teradaira 1, Mabune, Nishigo Village, Nishi-Shirakawa District, Fukushima Pref. 961-8071 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 40 min drive from Ouchi-juku By Train: 20 min by taxi or car from Shin-Shirakawa Station (JR Tohoku Shinkansen Line) |
At Marusei Orchard, you can enjoy seasonal fruit picking as well as beautiful rural views. You can even treat yourself to delicious sweet treats made using fresh fruit at their onsite cafe! (The cafe menu changes by season).Fruit-Picking Experience Info & BookingSee more information about fruit picking in Fukushima City here.
The Kura Café Sen no Hana is located on the grounds on Kunitaya Miso Factory in a remodeled kura (storehouse). Try the local flavors of Fukushima cuisine with their lovely lunch items featuring locally Nihonmatsu-produced miso and soy sauce. There are also many other menu items to appreciate, such as amazake, Mongolian-style tea, and coffee. The inside of the shop is also calming and decorated with local pressed flowers.Open from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (with a break from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.), the Kura Café Sen no Hana is sure to give your taste buds a treat. Their fair prices and delicious cuisine make them popular with locals and visitors alike.The amazake, a nonalcoholic drink made from koji, or fermentation starter, is popular with guests. As for food, the zaku zaku soup is a traditional soup of chunky cubed vegetables which is eaten on special occasions like festivals and ceremonies, it is a famous Nihonmatsu specialty. But if you’re wanting to go for dinner, make sure you’re there before the last order at 5:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. on Sundays). Next door to the Kura Cafe Sen no Hana, guests can also visit the Kunitaya Miso Factory. The redwood lattice of the exterior is especially attractive. In addition to the tours, the Factory also sells miso, soy sauce, and koji, which is used to make Fukushima’s famous 'sagohachi' pickles.All the products for sale are made at the Kunitaya Miso Factory and use pure water from Mt. Adatara and locally grown ingredients. It’s a great way to get the fresh flavors of Fukushima Prefecture. There are also seasonal products available, so be sure to have a look!
Fukushima is renowned for its delicious fruits, and a wide variety of direct-sale farmer's fruit stalls, 30 minute all-you-can pick tourist orchards, and other fruit attractions can be found among the vast fruit fields and orchards that line the "Fruit Line," which is the nickname for a road that runs for 14 km along the base of Mt. Azuma, and the "Peach Line (National Road 13)," which runs along the train tracks. Come and enjoy the bounty of cherries, peaches, Japanese pears, grapes, and apples of Fukushima City, known as the Fruit Kingdom of Japan!Check out our full updated guide to Fukushima fruit picking here.See below for when each fruit is in season: Strawberries....January to May Cherries..........June to July Peaches..........July to September Nashi Pears....August to October Grapes............August to October Apples.............October to DecemberFruit Picking at Marusei Orchard: Info & Booking
Designated a historic site by Fukushima City, Yorinji Temple is famous not only as a cherry blossom spot but for its abundance of flowers. It’s said there are over 20,000 anabells and 5,000 hydrangeas, making it a popular place to visit during its blooming season (typically mid-June to early July).The purification well here is full of beautiful flowers from the area and watched over by small o-jizo-san - stone statues of a Buddhist deity said to protect children. Larger statues also dot the grounds of the temple, wearing traditional red caps and bibs; these are usually gifts offered by locals as a way of showing respect.There is a cafe on the grounds which sells gluten-free pizza made on site.A trip to the south of Fukushima City pairs well with seeing the Tired Gundam, a short five minute drive away.
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.
Tsuchiyu Onsen, located at the heart of Mt. Azuma, is surrounded by beautiful scenic spots, and is home to many ryokan and hotels - such as Hotel Sansuiso - that make the most of the abundant onsen water. As well being to make day-trips to the baths at many of Tsuchiyu Onsen's ryokan, there are also footbaths and public baths dotted throughout this quaint town. A Japan of years gone by is captured in the nostalgic streets of Tsuchiyu Onsen. Check out the various shops selling the town’s famous Kokeshi Dolls (a Japanese traditional craft), browse for omiyage or stop by at a café.
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.
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.