Tokusa Onsen derives its name from the tokusa (common horsetail plant) which is abundant in the region. It was discovered as a hot spring source approximately 1000 years ago, and has long been known as "Aizu's hidden hot spring".
In the public stone outdoor bath, where the hot spring rises directly from the riverbed, you can heal your heart and body while listening to the soft murmuring of the clear stream, which has been unchanged for ages. There are more than 16 ryokan inns and pensions dispersed throughout the Tokusa Onsen region, and it is widely known as the "hamlet of the hidden hot spring".
You can take a tip in the stone public bath 24 hours a day, but please be mindful that onsen use is not segregated by gender, nor is it shut off from public view! Not for the faint of heart.
| Website | http://www.minamiaizu.org/kanko/onsen/000414.php(Japanese) |
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| Contact | (+81) 241-64-5611 |
| Best Season | All Year |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 AM - 8:30 PM for the main bath. Open every day |
| Related info | Prices for the public baths: 300 yen for the main bath 200 yen for the stone bath |
| Access | 1986 Miyasato Yusaka, Minamiaizu Town, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima Pref. 967-0347 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car:
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A tranquil onsen town located between Mt. Bandai & the west side of the Adatara mountains. Nakanosawa Onsen shares its onsen source with nearby Numajiri Onsen town. The volume of onsen water that springs up at Nakanosawa Onsen is absolutely huge, even compared to other onsen in Japan.
Take a journey to the past in Fukushima Prefecture’s Ouchi-juku area. This isolated village boasts thatched-roof houses and natural streets making you feel at one with the people who lived here hundreds of years ago.Nestled in the southwestern mountains of Fukushima, Ouchi-juku is a great spot to visit thanks to its unique charm and history. This village was established under the post station system of the Edo period, and played a vital role as a rest stop for travelers.In 1981, the well-preserved streets of Ouchi-juku led to it being designated as an Important Preservation District for a Group of Traditional Buildings. It isn’t difficult to see why—the village looks as it did during its heyday. And with no telephone or electric wires above ground, the view from the top of the hill overlooking the village is marvelous.It is a picturesque village where you can lose yourself to the flow of time. The traveler’s road that used to run through this village was called the Shimotsuke Kaido Route, or the Aizu Nishi Kaido Route.Ouchi-juku not only connected Aizu to Nikko, it also connected Aizu-Wakamatsu to Imaichi, a post town on the Nikko Kaido Route in Tochigi Prefecture. This road was frequented by many travelers as well as by the processions of feudal lords who had to travel to and from Edo periodically.Travelers of the Edo Period rested at the inns of Ouchi-juku to relieve their fatigue. Nowadays, festivals and events help draw in new visitors. The annual Snow Festival in February turns Ouchi-juku into a pretty candlelit scene.Visit in July to see a procession of dancers dressed in traditional Edo Period costumes, and you might even get to wear a happi (festival attire jacket) and join the locals in their celebrations!And when you’re feeling hungry be sure to try some of the local specialties, which include negi soba (fresh buckwheat noodles eaten using a green onion), stick-roasted char fish, and more.Please be aware that some restaurants are closed on Wednesdays, so lunch availability may be reduced.
Standing 95 feet tall and nearly 100 feet wide, the Great Gingko Tree of Akai looms above a small neighbourhood to the west of the great lake at Inawashiro. At over 650 years old, this is one of Japan's oldest gingko trees and an iconic symbol of the area for many local people.In particular, the tree is most impressive in autumn, when its changing leaves become a vibrant yellow that can be seen for miles around.The best time to see the great tree is early to mid-November, which is also when the tree is illuminated in the evening. Although there is no official car park, there is plenty of open space in which to park.
Close to Kitakata station is Yamatogawa Brewery. This brewery was built in 1790 in the Edo Era, and has been producing sake ever since. The famous sake cultivated at this brewery is made using the clear, mountain water from Mt Iide.Another important component of Yamatogawa Brewery’s sake is the use of high-quality, carefully cultivated rice. This rice is grown in Yamatogawa Brewery’s own rice fields, and from the fields of selected local farming families. Next door to the brewery is the Northern Museum – where old earthen storehouses built during the Edo Era have been opened up to the public. Here you can learn about how the sake-making process has changed since the Edo period. Tours and sake tasting available for free.
Atsushio Onsen – which means ‘Hot Salt Onsen’ – gets its name because of the high salt content and hot temperature of its source water (70 degrees). For generations, this onsen has been hailed by local people as having healing properties. Also known as ‘Kodomo Takara no Yu’ (‘The Sanctity of Children Onsen’), Atsushio Onsen is home to a Buddhist statue dedicated to the act of raising children. Here you often see mothers paying their respects to deities after their wishes have been realized.
A tranquil onsen town located between Mt. Bandai & the west side of the Adatara mountains. Nakanosawa Onsen shares its onsen source with nearby Numajiri Onsen town. The volume of onsen water that springs up at Nakanosawa Onsen is absolutely huge, even compared to other onsen in Japan.
This hot spring resort town is well-known for its beautiful vallies, and the high quality of the abundant hot water that gushes from the town's natural hot springs.Ashinomaki Onsen is a convenient place to stay overnight for those visiting sightseeing spots such as Ouchi-juku, To-no-hetsuri, and Aizu-Wakamatsu City, as the town is located in between these key places.After enjoying a full day of sightseeing in Aizu, visitors can relax and lose track of time while bathing in a hot spring bath at a resort hotel or quaint ryokan.
Yanaizu is a rural temple town that has flourished thanks to the renowned Enzoji Temple.Many lodges were built in Yanaizu Town for travelers taking part in temple pilgrims. Many of these lodges have been repurposed as onsen ryokan inns.Yanaizu Town is now the largest onsen town on the Tadami River. Visitors come from far and wide to be enchanted by the fine river mists found on the Tadami River in the early summer, and the brilliantly-colored leaves in the autumn.See here for a English information pamphlets provided by Yanaizu Town.