Where to Stay at Nyuto Onsenkyo 2026: Choosing Among Hot Spring Inns Around Tsurunoyu, Taenoyu and Lake Tazawa
Nyuto Onsenkyo lies at the foot of Mt. Nyuto in Senboku City, Akita Prefecture. Made up of seven hidden hot springs such as Tsurunoyu and Taenoyu, plus resort hotels around Lake Tazawa, it is Tohoku’s most representative hot spring lodging area. Snow-viewing open-air baths from December to February are the most popular, and Tsurunoyu and Taenoyu fill up quickly in snow season, so book early. In summer and autumn you can add a Lake Tazawa cruise and autumn leaves in Kakunodate. From JR Tazawako Station, the Ugo Kotsu bus “Nyuto Line” reaches Nyuto Onsenkyo in about 45 to 48 minutes and Tazawako Kogen Onsen in about 30 minutes; some lakeside and highland inns offer station pickups by reservation. Below are 14 currently bookable properties in four types: upscale hidden-spring inns, mid-range, budget resorts and lake-view specials.
| Hotel | Price level | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Tsurunoyu Onsen (Honjin) | Upscale | Mixed-gender milky-white sulfur open-air bath |
| Taenoyu | Upscale | Gold and Silver Springs, free private baths for guests |
| Magoroku Onsen Rokuan | Upscale | Small high-end inn with 6 rooms |
| Tsurunoyu Annex Yamanoyado | Upscale | Irori hearth breakfast and dinner, private baths |
| Kashintei Shirahama | Upscale | Kaiseki meals served in a dining room attached to every room |
| Kuroyu Onsen | Mid-range | Thatched-roof cure inn, closed in winter |
| Kanisaka Onsen | Mid-range | Karakonoyu mixed-gender open-air bath |
| Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo | Mid-range | Western-style rooms, bus stops at the door |
| Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako | Mid-range | Highland hot spring public bath and open-air bath |
| Tazawako Lake Resort | Budget | Buffet dinner, children’s space |
| Tazawa Kogen Hotel | Budget | Right next to the bus stop, direct access to the ski slopes |
| Tazawako Rose Park Hotel | Budget | Lakeside hotel beside the Tatsuko statue |
| Komagatake Onsen | Budget | Yamaimo hot pot and local soba noodles |
| Kohan Romance no Yado Katakuri no Hana | Lake-view special | Some rooms overlook Lake Tazawa |
How to Choose an Upscale Hidden-Spring Inn
Tsurunoyu Onsen (Honjin)
Tsurunoyu is the oldest hidden hot spring in Nyuto Onsenkyo, with a record of the Akita domain lord Satake Yoshitaka taking a cure there in 1638. Its thatched-roof Honjin building and milky-white mixed-gender open-air bath are known together as the “king of Japan’s hidden hot springs”. The inn has 4 sources of different water types, and women can enter the mixed pool through a dedicated passage.
- Rate: from about ¥15,550 per person (Honjin room, one night with two meals, published on the official website)
- Access: about 34 minutes from JR Tazawako Station on the Nyuto Line bus to the “Alpa Komakusa” stop; tell the inn your bus time by phone in advance and the inn shuttle will pick you up
- Highlights: a mixed-gender milky-white sulfur open-air bath, thatched-roof Honjin rooms, dinner at an irori hearth in the Honjin rooms, and yamaimo hot pot. Day-use bathing is ¥700 (10:00-15:00, closed Mondays); reservations by phone at 0187-46-2139.
Taenoyu
Taenoyu stands beside the Sendatsu River gorge in a modern Japanese-Western design. It has two water types, the Gold Spring and the Silver Spring, and guests can use the private bath “Yawaragi-no-yu” free of charge. It is the most popular of the seven inns with women and couples.
- Rate: from about ¥19,500 per person (one night with two meals, published on the official website)
- Access: take the Nyuto Line bus from JR Tazawako Station to the “Taenoyu Onsen-mae” stop, then walk about 1 minute
- Highlights: the Gold Spring (sulfate spring) and Silver Spring (simple spring), free private baths for guests, creative cuisine using Akita ingredients, and a view of a stream and waterfall. Day-use bathing is ¥1,000 (check the official website for hours). It suits travelers who value comfort in their stay.
Magoroku Onsen Rokuan
Magoroku Onsen lies at the deepest end of Nyuto Onsenkyo. It was originally a plain cure inn and reopened after renovation as “Magoroku Onsen Rokuan”. With only 6 rooms, it is a small, high-priced inn with a mixed-gender open-air bath of simple sulfur spring water and the simple spring bath “Ishi-no-yu”.
- Rate: no list price published on the official website; check booking sites
- Access: you must walk about 800 meters (about 15 minutes) along a forest path from the “Nyuto Onsen” bus stop, so dragging a large suitcase is not recommended
- Highlights: a small inn with 6 rooms, a mixed-gender open-air bath, Ishi-no-yu, and a barrel-style sauna. It suits travelers seeking a quiet hidden-spring experience.
Tsurunoyu Annex Yamanoyado
Yamanoyado stands in front of the Tsurunoyu main building, a wooden single-story building in the Tohoku magariya style. Rooms have a bathroom and toilet, breakfast and dinner are served around an irori hearth in “Iori”, and guests can ride a free shuttle to the main building’s baths.
- Rate: about ¥18,850-25,450 per person (one night with two meals, published on the official website)
- Access: in front of the Tsurunoyu main building; during your stay you can ride a shuttle to and from the main building’s baths
- Highlights: irori hearth breakfast and dinner, private baths, and access to the Tsurunoyu main building’s baths. It suits travelers who want to avoid the crowds yet still soak in Tsurunoyu’s source water.
Kashintei Shirahama
Kashintei Shirahama is in the Haruyama area on the east shore of Lake Tazawa, a few steps from the water. Every room has its own dining room, creative kaiseki cuisine is made with local ingredients, and the private family baths are highly rated.
- Rate: no list price published on the official website; check booking sites
- Access: about 12 minutes by bus from JR Tazawako Station to the “Koen Iriguchi” stop, then a 1-minute walk; free station pickup is also available (reserve the day before)
- Highlights: a dining room in every room, private family baths, creative kaiseki cuisine, and a peaceful lakeside setting. It suits travelers who want both good hot spring water and refined dining.
Selected Mid-Range Hot Spring Inns
Kuroyu Onsen
Kuroyu Onsen keeps the feel of a thatched-roof cure inn and is known for its black mineral water. There are no TVs or internet in the inn, and it is surrounded by beech forest. It operates from about mid-April to mid-November and closes in winter. From August 24, 2026 the mixed-gender indoor bath is closed for construction, while the open-air bath remains open as usual.
- Rate: no list price published on the official website; reserve online through the official website or by phone
- Access: about 25 minutes on foot through beech forest from the “Kyukamura-mae” stop; guests can reserve a pickup car from the “Nyuto Kanisaka Onsen” stop
- Highlights: a thatched-roof cure inn, an open-air bath with beech forest views, and a cure-stay atmosphere with no TV or internet. It suits travelers who want to get away from digital distractions and rest and soak.
Kanisaka Onsen
Kanisaka Onsen requires crossing about 50 meters of forest path to reach the “Karakonoyu” mixed-gender open-air bath. It is open all year and is one of the Nyuto hidden hot springs where you can stay in winter.
- Rate: no list price published on the official website; check booking sites
- Access: about 48 minutes from JR Tazawako Station on the Nyuto Line bus to the terminus “Nyuto Kanisaka Onsen” stop, right at the door
- Highlights: the Karakonoyu mixed-gender open-air bath, a forest-path hidden-bath atmosphere, and year-round operation. It suits travelers who want a mountain hidden spring without missing out in winter.
Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo
Kyukamura has the most modern facilities of the seven, with 13 Western-style rooms and 25 Japanese-style rooms. Its baths use two sources, a simple sulfur spring and a sodium bicarbonate spring. Buses reach the door, making it the most convenient of the seven.
- Rate: no list price published on the official website; check booking sites
- Access: about 45 minutes from JR Tazawako Station on the Ugo Kotsu Nyuto Line bus, direct to the door
- Highlights: Western-style rooms, two water sources, and buses direct to the door. Day-use bathing is ¥600. It suits families and older guests visiting for the first time.
Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako (formerly Plaza Hotel Sanrokuso)
The former “Plaza Hotel Sanrokuso” was renamed “Kamenoi Hotel Tazawako” on October 1, 2023. It is in Tazawako Kogen Onsen, with a public bath and open-air bath, and suits travelers who want to stay in the more accessible highland and visit Nyuto Onsenkyo for a day-use soak.
- Rate: no list price published on the official website; check booking sites
- Access: about 30 minutes from JR Tazawako Station on the Nyuto Line bus to the “Tazawako Kogen Onsen” stop
- Highlights: a public bath, an open-air bath, and views of the foot of Mt. Akita-Komagatake. It suits travelers who want both convenient access and hot spring soaking.
Where to Find Budget Stays and Resort Hotels
Tazawako Lake Resort (Natural Hot Spring Tazawako Lake Resort)
This resort was formerly the “Mori no Kaze Tazawako Hotel” and took its current name in 2018. It is a large hot spring resort hotel on the Tazawako Kogen plateau, with a buffet dinner, a lounge with unlimited drinks, a manga corner and a children’s space.
- Rate: no list price published on the official website; check booking sites
- Access: free pickup from JR Tazawako Station, about 10 minutes (15:00-19:00, reserve by phone the day before, 2 or more guests)
- Highlights: indoor and outdoor public baths, a buffet dinner, a lounge with unlimited drinks, and a children’s space. It suits families who want hot springs, good food and plenty of room to relax in one place.
Tazawa Kogen Hotel
Tazawa Kogen Hotel is right beside the Tazawako Kogen Onsen bus stop. Since 2016 it has piped in simple sulfur spring water from the Mizusawa source, and in winter it connects directly to the Tazawako ski slopes. It is the quickest place to soak after getting off the bus.
- Rate: no list price published on the official website; check booking sites
- Access: right beside the Tazawako Kogen Onsen bus stop, at the door when you get off
- Highlights: simple sulfur spring water, right beside the bus stop, direct access to the ski slopes, and a lift ticket counter inside. It suits light-luggage travelers who do not want to waste time on transfers.
Tazawako Rose Park Hotel
This hotel is at Katajiri on the west shore of Lake Tazawa, on the lakeside next to the Tatsuko statue. It suits travelers who want to stay by the lake and take the lake loop bus the next day or watch the sunset behind the Tatsuko statue.
- Rate: no list price published on the official website; check booking sites
- Access: about 20 minutes by taxi from JR Tazawako Station; or take the Lake Tazawa Circuit Line bus to the “Katajiri” stop and walk 1 minute
- Highlights: a lakeside location near the Tatsuko statue. It suits travelers who plan a lake loop bus trip.
Komagatake Onsen
Komagatake Onsen is a quiet small inn in the Mizusawa hot spring area, run in the same system as Tsurunoyu. Dinner features Lake Tazawa specialties, yamaimo hot pot and local soba noodles, and it suits travelers who want to avoid the crowds.
- Rate: no list price published on the official website; check booking sites
- Access: about 25 minutes from JR Tazawako Station on the Nyuto Line bus to the “Kyuyo Center-mae” stop, then an inn pickup car (reservation required)
- Highlights: local soba noodles, yamaimo hot pot local cuisine, and a small, secluded setting. It suits solo travelers or small families on a budget who want to avoid tourist crowds.
Lake-View Special Stay
Beyond the classic seven baths, there are a few inns around Nyuto Onsenkyo and Lake Tazawa that feature special views and themed experiences. Travelers who want a lakeside stay with a lake view can consider this one.
Kohan Romance no Yado Katakuri no Hana: A Lakeside Inn Where Some Rooms Overlook Lake Tazawa
About 12 minutes by car from JR Tazawako Station, this lakeside inn in Haruyama on the east shore of Lake Tazawa has a hot spring bath, and some rooms look directly out over the lake. It suits travelers who do not want to go all the way to mountain hidden springs but still want Lake Tazawa views and a hot spring experience. It is often combined with a Kakunodate samurai residences trip. Room types and rates follow the booking site’s information on the day.
Booking and Transport Notes for Nyuto Onsenkyo
Latest Notice: Ogama Onsen Suspends Overnight Stays, Kuroyu Indoor Bath Under Construction
Ogama Onsen has suspended overnight stays from January 1, 2026 for maintenance and is currently open for day-use bathing only (9:00 to 16:00, last entry 15:30, closed Thursdays). The mixed-gender indoor bath at Kuroyu Onsen has been closed for construction since August 24, 2026, while the open-air bath remains open as usual. Always check each inn’s official website notices before planning your stay.
Nyuto Onsenkyo Takes Both Overall Satisfaction and Hidden-Spot Titles in the 2026 National Hot Spring Rankings
In the “Jalan Popular Hot Spring Areas Ranking 2026”, Nyuto Onsenkyo took first place for overall satisfaction (97.8%), first place for hidden-spot hot spring areas for the fourth year running, and first place for intent to revisit (48.8%), with a hidden-spot recommendation rate of 30.2%. Popular inns fill up quickly in snow season.
Differences Among the Seven Baths’ Access: Magoroku’s Mountain Path, Kanisaka’s Forest Path and Dedicated Shuttles
Tsurunoyu guests must take the inn shuttle at the “Alpa Komakusa” stop (tell the inn your bus time by phone beforehand). Kuroyu guests can reserve a pickup car from the terminus. Magoroku Onsen requires about a 15-minute forest-path walk from the bus stop, and Kanisaka Onsen requires crossing about 50 meters of forest path to reach its mixed-gender open-air bath. Pulling a suitcase over these two stretches is hard going, so use a light backpack or leave large luggage in a locker at Tazawako Station.
Nearby Sights to Combine: Lake Tazawa Cruise and the Kakunodate Samurai Residences
After checkout, you can take the Ugo Kotsu “Tazawako Circuit Line” from Tazawako Station (5 runs on weekdays, 3 on holidays, with some runs stopping 20 minutes at the Tatsuko statue at Katajiri and 10 minutes at Gozanoishi Shrine). Lake Tazawa cruises depart from Shirahama from about late April to early November. Or head to the Kakunodate samurai residences, about 20 to 30 minutes by car, where about 400 weeping cherry trees can be seen in mid-to-late April; this is the most common half-day add-on after a stay.
How to Use the Yumeguri Pass and What to Bring for Bathing
The Yumeguri Pass (Yumeguricho) can be bought at the front desk only if you are staying at one of the seven Nyuto Onsenkyo inns (¥2,500, children ¥1,000). Within one year you can bathe at all seven and ride the shuttle bus “Yumeguri-go” free; a ¥1,000 hot spring map is also sold. Bring your own towel, shower cap and slippers. Some mixed baths prohibit photos and do not allow wrapping a towel around yourself in the pool. In winter, drivers must switch to snow tires and wear non-slip shoes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How do I get to Nyuto Onsenkyo? How long does it take from Tokyo?
The Akita Shinkansen “Komachi” from Tokyo to JR Tazawako Station takes about 2 hours 50 minutes to 3 hours, then the Ugo Kotsu “Nyuto Line” bus takes about 30 to 48 minutes. Fares and timetables follow the current Ugo Kotsu announcements.
Q: How much is the Yumeguri Pass (Yumeguricho)? How do I use it?
It can be bought only by guests staying at one of the seven inns, ¥2,500 (children ¥1,000). Within one year you can bathe at all seven and ride the shuttle bus “Yumeguri-go” free, and a ¥1,000 hot spring map is also available.
Q: What should I watch for when visiting Nyuto Onsenkyo in winter?
Kuroyu Onsen closes in winter from about mid-November to mid-April. At Magoroku Onsen, the snowy mountain path makes pulling a suitcase very hard. Drivers must switch to snow tires and wear non-slip shoes, and we suggest leaving luggage in a locker at Tazawako Station beforehand.
Q: Which Nyuto Onsenkyo inn is best for traveling with children?
Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo has Western-style rooms and buses that reach the door, suiting families and older guests; the resort on the shore of Lake Tazawa also has a buffet and a children’s space.
Q: What is the difference between Tsurunoyu and Taenoyu?
Tsurunoyu is a thatched-roof hidden spring with cure records going back to 1638, known for its mixed-gender milky-white sulfur pool. Taenoyu has a modern Japanese-Western style, with Gold and Silver Spring water types, and guests can use the private baths free of charge, making it better for travelers who value comfort.
Q: Can I still stay overnight at Ogama Onsen?
No. Ogama Onsen has suspended overnight stays from January 1, 2026 for maintenance and offers day-use bathing only. If you want to experience this Showa-style hidden spring converted from an old elementary school, you can only visit for a same-day soak.
Q: What should I bring for bathing?
We suggest bringing your own towel, shower cap and slippers. Some mixed baths prohibit photos and do not allow wrapping a towel around yourself in the pool, and most inns’ front desks also sell or rent basic bathing items.
