A famous hot spring in Tohoku that is easily accessible from Sendai | The charms and tourist spots of Naruko Onsenkyo

• Table of Contents
• Enjoy Sendai before visiting the hot springs! Tourist information for the Sendai area
• 3 Attractions of Naruko Onsen
• If you're staying in Naruko Onsenkyo (Onikobe), enjoy a relaxing stay at Hotel WAMARE Onikobe

Enjoy Sendai before visiting the hot springs! Tourist information for the Sendai area

First, we will introduce the popular foods and activities in Sendai. We have compiled information you should know if you are going to have fun in Sendai. Please refer to this if you are looking to enjoy lunch or activities in Sendai.

3 soul foods you must try if you're having lunch in Sendai

Sendai is a city famous for being a treasure trove of delicious food. Here we will introduce three soul foods that are particularly popular for lunch in Sendai.

●Beef tongue: The first beef tongue specialty restaurant opened in Sendai in 1948. The standard dish is the beef tongue set meal. It also goes well with ramen and stew.

●Seri nabe (hot pot): A hot pot dish unique to Sendai, the region that produces seri (water parsley). The season for seri is from winter to spring, but there are many restaurants in Sendai where you can eat it all year round.

●Harako rice: A luxurious dish of salmon and salmon roe served on rice cooked in salmon broth. It is said that even Date Masamune enjoyed the taste of this dish in the past.

Sendai also has many other delicacies that gourmets cannot miss, such as "Sasakamaboko" and "Sendai Zuke Donburi."

Eat and then move your body! Popular activities in Sendai

One of the most popular activities in Sendai is JOYPOLIS SPORTS AEON Sendai Nakayama store. The store offers over 30 types of sports, including bouldering, table tennis, and futsal, that can be played by individuals or large groups.

There are also sections for e-sports, karaoke, and comics, so you can enjoy a wide range of entertainment in addition to getting some exercise.

After an active day, you can feel refreshed by washing away the sweat in the hot springs.

After enjoying delicious gourmet food and working out hard, you'll want to wash away the sweat. Hot springs are a great way to relax and experience something out of the ordinary, and they'll also help you relieve the fatigue of your travels.

Naruko Onsenkyo is one of the hot spring areas accessible from Sendai. This article introduces how to get to Naruko Onsenkyo and convenient rest points when traveling by car for those looking for a hot spring near Sendai.

Access from Sendai to Naruko Onsen

The main ways to get to Naruko Onsen from Sendai are as follows.

[Express bus]

Sendai Station - Narukoshayu

[Shinkansen/JR lines]

Sendai ─【Tohoku Shinkansen】─ Furukawa ─ 【Rikuuto Line Rapid】─ Naruko Onsen

[JR Line (via Tohoku Main Line)]

Sendai ─【Tohoku Main Line】─ Kogota ─【Rikuu East Line】─ Naruko Onsen

【car】

Sendai IC ─ [Tohoku Expressway] ─ Furukawa IC ─ [National Route 47] ─ Naruko Onsen

Please note that the schedule may change depending on the weather and bus/train operating conditions on the day.

How about taking a break during your drive? Roadside stations between Sendai and Naruko

"A-ra-Datena Roadside Station" is a popular roadside station with over 3 million visitors per year. It is located about an hour's drive from Sendai and has a large parking lot that can accommodate 230 regular cars.

Within the facility, there are restaurants serving ingredients grown by local farmers, a deli, and a farmer's market where you can enjoy fresh local food. There is also a souvenir and sister city product sales area, making it convenient for purchasing souvenirs.
If you are driving from Sendai to Naruko Onsen, this is a good place to take a break.

3 Attractions of Naruko Onsen

Naruko Onsenkyo is one of Japan's top three famous hot springs and is filled with attractions worthy of its name. Here we will introduce three carefully selected attractions of Naruko Onsenkyo.

① Five unique hot spring areas

Naruko Onsenkyo is made up of the following five hot spring areas.

●Naruko Onsen: The largest of the five hot springs

Nakayamadaira Onsen: Characterized by its thick, viscous water, known as eel bath

Higashi Naruko Onsen: A nostalgic hot spring resort that was also home to the Date clan's palace baths

● Kawado Onsen: A tranquil hot spring town with beautiful rural scenery known as "Beriberi Kawado"

Onikobe Onsen: Located within Kurikoma Quasi-National Park, this area is popular for its hot springs and outdoor sports.

Although Naruko Onsenkyo is generally referred to as one area, the atmosphere and size of each area differs. When choosing a hot spring, it's best to decide based on your purpose and preferences.

The Onikobe City Bus Line also operates between Naruko Onsen and Onikobe Onsen. A popular sightseeing course is to enjoy the outdoors at Onikobe Onsen on the day of arrival, and then move to Naruko Onsen the next day to tour the area's largest hot spring resort.

2. Tohoku's hot spring resorts, with around 370 hot springs and nine different spring qualities

Naruko Onsenkyo boasts about 370 hot springs, and has 9 of the 11 types of hot springs classified in Japan's old classification. These springs are said to be effective for a wide range of purposes, including improving skin, treating cuts, muscle and joint pain, and frozen shoulders, and the area has been designated a "National Hot Spring Resort" by the Ministry of Tourism.

Naruko Onsenkyo is a "Tohoku hot spring resort" that provides visitors with relaxation and revitalization through its natural environment and the beneficial properties of its hot springs.

3. You can enjoy a variety of outdoor sports regardless of the season

Another attraction of Naruko Onsenkyo is that you can enjoy outdoor sports that make the most of nature regardless of the season. At Onikobe Ski Resort in Onikobe, you can enjoy cycling and putt-putt golf while feeling the gentle breeze of the highlands in summer, and skiing and snowboarding in winter.

During the summer vacation period, you can enjoy water activities such as aqua boats and aqua tubes, making it very popular with children. There are also campsites and ranches nearby. If you want to enjoy the outdoors, Onikobe Onsen is an area you should check out.

If you are only open in winter, there is Ueno Ski Resort near Naruko Onsen. This resort has many gentle slopes and is popular with beginners and families.

If you're staying in Naruko Onsenkyo (Onikobe), enjoy a relaxing stay at Hotel WAMARE Onikobe

"Hotel WAMARE Onikobe" is a rental-style hotel where you can relax without worrying about other guests. Inside the hotel, you can enjoy a modern Japanese design that is comfortable for both Japanese and foreign guests.

It is also suitable for long-term stays as it comes with a large refrigerator and a kitchen space with a dishwasher. If you are looking for accommodation around Naruko Onsen, Hotel WAMARE Onikobe is convenient as it is close to ski resorts and outdoor leisure facilities.

It can accommodate up to 14 people, so you can enjoy a relaxing stay with your family or friends without worrying about others.

The interior of the inn is decorated with traditional crafts such as Naruko Kokeshi dolls, Sendai chests, and Iwayado chests, making it an inn where you can experience the history, culture, and traditions of Tohoku.

Please use this hotel as a base for enjoying the hot springs of Naruko Onsenkyo, and as a base for traveling around the Tohoku region.

Official website: https://www.wa-mare.com/stay/onikoube/

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