From Gourmet to Sightseeing! A Travel Guide to Dake Onsen, a 1,200-Year-Old Historic Hot Spring in Fukushima

• Table of Contents
• What is Dake Onsen?
• The famous spots of Dake Onsen are here!
• Relax at the base of your trip, "Yuinosato Azumakan"
• There are also walking courses that are perfect for working up an appetite in the morning or after a meal!
• Access Information

What is Dake Onsen?

An hour and a half by Shinkansen from Tokyo , then a change of conventional train lines will take you to Dake onsen in Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture , a hot spring that is said to have been discovered during the Heian period.

The temperature of the spring is over 70 degrees, which is quite high for a hot spring. At this temperature, it cannot be used as a "free-flowing hot spring", but as the water is pumped over a distance of about 8km, it is naturally massaged to make it the right temperature.

The hot spring ingredients are an acidic spring, which is rare across the country, and it has gained popularity as it is said to be effective against chronic dermatitis and cuts.

Another feature of Dake Onsen is the special day known as the "Milky Day." The water is usually clear and colorless, but one day a week you can bathe in the milky white water.

This has to do with the people called "Yumori" who look after and maintain the approximately 8km of pipes through which the hot spring water passes. As guardians of the hot spring water, their job is to "clean the mineral deposits" that have built up on the pipes. This is an extremely important job, because if the mineral deposits are left as they are, the pipes will become clogged and the hot spring water will no longer be able to reach the hot spring town.

The trick is that the bathkeepers let the flowers flow, so you can enjoy a "Milky Day" just once a week.

On Milky Day, the sulfur scent is stronger than usual and the skin feels smoother. The water gradually turns cloudy from around 11:00, so if you're lucky, you might even be able to witness the start of Milky Day!

Dake Onsen, blessed with medicinal waters and abundant nature, is also valued as a national health resort and is recognized as a healthy hot spring resort.

The famous spots of Dake Onsen are here!

Dake Onsen is an area with tourist and gourmet spots concentrated within a radius of about 500m around the hot spring town. Therefore, you can enjoy sightseeing even if you access it by train or bus instead of by car.

From here, we will introduce in detail the famous spots of Dake Onsen that can be explored on foot.

[Gourmet] The perfect starting point for sightseeing! Start your day off right with a meal at "Sobadokoro Hondaya"

Sobadokoro Hondaya, founded in Showa, is a restaurant where you can enjoy traditional, gentle cuisine.

When you pass through the navy blue shop curtain, you'll be greeted by a relaxing log cabin-like atmosphere. When I visited in the winter, the interior of the store was heated by a stove, which made the homey feeling even more apparent.

Although it is a soba restaurant, the shop's recommended menu item is "Smiley Ramen". I ordered as recommended and was wondering "What kind of ramen will it be?" when the ramen arrived and I immediately understood. The ramen had a smiling face drawn on it made of egg and naruto, representing a smiley ramen.

I couldn't help but take a photo, and when I took a sip of the soup, I felt the warmth that permeated my body and the light soy sauce flavor. The gentle flavor was somehow nostalgic, and made me want to come back to eat it regularly.

Nico Nico Ramen was created in Showa as a collaboration menu item with the "Nico Nico Republic," a local revitalization initiative launched by Dake Onsen. Even after the Nico Nico Republic ended, it remains a popular menu item among locals, skiers, and tourists.

Hondaya, a business with deep roots in the local community, offers not only soba but also other dishes such as tanmen, oyakodon, and tendon upon request. It is a popular restaurant in the Dake Onsen area where you can eat nostalgic dishes handmade by the owner.

It's open from 11am to 3pm, so why not stop by if you want a hot lunch or just feel a little hungry?

Sobadokoro Hondaya

964-0074 1-108 Dake Onsen , Nihonmatsu City , Fukushima Prefecture Pre...

This soba restaurant was founded in Showa. It is loved by locals for its warm, homey interior and gentle-tasting, smiling ramen.

[Gourmet] Tamagawaya: Selling the same sweets for 70 years

Dake Onsen town is located at the foot of Mt. Adatara, where the hot springs gush out, and is lined with souvenir shops and gourmet spots along a single road. Halfway up of this road is Tamagawaya, a confectionery shop founded in Showa period.

The store was founded when the grandfather of the third-generation owner, Mr. Watanabe, returned from war and started making sweets. Inside the store, rows of Japanese sweets such as hot spring manju and yokan were lined up.

The specialty of this restaurant is "Kurogane Yaki," which is said to have been presented as a gift to Prince Takamatsu when he came to the restaurant for skiing in the Showa.

This time, we were given the special privilege of observing the manufacturing process of Kurogane Yaki.

"Right now I'm the only one who can make all the sweets, including Kurogane-yaki, so I have to balance making them with my other work," says store owner Watanabe.

Watanabe is in charge of making the dough and controlling the heat, and each one is handmade with his skilled hands. He sometimes makes the sweets while serving customers, and it was clear that he has been able to maintain the same taste for 70 years with an indescribable sense and experience.

The freshly made Kurogane Yaki that Watanabe-san kindly provided us with had a soft and fluffy texture with a gentle sweetness of bean paste. The dough was finely textured and fluffy, making it appealing to eat one after another.

If you're lucky, you might be able to try freshly made Kurogane Yaki, so this is a souvenir shop you'll want to stop by at least once while sightseeing in Dake Onsen.

The store is open from 8:00 to 18:00, making it convenient to drop by on the morning of your departure or before checking into your accommodation.

Tamakawaya

964-0074 1-13 Dake Onsen, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture

In the 1950s, the shop presented its specialty "Kurogane Yaki" to Prince Takamatsu, who came to the shop for a ski trip. This Japanese sweets shop has been selling the same tasting Japanese sweets for 70 years since its founding.

[Gourmet] Born from training at a long-established Japanese sweets shop! Marui Kashiho, where you can find Japanese sweets inspired by uguisu mochi

As I left Tamagawaya and walked up the Saka, I came across Marui Kashiho next to it. Attracted by the banners advertising Onsen Manju and the famous Adatara Mochi sweets in front of the store, I entered the shop, where the owner, Mr. Sato, kindly welcomed me.

The shop was founded in Showa, and the current owner, Mr. Sato, took over the business about 50 years ago. Until then, Mr. Sato had trained at the Japanese sweets shop "Aono Souhonpo" in Roppongi, and devoted himself to making Japanese sweets.

It is said that Adatara Mochi, a signature dish of Marui Kashiho, was created based on the idea for "uguisu mochi," which was his specialty at the time.

Adatara Mochi, named after Mt. Mount Adatara that supports Dake Onsen, is a snack that contains four rice cakes in one bag. It is an original snack of this shop, made of rice cakes filled with brown sugar and sprinkled with fragrant soybean flour.

When I took a bite, I was delighted by the soft texture of the mochi and the fragrant aroma of soybean flour that spread with each bite. The chewy texture was so enjoyable that I quickly ate all four mochi in one go.

The shop also has a wide selection of Japanese sweets that are perfect for eating on the go or as souvenirs, such as freshly made hot spring manju that can be purchased individually, and castella cakes that last for a month. The shop is open from 8:00 to 18:00, so if you drop in during your travels, you might just find some great sweets...

Marui Kashiho

964-0074 1-12 Dake Onsen , Nihonmatsu City , Fukushima Prefecture

Founded in Showa, this Japanese sweets shop is run by the current owner, who trained at the Japanese sweets shop "Aono Souhonpo" in Roppongi, and makes each and every sweet by hand.

[Gourmet] Yorozuya is the only choice for dinner in Dake Onsen town!

Yorozuya is the only izakaya in Dake Onsen town. It stands alone in the hot spring town after dark. It is open from 18:00 to 22:00 and is a perfect gourmet spot for adults, not only for a hearty dinner but also for a quick drink.

It originally operated as a small restaurant, but changed to an izakaya in Showa. Since then, it has become a popular place of relaxation for locals as well as tourists who visit Dake Onsen every year.

Yorozuya's specialty is its voluminous gyoza dumplings, which are mainly made with vegetables. Each one is handmade, and the large gyoza dumplings are so big they can't be stuffed in one bite.

When I took a bite, I was surprised at how light and fluffy it was, which was hard to believe it was a gyoza! Even though it was fried crisply, the vegetables were more prominent than the skin, and the crunchy texture of the vegetables spread throughout my mouth.

Six gyoza will disappear into your stomach in the blink of an eye, so you might find yourself ordering more.

The perfect accompaniment to gyoza is the "4 Kinds Tasting Set," which includes a set of Nihonmatsu local sake. You can compare local sake from four of Nihonmatsu's proud breweries, and it's also very photogenic.

On this day, I ordered a tasting set of "Take," which was recommended to me as being relatively easy to drink even for sake novices. I was able to enjoy the aroma and fruity flavor, as well as the lingering aftertaste of the sake as it went down my throat, making for a luxurious sip.

There are plenty of other original dishes that can only be found at Yorozuya, such as cold tofu made with handmade tofu from a local tofu shop, and the local Nihonmatsu dish "Zakuzaku", a salted stew of Nihonmatsu. If you order alcohol, you will be served three snacks for an appetizer fee of 600 yen, which is a great point for alcohol lovers.

There is also an extensive English menu, so even if you only understand basic Japanese, you can communicate with the staff and order. If you are looking for a cozy izakaya that you will want to return to again and again, be sure to stop by Yorozuya.

Yorozuya

964-0074 Fukushima Prefecture Nihonmatsu City Dake Onsen 1-10

The only izakaya in Dake Onsen town. It's a gourmet spot for adults that's perfect for a hearty dinner or a quick drink.

[Hot Spring] The hottest in Dake Onsen?! Experience a hot bath at Dake no Yu

"Dakeno-yu" is located near the entrance to the Dake hot spring town. Founded in Showa period, Dakeno-yu is a hot spring facility where water is drawn from the source and poured directly into the bath at the same temperature. The temperature near the outlet is said to reach an astounding 49 degrees.

Following the red "Yu" character and the shop curtain as a guide, we opened the door to Dake no Yu and heard a friendly voice from the reception desk welcoming us. Dake no Yu, which was founded by Kimura's father, was originally located in a mountain hut in Oku-dake. However, he told us that the hut burned down, so they moved to their current location.

Day bathing is 400 yen for adults and 150 yen for children over elementary school age, which is an exceptionally low price for a natural hot spring facility! Reception hours are from 10:00 to 19:00. Please note that the facility is closed on Tuesdays!

The hot spring is simply constructed as an indoor bath only, but it is large enough to allow you to warm up your body slowly and take a bath while taking a break to drink some water.

I waded in up to my calves, nervous about how hot it would be. My toes throbbed for a while, but soon the numbing heat became comfortable. I slowly let my body get used to the water, then my waist, then my chest, and I started to feel refreshed, like I was in a sauna.

Of course, if you're worried about the heat, you can also fill the bath with water. When I visited, I saw some friendly regulars giving advice to beginners, saying, "It's okay to fill the bath with water," and "It's best to start by pouring over yourself to get used to it."

Dake Onsen is said to be effective for atopic dermatitis, diabetes, cuts, etc. Dake no Yu offers not only day trips, but also overnight stays and private rooms for day trips, so if you want to enjoy the benefits of Dake Onsen for a long time, be sure to visit.

Dakenoyu

964-0074 270 Dake Onsen 1-chome, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture

A day-trip hot spring and accommodation facility where you can experience the hottest waters of Dake Onsen. You can enjoy the natural Dake Onsen water that flows directly from the source.

[Hot spring] Nagame-no-Yakata Kounkaku: an open-air bath with a great view

Nagame-no-Yakata Kounkaku is located at the highest point in Dake Onsen town. It was opened in Showa on land 50 meters higher than the hot spring town, with the desire to "allow people to enjoy the hot springs from a place with a great view."

As it is a little far from the hot spring town, most people access it by car, but if you are staying overnight, you can make a reservation and use the shuttle service to Nihonmatsu Station. It is about a 10-minute walk up the hill from the hot spring town.

As the name of the inn suggests, most of the rooms offer views of the Abukuma mountain range.

Kido, the front desk manager, told us, "Thanks to the large Abukuma River River, Nihonmatsu City is an area where sea of ​​clouds occur frequently. From our inn, you can view the sea of ​​clouds from above, so you can see the Asahi rising from the sea of ​​clouds. The chances of seeing the sea of ​​clouds increase significantly between September and October."

The reception hours for day trips to the hot springs are from 11:00 to 14:30. At the reception, they also sell a special plan that includes a bath and lunch.

Adults can bathe for 900 yen, and children from 3 years old to elementary school age can bathe for 600 yen.

Once you have checked in and are walking through the building, you will come across an entrance to the hot springs that resembles a tiled roof!

Between the men's and women's baths, the famous Adatara Tara water flows, and you are free to drink it before and after bathing. After rehydrating sufficiently, it's time to get in the bath.

The spacious indoor bath has an open feeling that makes you want to stretch your legs. Stretch out your body that has become tense from the cold and soak up to your neck, and you will feel as if all your fatigue has been released.

I was able to enjoy a pleasant bath that warmed me from the core of my body.

The open-air bath also has a small bath for one person. The private bath is perfect for relaxing. I enjoyed a blissful relaxation time while getting my hands and feet massaged.

Nagame-no-Yakata Kounkaku is full of fun things to do, such as taking a private bath for 50 minutes for 3,000 yen if you make a reservation, filling up on lunch, and picking out souvenirs at the spacious shop.

Support is available in Chinese, English, Indonesian, and Filipino, making this a recommended hot spring facility for foreign visitors to Dake Onsen for the first time.

Nagame-no-Yakata Kounkaku

964-0074 1-85 Dake Onsen , Nihonmatsu City , Fukushima Prefecture Pref...

This hot spring inn was founded in Showa with the idea of ​​"allowing people to enjoy hot springs in a place with a great view." You can enjoy Dake Onsen in a variety of ways, including indoor baths, open-air baths, baths for one person, and private baths.

[Hot spring] Enter as many times as you like for free! Soothe your tired calves at "Dake Onsen Footbath"

Sakurazaka is a slope that leads from Dake Onsen town to Kagamigaike Park. In the cherry blossom season, a tunnel of cherry blossoms appears on this road, and Dake Onsen Footbath is located halfway up the road.

Fresh water flows continuously from 9:00 to 17:00 every day except for a few days around the New Year holidays. Anyone can enjoy a foot bath for free and take your time to reflect on the four seasons of Dake Onsen.

It's a small foot bath that can seat 4-6 adults, but the water gushing out is just like that of Mt. Dake Onsen. Even in winter, the water is a little hot near the outlet, so it will warm your feet thoroughly.

If you're lucky, you might even be able to witness the moment when Milky Day begins. If you go to soak your feet in the foot bath around 11:00, you'll be able to see the water turn milky all at once.

Anyone can use the foot baths, but drinking alcohol or being loud is not allowed. Please enjoy the benefits of the foot baths while following the rules.

Dake Onsen Footbath

964-0074 1-24-8 Dake Onsen , Nihonmatsu City , Fukushima Fukushima Pre...

A free foot bath spot located halfway up Sakurazaka.

Relax at the base of your trip, "Yuinosato Azumakan"

After touring various gourmet and hot spring spots, we arrived at the lodging where we would be staying for the night. This time, we stayed at the " Yuinosato Azumakan ."

Founded in Showa period, the hotel has undergone three relocations and renovations to reach its current form. In 2024, Dake Peak, a facility on the hot spring town side that will include a foot bath, a select shop with Fukushima Prefecture souvenirs, and Kula, where you can sample sake, was completed.

Among them, Umeii Bakery in Dake Peak is the pride of the hotel. They bake their own bread every morning using Maison Kayser flour, yeast, and butter, and are loved by locals.

There is also a lodging plan that includes croissants, pain au chocolat, and pain aux raisins for breakfast, which is said to be very popular with guests.

The breakfast bread can be taken back to your room or eaten on the road, making it perfect for those who want to make the most of their time on the road.

The hotel is packed with relaxing spaces, including a "Mori Library" with hammocks that anyone can use, a table tennis space, a sauna, and a lounge with free drinks. It's a cozy place not only for staying with family, loved ones, or friends, but also as a base for solo travelers.

There are two types of large public baths: an open-air bath and an indoor bath.

You can lie down and soak in the bath while watching the endlessly flowing hot spring, or enjoy the open-air bath surrounded by nature that shows its seasonal changes. A luxurious hot spring time awaits you.

Yuinosato Azumakan , which offers a full range of facilities for you to refresh, will celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2024. The unique charm of Yuinosato Azumakan is that it truly combines the sense of security and attentive hospitality that only a long-established inn can offer with newly renovated facilities.

Why not try a different stay at this hotel, which combines old and new, history and evolution?

Yui no Sato Azumakan

964-0074 1-5 Dake Onsen , Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Fukushima Prefect...

"Yui no Sato Azumakan" was founded in Showa. In 2024, "Dake Peak", a facility that includes a foot bath and a select shop with Fukushima Prefecture souvenirs, will be completed on the hot spring town side, and it is loved as a place of relaxation for locals.

There are also walking courses that are perfect for working up an appetite in the morning or after a meal!

The area around Dake Onsen town is compact and easy to get around on foot. Among them, Kagamigaike Park, located at the end of the hot spring town, is perfect for a morning stroll.

Kagamiike Park has two ponds, Kagamiike and Midoriike. As its name suggests, Kagamiike is a beautiful pond with clear water that reflects Mount Adatara like a mirror. In winter, the water freezes over and you can see ducks taking a rest.

As you go further beyond Kagami-ga-ike, you will see a triangular-roofed hut and the emerald green pond, Midori-ga-ike. This is also where the milky hot spring water finally flows into on Milky Days.

Therefore, every Monday the water in the pond gradually turns cloudy, creating a beautiful gradation from green to white. Midorigaike is an easy-to-walk park with well-maintained walking paths, making it a great place for a morning stroll.

Kagamigaike Park

964-0074 1-247 Dake Onsen, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture

This park is located at the end of Sakurazaka from Dake Onsen town. The area around Kagami-ga-ike Pond and Midori-ga-ike Pond is a perfect place for a walk.

Also, on the higher ground of Dake Onsen town, there is Dake Onsen Shrine, which the locals call Onsen Shrine. Despite having undergone three changes, it has always been revered as the guardian deity of hot springs.

It is also enjoyable to visit the historic main hall and torii gates and be immersed in the solemn atmosphere.

Dake Onsen Shrine

964-0074 1 Dake Onsen, Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture

This shrine is located at the top of Himalaya Street in Dake Onsen town. It is revered as the guardian deity of the hot springs.

The hot spring area is small enough that you can walk from one end to the other in about 10 minutes. It's the perfect hot spring area for a relaxing trip, where you can stroll around as your mood takes you and get in touch with nature.

Access Information

To access Dake Onsen, you can take an express bus or the Shinkansen and JR trains.

Accessibility varies depending on the purpose of your trip and the season, so we will introduce you to a detailed route.

Tohoku+ JR Tohoku

First, take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Koriyama Station, which takes about an hour and a half from Tokyo station.

From Koriyama Station, transfer to the JR Tohoku line and ride to Nihonmatsu Station, where Dake Onsen is located. From Nihonmatsu Station, you can access Dake Onsen by Fukushima Transportation buses, taxis, or shuttle buses arranged by your hotel.

Expressway bus + JR Tohoku

If you are coming from Tokyo, you can also take an express bus from Busta Shinjuku or the Yaesu exit of Tokyo Station.

Many express buses can be taken to Fukushima Station or Koriyama Station. Depending on the bus company, it will take about 3.5 to 4.5 hours to get there from Tokyo.

From Fukushima Station or Koriyama Station, transfer to the JR Tohoku line and ride to Nihonmatsu Station, where Dake Onsen is located.