Fukushima Onsen Retreat: 3 Hidden Gem Hot Springs Just 2 Hours from Tokyo (Futamata, Iwase Yumoto, & Ten-ei)

• Table of Contents
• Discover Ten-ei Village: Home to 3 Unique Hot Spring Areas
• Private Onsen Escapes: Top Ryokans in Ten-ei & Iwase Yumoto with High Repeat Rates
• [Futamata Area] Daimaru Asunaro-so: Unwind in a Historic Ryokan Surrounded by Nature
• Access information

Discover Ten-ei Village: Home to 3 Unique Hot Spring Areas

Fukushima Prefecture boasts one of the highest total hot spring output in Japan. Ten-ei Village, home to three hot springs within a single village, is a renowned hot spring spot highly recommended for hot spring lovers. To reach the three hot springs, Futamata, Iwase Yumoto, and Ten-ei Onsen, take the JR Tohoku from Tokyo for about an hour and a half and get off at Shin-Shirakawa Station. Drive for 30 minutes to an hour to reach each hot spring area.

Ten-ei Onsen is the hot spring resort closest to Shin-Shirakawa Station.

As of November 2025, this rare hot spring can only be enjoyed at the hot spring inn "Ten-ei-yu." If you stay at Ten-ei-yu, you can enjoy the Ten-ei spring exclusively.

Iwase Yumoto Onsen is located about 20 minutes from Ten-ei-yu yu. It is said to have been discovered over 1,200 years ago and is famous for its effectiveness in treating diabetes, gastrointestinal pain, burns, and more.

If you travel about 10 minutes further from Iwase Yumoto Onsen, you will come across Futamata Onsen, a historic hot spring that opened in 969. There are a total of five open-air baths, and you can take a tour of the different ones, which are said to be effective for beautiful skin, relieving fatigue, and relieving joint pain.

These three hot spring resorts have been designated as national health resorts , and have welcomed many people to this day, weaving together a long history as hot spring resorts.

In this article, we will introduce the benefits of each hot spring, the best way to bathe, and recommended accommodations. We will visit these fascinating hot springs that will make you want to visit again and again.

Private Onsen Escapes: Top Ryokans in Ten-ei & Iwase Yumoto with High Repeat Rates

From regular customers who have been coming for decades to people who stay for multiple nights for hot spring therapy, Ten-ei Iwase Yumoto Onsen, located in a quiet mountain village, has a long history of providing healing to many travelers.

This time, we'll introduce two hot spring inns that continue to be loved in the area. Both are famous inns known only to those in the know, equipped with private baths and offering exquisite cuisine made with an abundance of local ingredients.

[Ten-ei Area] A completely private hideaway inn in the forest, "Ten-ei-yu"

Ten-ei-yu only accepts one group per day, allowing you to enjoy a luxurious stay filled with hot springs and gourmet food.

Ten-ei-yu yu is located next to National Route 118, about a 40-minute drive from Shin-Shirakawa Station.

Upon entering the inn, surrounded by trees, you'll be greeted by a warm wooden Japanese space. The interior is mostly tatami mats, and cute hanging Hina dolls are displayed from the ceiling.

Day use is not available, but instead, the temperature-controlled baths are available exclusively for overnight guests!

You can bathe at any time you like, until 10pm at night or between 6am and 10am in the morning.

As you enter the bath with excitement, you'll find yourself in a spacious space with light coming in from two sides. The large bath is surrounded by trees, giving you the feeling of being bathed in the forest. If you want to enjoy the surrounding scenery, we recommend checking in early or taking a morning bath.

The hot water prepared for the guests staying that day is, as expected, very special. It is colorless and transparent, and when you bathe in it, you can feel it tightening your skin.

This sensation is unique to acidic springs with a pH of 4.0. They have a strong antibacterial effect and are said to be effective for burns, cuts, and arteriosclerosis.

The water slowly seeps into my body, warming me up from my lower back and thighs, where there are large blood vessels. Because it is an acidic spring, those with sensitive skin or mucous membranes should rinse their bodies thoroughly with a shower after bathing.

All meals during your stay are served in a private room, giving you a sense of privacy. The meal is decorated with locally produced Shirakawa Seiryu Pork, fresh vegetables, and sake, and the more you savor the food, the more your mind and body will relax.

Ten-ei Onsen is a cold spring filtered through a gold vein. This is a recommended inn for those who want to enjoy a luxurious stay.

Ten-ei Yu

Makinouchi Ten-ei 1, Iwase Ten-ei Village County, Fukushima Prefecture...

This private inn can accommodate only one group per day. It is the only inn that allows guests to enter Ten-ei Onsen. Ten-ei Onsen is famous for its effectiveness in treating arteriosclerosis and skin diseases, and the large public bath offers an open-air bathing experience similar to a semi-open-air bath.

[Iwase Yumoto Area] Stay for up to 20 hours. Relax at "Hinoki-buro no Yado Bunke"

Hinoki-buro no Yado Bunke Bunke is a 150-year-old inn with a rich history. As the name suggests, all of the baths in the inn are made from cypress, allowing you to enjoy the rich fragrance and beautiful wood grain.

The biggest attraction is the maximum length of stay, up to 20 hours.

After checking in at 2pm, we enjoyed the hot springs to our heart's content. The two baths, "Matatabi no Yu" and "Enju no Yu," can be used as many times as you like as long as they are available, so you can enjoy the famous hot springs to your heart's content.

Both baths can be reserved for private use, and you can tell if they are in use by checking whether slippers are placed in front of the bath. Another nice feature is that they are spacious.

The spring quality is a sodium-calcium chloride hot spring. The water is mild and has no distinctive taste, so anyone can enjoy a comfortable bath.

There is ample space from the dressing room to the bathroom, making bathing comfortable for the whole family. Both baths are equipped with ReFa shower heads, allowing you to enjoy a special bathing experience.

The water is clear and colorless, but its effects are outstanding. Once you soak, you won't feel cold for long, and it is said to be effective for cuts, burns, diabetes, etc. If you soak up to your shoulders, you can enjoy a relaxing time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Your meal will be filled with local specialties, such as locally picked wild vegetables, river fish, and carp sashimi, which is rare even in Japan.

They also serve lunch, so it's recommended not only for overnight stays but also as a gourmet stop. If you're looking for a delicious lunch packed with the bounty of nature, this is definitely one to consider.

Hinoki-buro no Yado Bunke

Yumoto Ihei 7, Iwase Ten-ei Village County, Fukushima Prefecture, 962-...

This inn allows you to bathe in Iwase Yumoto Onsen, which has a history of over 1,200 years since its opening. From check-in at 2 PM until 10 AM the following day, you can bathe in the private bath as many times as you like, provided it is available. While day-trip bathing is not available, you can enjoy a lunch featuring wild vegetables and river fish without making a reservation.

[Futamata Area] Daimaru Asunaro-so: Unwind in a Historic Ryokan Surrounded by Nature

The place I chose to rest on this trip was the famous inn " Daimaru Asunaro-so " in Futamata Onsen, which is said to have been flowing continuously since the Heian period. The hot springs have been loved for about 1,000 years and continue to share the blessings of the earth with us today.

Enter through the noren curtain and pass through the trees to the lobby. This is the first place guests will encounter and is on the third floor, as the inn is built to follow the shape of the mountain.

Protecting nature first and foremost, you can enjoy a special stay in a lush green environment.

The room I stayed in this time was simple, but it had a sunken kotatsu table, which is great for winter. As I was relaxing at the kotatsu, it was finally time for dinner.

Meals can be enjoyed in private rooms or in the intimate dining area on the second floor.

The menu for the day began with a local sake that brought out the sweetness of the rice, followed by earthenware pot-steamed matsutake mushrooms, a hotpot of Takaharu pork, and seasonal tempura.

Enjoy seasonal menus along with "Secret Hot Spring Beer," which can only be drunk at inns that are members of the "Japan Secret Hot Springs Preservation Society."

The earthenware pot steamed infused with the flavor of matsutake mushrooms, a taste of autumn, is truly an "edible hot spring"! The clear soup is free of impurities and is full of flavor down to the last drop, warming your chilled body from the inside out.

The sweet fat of the Takaharu Pork spreads in your mouth as you chew it, creating a luxurious taste. Enjoying this delicious flavor with a beer is a great way to immerse yourself in the best mood.

We were able to enjoy our meal at a leisurely pace over about an hour and a half. Why not relax and enjoy a soothing kaiseki meal at the leisurely pace that only a hot spring trip can offer?

Once your stomach is full and the alcohol has worn off, it's time for the long-awaited hot springs.

There is one large public bath and one open-air bath for both men and women. In addition, there is a diverse lineup of baths, including the "Artificial Spring Pothole Rock Bath," which alternates between men and women at different times, the "Mountain Stream Open-Air Bath" (for men), and the "Child-Borrowing Open-Air Bath" (for women).

The four open-air baths are particularly recommended. The large open-air bath is deep enough to allow you to bathe half your body, making it the perfect place to cool down after warming up thoroughly in the indoor bath.

The clear water allows you to see the stone tiles at the bottom of the bath, making for a visually pleasing bathing experience. If you occasionally pour the water over your shoulders while soaking, you can enjoy a comfortable bath even in winter.

The three open-air baths, which are open from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, can be reached by descending the external stairs next to the large public bath. On the right-hand side, you can see the "artificial spring pothole rock bath," which is alternated for men and women depending on the time of day.

This natural rock bath, which is rare in Japan, features an open-air bath made from bedrock that was once a riverbed, with the water flowing naturally from under your feet.

The hot spring springs from a pothole at your feet. Freshly-bathed hot water overflows from this round hole, created by pebbles being rolled away by the water current. The rock bath, which makes use of the natural environment without adding water or heating, is a mysterious space where you can feel energy coming from somewhere.

Thanks to the calcium sulfate spring water, your skin will feel amazing after bathing. You'll feel your skin become so moist you'll want to touch it again and again.

The men's "mountain stream open-air bath" and the women's "child-bearing open-air bath" are attractive for their open-air locations with a river flowing right in front of them.

Both baths offer views of the stream, but the women's bath is designed to offer more privacy.

As you soak in the hot water and listen to the sounds of nature, you will gradually feel your mind calm down. The changing forest scenery with each season, from autumn leaves in the fall to snowy scenery in the winter, is also one of the highlights of this open-air bath.

The hot springs at Daimaru Asunaro-so are also available for day trips. Entry is open from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM, and costs 1,000 yen for adults, 700 yen for children, and 500 yen for infants.

A hearty breakfast that lets you enjoy the flavors of the ingredients will see you off on the morning of your departure.

There's a wide selection of side dishes to go with rice, including chawanmushi, hot pot, pickles, and grilled fish. Recharge your energy for your trip with a hearty meal.

Check-in at Daimaru Asunaro-so begins at 3:00 PM. Many people arrive early to try out all of the unique open-air baths. Why not visit this historic, hidden hot spring that has been in operation since the Heian period?

Daimaru Asunaro-so

Yumoto Shimonutamata 5 Daimaru Asunaro-so, Iwase Ten-ei Village County...

This inn is a member of the Japan Society for Preserving Secret Hot Springs. It is famous for its open-air bath, where you can bathe while looking out at the mountain stream of Futamatagawa. You can also enjoy kaiseki cuisine that makes the most of the flavors of the ingredients, making it the perfect place for those who want to take a relaxing bath.

Access information

To get to Futamata, Iwase Yumoto, and Ten-ei Onsen from Tokyo , we recommend traveling by Shinkansen and rental car.

From Tokyo Station, take the JR Tohoku for about an hour and 20 minutes, then get off at Shin-Shirakawa Station . Rent a car at the rental car shop in front of the station, and drive for about 30 minutes to an hour to each hot spring.
Traveling by car makes it easier to stop by souvenir shops along the way and tourist spots that can only be reached by car.

If you're using public transportation, we recommend the Yuttari Yacon-go , which departs from Shin-Shirakawa Station . It stops at tourist attractions such as Hatoriko Kogen, Iwase Yumoto Onsen, and Futamata Onsen, making it easy to get to your accommodation. Reservations are required and there is only one bus per day, so be sure to plan ahead and adjust your schedule accordingly.