Tawarayama Onsen

Tawarayama Onsen is located in a mountainous gorge surrounded by mountains on all sides. The clear stream of the Masakawa River flows through the town, and the town of hot springs is located on a sloping bedrock across the river. The history of hot springs is long, and the following legend remains. In the middle of the Heian period, a hunter saw a white monkey in the mountains and shot an arrow at it to injure it, but the monkey escaped. The next day, following the traces of blood and entering the mountain, a white monkey crouched down. The spring quality is a simple alkaline hot spring, suitable for neuralgia, rheumatism, and recovery from fatigue. A major feature of Tawarayama Onsen is that although there are many ryokan inns, there are few inns with indoor baths. Also, in December 2004, the hot spring sanatorium “Shiroen no Yu” opened. There are various types of facilities for health-conscious people, such as foot baths, sleeping baths, open-air baths, and pet baths. In the surrounding area, there is Mara Kannon, which is said to be blessed with children, Nomanji Temple, which is called Koyasan in the west because of Kobo Daishi's grave, Kumanoyama Park, which overlooks Tawarayama Onsen and is known as a famous spot for cherry blossoms and azaleas, and is the largest in the city. There are also tourist attractions such as the beautiful Chiyo Falls. You can also enjoy fresh seafood as it is close to the good fishing grounds of the Sea of Japan.