If you are feeling the urge to take a break from work and civilisation, and escape to Japan looking for nature and onsen, you have arrived at the right article! For your next trip, why not consider Semboku City (仙北市) situated in Akita Prefecture, the site of Lake Tazawa (田沢湖) and Nyuto Onsen (乳頭温泉)?
To aid in your decision, please find out what you can experience there, as well as the services available via JR-East and Semboku City to help make your planning and transport reservations easier.
Nyuto Onsen Village
Nyuto Onsen Village is a hot spring village in Semboku City, Akita Prefecture, with a history of over 350 years. The village is located at the foot of Mt. Nyuto in Towada-Hachimantai National Park, which spans Akita, Iwate, and Aomori prefectures. Hot spring inns are dotted around the beech forest. The village has more than ten different hot spring sources, making it a rare feature even nationwide. It has continuously topped the rankings of Japan’s domestic travel magazines, which surveyed travellers on the onsen that would like to visit the most. This makes Nyuto Onsen Village surpass other famous secluded hot springs throughout Japan. It is considered a holy place for fans of secluded hot springs.
The following are introductions to two inns within the area.
1) Tsurunoyu Onsen
Tsurunoyu Onsen (鶴の湯温泉) is the oldest hot spring inn in Nyuto Onsen Village, located at the foot of Mount Nyuto (1478m). Historically, it is said that the second lord of the Akita Domain, Satake Yoshitaka, visited Tsurunoyu for therapeutic bathing in 1638, and Genba Iwaki, the lord of the Kameda Domain, also visited in 1661. Records of Tsurunoyu as an inn serving the general public date back to the Genroku Period (1688-1704).
The name “Tsurunoyu” is said to originate from a local hunter, who discovered an injured crane healing its wounds in the hot spring water.
2) Kuroyu Onsen
Kuroyu Onsen (黒湯温泉) is located in the most secluded part of Nyuto Onsen Village, in a desolate hot spring area upstream of the Sendatsu River. Its discovery dates back to around 1674. Surrounded by beech forests, it is loved by visitors for its tranquil mountain hot spring atmosphere.
On the premises, there is a riverbank which is the site of hot spring sources. The amount of hot water that emerges from the sources is the most abundant in the entire Nyuto Onsen Village area. Amid the quiet echoes of the stream, several thatched and cedar bark-roofed black lodges and bathhouses stand closely together, preserving the traditional atmosphere of a therapeutic hot spring resort.
For information on all the hot spring inns mentioned above, please check out the Samurai AKITA – Tazawako Kakunodate TRAVEL GUIDE.
Lake Tazawa
Lake Tazawa (田沢湖), adorned with its azure blue waters, is an almost circular lake with a circumference of about 20km. Its depth of 423.4 metres makes it the deepest lake in Japan. The lake, with its mysterious atmosphere and rich seasonal expressions, would delight all visitors.
The lake area offers not only historical sites and landmarks but also numerous outdoor spots that take advantage of the rich natural surroundings. Visitors can enjoy SUP (stand-up paddleboarding), trekking, and other outdoor activities to experience the beautiful nature firsthand.
The lake is also associated with the Legend of Princess Tatsuko (辰子姫伝説), which describes how the lake was formed.
“The Legend of Princess Tatsuko”
Once upon a time, there was a rare and beautiful girl named Tatsuko. Wishing to preserve her beauty and youth forever, she secretly prayed to the gods for one hundred days and nights. On the night of her fulfilled wish, she received a divine message that drinking water from a spring in the north would grant her desire. She crossed mountains and followed a path through a deep forest until she found a pure spring. Joyfully, she drank the water with her hands, but her thirst grew insatiable. She consumed the water until the spring dried up, and eventually, she transformed into a great dragon. As a dragon, Tatsuko became the guardian of Lake Tazawa and sank deep into its depths.
On the lakeside, there is the Lake Tazawa Kunimasu Trout Museum (田沢湖クニマス未来館). This facility not only breeds and exhibits the “miraculous fish Kunimasu” but also serves to cultivate environmental conservation awareness for the restoration of Lake Tazawa. Visitors can learn about the history of Lake Tazawa, Kunimasu, and the efforts towards restoration.
“The Extinction and Rediscovery of Kunimasu”
Lake Tazawa is a caldera lake surrounded by outer ring mountains, with no inflowing rivers from outside. Kunimasu, once native to this lake, became extinct in 1940 due to the introduction of acidic water from the Tama River for power development and agricultural irrigation. Before their extinction in Lake Tazawa, Kunimasu eggs were sent elsewhere. The hatched descendants were found in Lake Saiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, in 2010.
Tazawako Station
Tazawako Station is accessible from Tokyo Station without any transfers in as little as 2 hours and 45 minutes by taking the Komachi on the Akita Shinkansen. From Tazawako Station, you can visit Lake Tazawa, the deepest lake in Japan, and Nyuto Onsen Village, a coveted hot spring destination that attracts many visitors.
Touring the area around Lake Tazawa
If you are considering touring the Tazawako area, check out the JR 東日本鐵路周遊券（東北地區）, which offers unlimited travel on JR East lines, including the Shinkansen, for five consecutive days. You can travel from Narita Airport Station to Tazawako Station for only ¥30,000.
Additionally, with the “JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area), you can reserve seats on JR East trains, and book Shinkansen and some special express trains online up to one month in advance, via JR-East Train Reservation.
TAKKO MaaS
Good news for travellers heading there soon! When travelling around the Lake Tazawa area from Tazawako Station, the web service TAKKO MaaS is a new convenient supporting tool. For a limited period between 1 August 2024 and 30 November 2024, TAKKO MaaS allows you to search for routes to your destination, book taxis, and purchase bus and taxi tickets. Be sure to use “TAKKO MaaS” when touring the Lake Tazawa area. You can access the smartphone-only link here, and it should appear in English for you!
If you are visiting either Tsurunoyu, Kuronoyu or any of the other onsens in the Nyuto Onsen Village, it takes approximately 40–50 minutes by car from Tazawako Station. Using TAKKO MaaS you can make a reservation for a TAKKO Taxi (4-seater) that will bring you from Tazawako Station (Area A) to your onsen (Area E) for ¥10,900 per car. This is convenient if you are travelling as a family. You can also use the same service to get around the lakeside area, to visit the Statue of Tatsuko and other attractions there, during the operating hours between 8.30am and 5.30pm.
If you are travelling alone or on a tighter budget and are willing to wait for buses, you can also get a 1-day TAKKO bus pass. Do make use of the route search to find schedules. One important tip is to note the last service to your final destination to avoid getting stuck in a location without any transport options.
If you purchase either a taxi ticket or bus pass, it will show up as follows in your TAKKO MaaS, tied to your account. For the TAKKO Taxi, you will need a reservation at least a day in advance.
Closing
With Takko MaaS, combined with the JR 東日本鐵路周遊券（東北地區）, getting to and around the Lake Tazawa / Nyuto Onsen area will be much more convenient for visitors looking for a summer or autumn getaway. The ability to search for necessary transport information and to make reservations all in one place removes a big barrier when it comes to making arrangements on your own to visit this beautiful place in Akita Prefecture.
Header image credit: ©Semboku City
