Fukushima · Dake Onsen, Nihonmatsu
Dake Onsen Yui-no-Sato Azumakan
岳温泉 陽日の郷 あづま館
The signature 92-room ryokan of Dake Onsen, at about 600 m on the flank of Mt Adatara. The source is piped 8 km from near the Kurogane hut in the mountains and cools naturally in a yubatake on the way, arriving at bathing temperature — a nationally rare acidic spring with a bracing, skin-tightening feel. The 'Haiku' main bath and the 'Moon-viewing' and 'Blossom-viewing' open-air baths look out on the Adatara range. Day bathing: adults ¥1,000, children ¥500, 12:00–20:00 (last entry 19:30; from 15:00 on Wednesdays, 12:00–16:00 on Saturdays and days before holidays), with entry limits when crowded. Day plans with a buffet are popular too. About 15 minutes by car from Nihonmatsu IC or 25 minutes by bus from JR Nihonmatsu Station. Combine with the cherry-tree avenue of Himalaya-dōri and Chieko's hometown sights.
- Price (adult)
- ¥1,000
- Hours
- 12:00–20:00 (Wed from 15:00; Sat & eve of holidays 12:00–16:00; last entry 30 min before close)
- Closed
- Irregular (entry may be suspended when busy)
- Access
- Fukushima Kōtsū bus for Dake Onsen from JR Nihonmatsu Station, about 25 min to 'Dake Onsen' then 3 min on foot; about 15 min by car from Nihonmatsu IC
- Water type
- Acidic spring
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Admission
- Day bathing: adults (junior high and up) ¥1,000 / children (3 to elementary) ¥500 / 2 and under free. Entry may be limited when busy. Day plans with dinner buffet and bath available. The private open-air 'Yugoya' is for overnight guests (closed in winter)
- Baths
- Main bath 'Haiku-no-Yu' with sauna, all-cypress rotenburo 'Tsukimi-no-Yu' and a rock rotenburo 'Hanami-no-Yu' hollowed from a single boulder — all free-flowing from the source. Garden baths look up to Mt Adatara. Bakery, shop and tea lounge inside; indoor pool in summer
- Water
- Simple acidic spring (formerly classed as acidic green-vitriol), pH 2.48, 56.7°C at source, free-flowing. Mellowed by its 8 km pipeline, colourless to faintly milky. With 153.5 mg of metasilicic acid it is a moisturising 'beauty bath' that leaves the skin crisp and refreshed. Indicated for poor circulation, joint pain, skin conditions, gynaecological complaints
- Parking & access
- Free parking. From JR Nihonmatsu Station, Fukushima Kotsu bus for Dake Onsen about 25 min to the terminus, then 2 min on foot (pick-up for overnight guests). About 15 min from Nihonmatsu IC on the Tohoku Expressway
- Phone
- 0243-24-2211
- Official site
- azumakan.com ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
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Why go
- Rare acidic spring, cooled over 8 km of pipe
- Open-air bath facing the Adatara range
- ¥1,000 day bathing; buffet plans too
Founded in 1934 — Dake Onsen's largest hot-spring hotel
Dake Onsen Yuinosato Azumakan is a large hot-spring hotel founded in 1934, set one street back from Himalaya Avenue at the heart of the Dake Onsen village in Nihonmatsu, Fukushima. It is the biggest and best-equipped property in Dake: besides the main bath, two rotenburo and a sauna, it has a buffet restaurant built on local produce, a bakery, an indoor pool in summer and a beauty salon, making it a family favourite. The stylishly refurbished interior draws praise too — day visitors are welcome to use just the bakery and shop — and onsen enthusiasts frequently rank it the top day-bathing spot in Dake.
Free-flowing acidic water in cypress and boulder baths
The baths comprise the main hall 'Haiku-no-Yu' with its sauna, the all-cypress rotenburo 'Tsukimi-no-Yu' and 'Hanami-no-Yu', a rock bath hollowed out of a single boulder — every one free-flowing from the source. From the garden baths you see the ridgeline of Mt Adatara through the seasonal trees, and the stars are bright at night. The water is a pH 2.48 simple acidic spring: it flows 8 km by pipe from 16 natural springs at 1,450 m, mellowing on the way, so it is acidic yet mild, and with 153.5 mg of metasilicic acid it leaves the skin crisp and smooth. The refreshing after-feel is famous — the kind of water you want to get back into again and again.
Tips
Day bathing is normally 12:00–20:00 (last entry 19:30), but on Wednesdays it starts at 15:00 and on Saturdays and the eve of holidays it ends at 16:00 (last entry 15:00), so check the day. There is no fixed closing day, but irregular closures and suspension of entry when busy do occur. Adults ¥1,000, children ¥500. The day plan combining the dinner buffet with a bath is good value and worth booking. The private open-air 'Yugoya' is for overnight guests only and shuts in winter. 25 minutes by bus from Nihonmatsu Station then 2 minutes on foot; 15 minutes from Nihonmatsu IC. Comparing the temperature and mood with the nearby communal Dake-no-Yu (¥400) makes a fun pairing.
Before you go
- No official tattoo policy is published — ask at reception.
- Strongly acidic water — rinse off afterwards, avoid long soaks, and remove silver jewellery.
- Ryokan day-use hours are limited and may be suspended in peak season — phone the same morning.
- Last entry is 30–60 minutes before closing.
Features
Mood & scenery
Price
Amenities
✔ Verified operating: 2026-09 Operating status and rates cross-checked against the official site and onsen guides (full source notes in Japanese on the JA page)
Prices and hours change. Check official sources before visiting.
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