Aomori · Nuruyu Onsen (Kuroishi)
Nuruyu Onsen Tsuru-no-meitō communal bath
温湯温泉 共同浴場 鶴の名湯
The communal bath at the heart of Nuruyu Onsen in Kuroishi, Aomori, a spa with more than 400 years of history. It is ringed by 'kyakusha' — simple self-catering cure lodgings with no baths of their own, whose guests all walk over here — a form of spa life now rare even in Tōhoku. The bathroom is as roomy as a sentō, with 100% source water (sodium chloride-sulphate) cooled by a special method without dilution and split into hot and lukewarm tubs. Adults pay ¥350; open long hours from 05:00 to 22:00 (last entry 21:30), daily (occasional closures in April and November). No soap provided. Kokeshi-doll workshops and the Tsugaru Kokeshi Museum are nearby. About 25 minutes by bus from Kuroishi Station.
- Price (adult)
- ¥350
- Hours
- 05:00–22:00 (entry until 21:30)
- Closed
- Open daily (occasional closures in Apr & Nov)
- Access
- About 25 min by Kōnan bus (Nijinoko Park line) from Kuroishi Station to 'Shimo-Nuruyu'; about 15 min by car from Kuroishi IC
- Water type
- Simple spring
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Admission
- Adults (junior high and up) ¥350 / children (4 to elementary) ¥100 / under 3 free (up from ¥300 until 2024). Local-resident discount. Buy tickets at the machine. No shampoo or soap provided (sold); free rest room
- Baths
- Two tiled stone tubs per side — a 'hot' one (about 44°C) and a 'warm' one (about 41.5–42°C) to suit your taste. Around ten shower-equipped washing stations make it more sento-sized than a typical communal bath. No rotenburo or sauna. Barrier-free, pushchairs fine
- Water
- Sodium chloride-sulphate spring (mildly alkaline, pH 7.6, source about 49–60°C). Colourless with a faint yellow-green tint, salty and almost odourless — free-flowing. True to the name Nuruyu ('the water that warms you'), it holds heat strongly; drinkable (salty)
- Parking & access
- Free parking for about 60 cars (opposite the entrance). About 25 min from Kuroishi Station (Konan Railway) on the Konan bus for Niji-no-ko Park to 'Shimo-Nuruyu', right at the stop. About 15 min from Kuroishi IC on the Tohoku Expressway via Route 102
- Phone
- 0172-54-8591
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
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Why go
- Heart of a Tōhoku cure spa ringed by lodgings
- 100% source water, hot and lukewarm tubs
- Open 5 am–10 pm for ¥350
The heart of a 400-year-old therapy village — a ¥350 communal bath open from 5 a.m., ringed by its 'kyakusha' lodgings
Nuruyu Onsen's 'Tsuru-no-Meito' is the communal bath at the centre of the Nuruyu village, one of the Kuroishi hot-spring cluster in Kuroishi, Aomori, named for a legend that a crane healed a wounded leg in its water. With more than 400 years of history, the village still keeps its unusual layout — old therapy lodgings called kyakusha ringed around the communal bath — and guests staying in them pad over in nightclothes to bathe here. Rebuilt in 2003 in folk-craft style, the building is spacious and barrier-free, with two tiled stone tubs per side: a 'hot' one at about 44°C and a 'warm' one around 42°C, so even those who shy from scalding water are at ease. The water is a mildly alkaline sodium chloride-sulphate spring, colourless with a faint yellow-green tinge and a salty taste, free-flowing, and true to the name — 'the water that warms you' — it leaves you glowing long afterwards. From 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. for ¥350, free rest room included: paired with a stroll through the birthplace of Nuruyu kokeshi dolls, it is an inexpensive way to experience the archetype of Tohoku's bathing-cure culture.
Tips & notes
① Crowded with locals right after the 5 a.m. opening and in the evening — visitors do best between 10:00 and 15:00. ② The 'hot' tub runs about 44°C; don't add cold water — use the 'warm' tub instead. ③ No soap or shampoo (sold at the machine/shop); bring a towel. ④ Temporary closures for cleaning in April and November — check the dates. ⑤ No written tattoo rule, so 'unconfirmed' — as a locals' daily bath, keep large tattoos discreet. ⑥ A simple night in one of the village kyakusha (e.g. Iizuka Ryokan) lets you live the 'kyakusha culture'. ⑦ The 'Ushiyu Matsuri' around the summer 'Day of the Ox' is the local festival.
Getting there
From Hirosaki, the Konan Railway takes about 30 min to Kuroishi Station; then the Konan bus for Niji-no-ko Park (a few a day) about 25 min to 'Shimo-Nuruyu', right at the stop — few buses, so check the timetable; a taxi from Kuroishi Station takes about 15 min. By car, about 15 min from Kuroishi IC on the Tohoku Expressway along Route 102 towards the mountains (Niji-no-ko / Hakkoda), about 40 min from central Hirosaki; free parking for 60 cars. Combine with Kuroishi's Komise arcade street, Nakano Momijiyama and Hakkoda for a half-day or full day based in Hirosaki.
Before you go
- No official tattoo policy is published — ask at reception.
- As a communal bath there is no soap or shampoo — bring your own or buy at the shop.
- Payment is usually by ticket machine in cash — bring coins.
- Last entry is 30–60 minutes before closing.
Features
Mood & scenery
Price
Who with
Convenience
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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