Mizusawa Onsen: Day-Use Hot Spring Baths & Prices

At the foot of Mount Akita-Komagatake, on the Tazawako highland, springs Mizusawa Onsen. Set on high ground overlooking Lake Tazawa, the deepest lake in Japan, and near a ski area, it is a highland resort spa to enjoy through all four seasons.

Highlights

From the open-air baths of milky sulfur water, you can take in the grand ridgeline of Mount Akita-Komagatake. Bathing while gazing at the seasonal peaks is wonderfully open. In winter, Tazawako Ski Resort (officially the Akita Prefectural Tazawako Ski Area) lies right in front, so you can ski and then step straight into the bath, a luxurious way to spend the day. The Tazawako highland is mainly sulfur springs, and some inns use water piped from Nyuto Onsenkyo.

Enjoying the Seasons

Alpine flowers on Komagatake in summer, brocade foliage in autumn, and powder snow in winter offer highland pleasures throughout the year. The location pairs easily with sightseeing around Lake Tazawa.

Access and Basic Information

About 30 minutes by Ugo Kotsu bus on the Nyuto line from Tazawako Station on the JR Tazawako Line. The surrounding Tazawako Highland Onsenkyo has inns scattered on high ground at around 650 meters, close to Nyuto Onsenkyo and the lakeshore, making an ideal base for spring-hopping and lakeside walks. Many inns offer day bathing, though hours and fees should be checked.

Practical Travel Notes

Best times are summer with its alpine flowers, October foliage, and the winter ski season. Staying overnight is convenient if you plan to ski, and the short distance from slope to inn is a highland-spa charm. Lake Tazawa is about 10 minutes away by car, and buses reach Nyuto Onsenkyo too, so it suits a spring-hopping base. Day bathing runs a few hundred to just over 1,000 yen, and one night with two meals from the low tens of thousands of yen. In winter, prepare for icy roads; if using public transport, check whether the inn offers a station pickup.

A Quick Tip

Staying overnight is recommended if you combine skiing. Since these are sulfur springs, lightly rinsing off after bathing is gentle on the skin. As the elevation is high and mornings and evenings are chilly, bring an extra layer even in summer.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Spring quality: Sulfur-containing calcium-magnesium-sodium sulfate and chloride spring (hydrogen sulfide type)
• Source temperature and flow rate: 59 degrees Celsius, with about 1,000 liters per minute welling up naturally. It is piped directly to the baths through insulated pipes
• How the water is used: Free-flowing spring water
• Indications: The quality-specific indications are atopic dermatitis, psoriasis vulgaris, chronic eczema and epidermal suppuration. The general indications include chronic pain and stiffness in the joints and muscles, sensitivity to cold, peripheral circulatory disorders, weakened gastrointestinal function, mild hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, mild asthma or emphysema, autonomic nervous instability, convalescence after illness and recovery from fatigue
• Day-use bathing (Rotenburo Mizusawa Onsen): 10:00-20:00 (the building closes at 21:00)
• Bathing fee: 900 yen for adults, free of charge for elementary school students. A book of 10 tickets is also available for 5,000 yen
• Payment: Cash, paid in advance, only. Credit cards cannot be used. As it is deep in the mountains, bring cash with you before you go
• Cleaning times: From 8:00 to 10:00 in the morning, one indoor bath and one open-air bath are cleaned (the women's side on Mondays and Thursdays, the men's side on Tuesdays and Fridays). The building is locked from 23:00 at night until 5:00 in the morning
• Open-air bath: Yes. Both the men's and women's sides have 2 open-air baths and 2 indoor baths. The open-air baths are about 1 m deep
• Provided amenities: Shampoo, conditioner, body soap and hairdryers are provided. Towels and bath towels are also available
• Parking: 60 spaces, free of charge
• Location: 73-15 Shimokoya, Obonai, Tazawako, Semboku City, Akita Prefecture
• Access: From in front of Tazawako Station on the JR Tazawako Line and Akita Shinkansen, take the Ugo Kotsu Nyuto Line bus and get off at the "Mizusawa Onsenkyo" bus stop. The fare from in front of Tazawako Station is 600 yen (Ugo Kotsu sectional fare table, as of April 1, 2026). The Nyuto Line runs via the shore of Lake Tazawa, Mizusawa Onsen, Kogen Onsen and Alpa Komakusa on its way toward Nyuto Onsen, so it is also useful for hot spring hopping
• A note on depth: The open-air baths are about 1 m deep. Small children and anyone unsteady on their feet should get in mindful of where the water reaches when standing up
• How long to allow: About 1 hour for a bath, or half a day if combined with sightseeing at Lake Tazawa
• To avoid the crowds: It is relatively calm just after opening in the 10 o'clock hour and in the period before evening. In the ski season it gets busy in the late afternoon when people finish skiing
• Winter road conditions: It sits on a high-altitude plateau, and the road surface freezes in winter. Snow tires are essential if you come by car. If you come by public transport, it is reassuring to check in advance whether your accommodation offers a shuttle
• Clothing: The altitude is high and mornings and evenings are chilly, so bring an extra layer even in summer
• The attached inn: "Motoyu Mizusawa Sanso," which draws on the same source, is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. If you are considering staying, check the opening days before booking

Information Sources

The opening hours and bathing fee for day-use bathing, the ticket book, the fact that payment is by cash in advance, the amenities, parking, location, source temperature and flow rate were confirmed on the official website of Motoyu Mizusawa Sanso / Rotenburo Mizusawa Onsen. The bath cleaning times, the night-time locking and the opening days of Mizusawa Sanso (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) also come from the notices on the same site. The name of the spring quality, the fact that the water is free-flowing, and the quality-specific and general indications are based on the facility information published by the Japan Spa Association. That the source lies on the mid-slopes of Mt. Akita-Komagatake at an altitude of about 1,000 m comes from the same association's hot spring resort information for the Mizusawa Onsen village. The bus fare from in front of Tazawako Station to the Mizusawa Onsen village was confirmed in the fare table published by Ugo Kotsu. Fees, opening hours and closing days are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.