Yuze Onsen: Day-Use Hot Spring Baths & Prices (Akita)

Along the Yoneshiro River gorge flowing through Kazuno, inns line up at Yuze Onsen. Legend holds that its name comes from hot water once welling from the river shallows, and it is a calm spa village wrapped in the murmur of the mountain stream.

Highlights

The smooth alkaline simple spring runs at about pH 8.9 and a source temperature of 58 degrees Celsius, with no sulfur odor, earning a reputation as beautifying water that leaves the skin moist. From open-air baths facing the gorge, you can watch the Yoneshiro River change with the seasons. At the Yuze Hotel, a corridor bridges the buildings on both banks, a long-standing local landmark. Walking paths are laid out nearby for gorge strolls and river fishing.

Enjoying the Seasons

Spring buds and autumn foliage color the gorge, and the view from the open-air baths is exceptional. Cool river breezes in summer and snow-clad gorge scenery in winter stir the travelers heart.

Access and Basic Information

Within walking distance of Yuze Onsen Station on the JR Hanawa Line, it enjoys good rail access. It is about 9 km from the Kazuno-Hachimantai Interchange on the Tohoku Expressway, a convenient base for touring Towada and Hachimantai. The Michinoku-go highway bus and its Yuze bus stop can also be used. Many inns offer day bathing, though hours and fees should be checked.

Practical Travel Notes

To enjoy the gorge scenery, early summer greenery or mid to late October foliage is recommended. Many inns are within walking distance of the station, pairing well with a rail trip and easy to reach without a car. By day, enjoy the gorge trails and riverside walks, then soak slowly in the beautifying water at your inn. It also serves as a base to reach Hachimantai, Lake Towada, and the Oyu Stone Circles. Budget from 210 yen for a day bath at the municipal Yuze Fureai Center up to 2,500 yen on weekdays (3,000 yen on days before holidays and on holidays) at the Yuze Hotel, and from around 10,000 yen for one night with two meals depending on the inn.

A Quick Tip

Many inns are within walking distance of the station, making this an easy spa to visit without a car. Inns fill up in the foliage season, so book early. The gorge trails can be slippery after rain and in winter, so wear sturdy shoes.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Spring quality: An alkaline simple spring (hypotonic, alkaline, high-temperature spring)
• Indications: Neuralgia, muscle pain, frozen shoulder, motor paralysis, bruises, sprains, chronic digestive complaints, sensitivity to cold, recovery from fatigue and general health promotion (according to the notice posted at Kamenoi Hotel Akita Yuze)
• Contraindications: Advanced arteriosclerosis, hypertension and severe heart disease
• Source temperature and pH: Yuze Hotel is 59.1 degrees C with a pH of 9.1, and the large bath at Kamenoi Hotel Akita Yuze has a pH of 9.0
• The cheapest bath to enter: The municipally run Yuze Fureai Center in Kazuno City. The bathing area is open from 6:00 to 21:00 and the rest facilities from 9:00 to 17:00. 210 yen for adults, 160 yen for high school students, 60 yen for elementary and junior high school students, and 100 yen for those aged 60 and over and for people with disabilities. It is closed from December 29 to January 3 (with occasional temporary closures). The address is 50 Yuzeyubata, Hachimantai, Kazuno City
• Day-use bathing at Yuze Hotel: 15:00 to 21:00 (last reception 20:00). On weekdays it is 2,500 yen for adults (junior high school age and older), 1,000 yen for elementary school children and preschoolers, and free for children under 3. On days before holidays, on holidays and on specific days set by the hotel, adults pay 3,000 yen. Use of the lounge is included, and adults receive a set of a bath towel and a face towel (there is no plan without towels). Children's towels cost extra, at 300 yen for a bath towel and 200 yen for a face towel
• Private bath: The day-use private bath at Yuze Hotel costs 2,500 yen for 45 minutes for one bathroom. You arrange it after arriving at the hotel, and you cannot book the private bath alone. This bathroom has no shampoo or conditioner provided, so use the large public bath if you need them
• Day-use bathing at Kamenoi Hotel Akita Yuze: 15:00 to 20:00 (last reception 19:00), 800 yen for adults and 500 yen for children (aged 3 and over). In addition to the open-air bath and the large bath, there is a sauna inside the large bathing area (16:00 to 22:00)
• Tattoos: Kamenoi Hotel Akita Yuze refuses entry to guests with tattoos, including stick-on ones
• Access (rail): About a 5-minute walk from Yuzeonsen Station on the JR Hanawa Line to the hot spring district
• Access (by car): About 10 to 15 minutes from the Kazuno-Hachimantai Interchange on the Tohoku Expressway
• Access (highway bus): About 90 minutes from Morioka or Odate on the "Michinoku-go" highway bus
• How long to allow: About 1 hour if you only take a bath, or around 2 hours if you add a stroll along the gorge
• Road conditions in winter: Snow begins to fall in Kazuno in November, and traffic restrictions are sometimes imposed. In winter, use studless tires and check the latest road information
• Location: Yuze, Hachimantai, Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture (Yuze Hotel is at 43 Yuzeyubata, and Kamenoi Hotel Akita Yuze is at 40-1 Yuze)

📚 Sources

The day-use bathing hours and fees, the conditions for the private bath, the handling of towels, and the spring quality, source temperature and pH were confirmed on the "day-use bathing guide" and "baths" pages of the official website of Yuze Hotel. The spring quality, indications, contraindications, bathing hours, the rules on tattoos and the sauna hours come from the "hot spring" page of the official website of Kamenoi Hotel Akita Yuze. The opening hours, closing days, fees and address of the Yuze Fureai Center come from the official Kazuno City page, and the overview of the hot spring district, access, the free-flowing water and water temperature at Rokusuke Ryokan, and the winter snow information were taken from Kazuno City's official tourism site "Tabisuru Kazuno." The year the station opened and the year it was renamed follow the history compiled by the Hanawa Line Promotion Council. Details are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.