Higashiyama Onsen and Aizu: Aizu's Inner Retreat Beloved by Natsume Soseki

Higashiyama Onsen on the outskirts of Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima, is a historic hot spring said to have been discovered by the monk Gyoki in the Nara period. Beloved by many cultural figures including the novelist Natsume Soseki, the painter Takehisa Yumeji, and the poet Yosano Akiko, it is also called Aizu inner retreat. Grouped with Kaminoyama Onsen and Yunohama Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture as one of the Ou Sanrakugo, its charm lies in an atmospheric hot spring town of inns lining the Yugawa river.

Highlights

Higashiyama Onsen is an atmospheric hot spring town where inns stand in rows along the gorge of the Yugawa river. At night the lights of the inns reflect on the water, lending a quietly evocative mood. Dotted around the town are noted waterfalls known as the Four Great Falls of Higashiyama, including Fushimigataki and Amefuri Falls, which make fine sights on a stroll. Free foot baths let you enjoy the hot spring casually between walks. A geisha culture is also carried on, giving the evenings a lively, elegant air.

The spring is a sulfate type (calcium and sodium), said to be good for neuralgia, muscle pain, and fatigue recovery. The source temperature is fairly high at about 60 degrees Celsius, and its soft feel on the skin has earned it a reputation as a beauty bath. Many inns have riverside open-air baths, and bathing while gazing at the gorge scenery is something special.

Enjoying the Seasons

Spring greenery and autumn foliage (October and November) are especially beautiful, and the open-air baths overlooking the gorge are superb. In winter you can enjoy snow-viewing baths, and the snow-clad hot spring town has its own charm. Summer offers a cool gorge to relax in as a retreat from the heat. Since the Yugawa gorge shows a different face in each season, you can enjoy the hot spring with seasonal scenery whenever you visit.

Access and Basic Information

From JR Aizuwakamatsu Station it is about 20 minutes by bus or about 15 minutes by car. From Aizuwakamatsu IC on the Banetsu Expressway it is about 20 minutes. Tsurugajo and Iimoriyama are close, about 15 minutes by car, making this a convenient base for sightseeing in Aizuwakamatsu. Accommodations range from large inns to small ryokan, and many have riverside open-air baths. Some facilities accept day-trip bathing, with fees on the order of a few hundred to the low thousands of yen.

Practical Travel Notes

Staying at Higashiyama Onsen as a base for Aizuwakamatsu sightseeing is the classic plan. Strolling the hot spring town, foot baths, and waterfalls in the evening, then visiting Tsurugajo and Iimoriyama the next morning, makes for an efficient itinerary. Day-trip bathing hours vary by facility, so check in advance. Inns are crowded during foliage season and long holidays, so book early. As for budget, a day trip is just the bathing fee, while overnight options span a wide range by inn grade. At some inns you can also enjoy evening entertainment such as geisha dance.

A Word of Advice

Higashiyama Onsen has the luxury of combining Aizu historical sightseeing with a hot spring in one place. Soak away your fatigue in a riverside open-air bath, then tour Tsurugajo and the castle town the next day. In the evening, stroll the hot spring town or try a foot bath and savor the same evocative hours that so charmed the literary figures of the past.

📚 Sources

Information on Higashiyama Onsen can be confirmed through public sources from Aizu-Wakamatsu City and the Higashiyama Onsen tourism association, and guidance on the four great falls of Higashiyama, such as Fushimigataki, and the foot baths is also helpful. Day-bathing reception hours and fees at each inn and whether geisha entertainment is offered differ by inn and can change, so please confirm the latest details from each facility before you set out.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: About half a day to stroll the hot-spring town, foot baths, and falls. Staying overnight lets you combine the evening hot-spring town with morning sightseeing in Aizu-Wakamatsu.
• What to bring: Day-bathing reception hours differ by facility, so check in advance. You walk along the gorge, so comfortable shoes and small change for bathing fees are handy.
• Suggested route: Stroll the hot-spring town, foot baths, and the four great falls of Higashiyama in the evening, then tour Tsurugajo and Iimoriyama, about 15 minutes away by car, the next morning, using the onsen as an efficient base for Aizu-Wakamatsu.