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Awakura Onsen

Okayama · あわくら温泉

Awakura Onsen is a hot spring town in Okayama, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 21–26°C, cool enough that the baths here are usually reheated. It measures pH 8 — mildly alkaline, the slippery kind. Officially the water is classed as radioactive spring.

Getting there

From Kyoto / Osakaabout 2 h
CarNot needed
JR PassNot a JR line
  1. Train to Awakura-Onsen Station
  2. Walk, about 10 min

Fly into Kansai (KIX) or Itami. Times are rough estimates worked out from station locations, not a timetable — check the exact route on Google Maps.

Radioactive spring

The water here

Radioactive spring 放射能泉

Contains trace radon that leaves the water quickly. Also called radium or radon springs.

More photographs

From Wikimedia Commons. Tap a photo for the photographer and licence.

Things to see nearby

Mount UshiroMountain · 7 km
Rikan CastleCastle · 15.9 km
Sanomo ShrineShrine · 9.9 km
Kōno ShrineShrine · 10.8 km

Places from Wikidata, photographs from Wikimedia Commons. Distances are in a straight line from the town.

With tattoos

Many public baths still turn away visible tattoos, and the rule is set by each bath, not by the town. The reliable way round it is to bathe privately: a room with its own open-air bath, or an inn with a private bath you can book for yourselves.

Rooms with an open-air bath — OkayamaInns with a private bath — Okayama

More on tattoos and onsen

Where to stay

Onsen inns — Okayama

Opens Rakuten Travel, which lists inns in English. Onsen Guide earns a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Hot spring towns nearby

Igidani OnsenHyogo · 生谷温泉26.7 km southeast
Chloride spring
Ichinomiya OnsenHyogo · 一宮温泉26.9 km east
Chloride spring
Yunogō OnsenOkayama · 湯郷温泉28 km southwest
Chloride spring
Hachikita OnsenHyogo · ハチ北温泉32.1 km northeast
Radioactive spring
Tottori OnsenTottori · 鳥取温泉35.7 km north
Chloride springSulfate spring
Seppiko OnsenHyogo · 雪彦温泉36.5 km southeast
Simple spring

Similar water elsewhere

Towns further away with the same kind of water — useful if this one is hard to reach or fully booked.

Fushio OnsenOsaka · 伏尾温泉Also radioactive, similar pH
Radioactive spring
Yunōra OnsenEhime · 湯ノ浦温泉Also radioactive, similar pH
Radioactive spring
Byakko OnsenGifu · 白狐温泉Also radioactive, similar pH
Radioactive spring
Ushiobara OnsenHiroshima · 潮原温泉Also radioactive, similar pH
Radioactive spring
Katakura OnsenYamaguchi · 片倉温泉Also radioactive, similar pH
Radioactive spring
Makinoshirotani OnsenShiga · マキノ白谷温泉Also radioactive, similar pH
Radioactive spring

The numbers

Water temperature
21–26°C
pH
8 (mildly alkaline)
Address in Japanese
岡山県英田郡西粟倉村影石 {{Location map many | Japan Okayama Prefecture | relief = 1 | capti

Figures from the town's Japanese Wikipedia article.

Where it is

35.1848, 134.3338 — open the map

Read more

Japanese Wikipedia

Planning a first soak? Read how an onsen stay works, and what to do if you have tattoos.