Photo: Wiki100 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Nasuonsenkyō

Tochigi · 大丸温泉

Nasuonsenkyō is a hot spring town in Tochigi, Japan. Officially the water is classed as simple spring, chloride spring, bicarbonate spring, sulfate spring, iron spring, acidic spring and sulfur spring. 349 inns take visitors here with room for about 21,943 guests. About 4.90 million people a year come to bathe.

Getting there

From Tokyoabout 2 h

CarNot needed

JR PassCovers the train

Train to Kuroiso Station (JR)
Local bus

Fly into Haneda or Narita. Times are rough estimates worked out from station locations, not a timetable — check the exact route on Google Maps.

Simple springChloride springBicarbonate springSulfate springIron springAcidic springSulfur spring

The water here

Simple spring 単純温泉

Mild and low in dissolved minerals. Usually clear and gentle on the skin, which is why these baths are often recommended for first-timers.

Chloride spring 塩化物泉

Salty water. The salt leaves a thin film on the skin, so you stay warm well after leaving the bath.

Bicarbonate spring 炭酸水素塩泉

Smooth, slightly slippery water. Often nicknamed bihada-no-yu, the water for beautiful skin.

Sulfate spring 硫酸塩泉

Clear water with a faintly bitter taste. Known for holding heat.

Iron spring 含鉄泉

Turns reddish brown as the iron meets air. The water is clear at the source.

Acidic spring 酸性泉

Strongly acidic, sometimes below pH 2. It stings on cuts and is not for long soaks.

Sulfur spring 硫黄泉

The classic rotten-egg smell and milky white water. It can tarnish silver jewellery, so take it off.

More photographs

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

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 — Nasu Town Inns with a private bath — Tochigi