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Akimoto Onsen

Aomori · 秋元温泉

Akimoto Onsen is a hot spring town in Aomori, Japan. Officially the water is classed as acidic spring and sulfur spring.

Getting there

From Tokyoabout 4½ h
CarNot needed
JR PassCovers the train
  1. Train to Ikarigaseki Station (JR)
  2. Many inns send a car to the station — ask when you book

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

Acidic springSulfur spring

The water here

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.

Things to see nearby

Hirosaki CastleCastle · 23.6 km
Mount Jinkichi-moriMountain · 2.2 km
Daien-ji TempleTemple · 10.9 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.

Inns with a private bath — Aomori

More on tattoos and onsen

Where to stay

Onsen inns — Hirakawa City

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

Hikage OnsenAkita · 日景温泉1 km southwest
Chloride spring+2
Yatate OnsenAkita · 矢立温泉1.2 km south
Chloride spring+2
Ainori OnsenAomori · 相乗温泉1.8 km east
Chloride springIron spring
Furutōbe OnsenAomori · 古遠部温泉4.2 km east
Chloride springSulfate spring
Ikarigaseki Onsen VillagesAomori · 碇ヶ関温泉郷5.2 km north
Chloride spring+2
Owani OnsenAomori · 大鰐温泉10.9 km north
Chloride springSulfate spring

Similar water elsewhere

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

Manza OnsenGunma · 万座温泉Also acidic and sulfur
Acidic springSulfur spring
Goshougake OnsenAkita · 後生掛温泉Also acidic and sulfur
Acidic springSulfur spring
Mikurigaike OnsenToyama · みくりが池温泉Also acidic and sulfur
Acidic springSulfur spring
Dake OnsenAomori · 嶽温泉Also acidic and sulfur
Acidic springSulfur spring
Shibu Goten-yu OnsenNagano · 渋御殿湯温泉Also acidic and sulfur
Acidic springSulfur spring
Kodokoro OnsenNara · 小処温泉Also acidic and sulfur
Acidic springSulfur spring

The numbers

Address in Japanese
青森県平川市碇ヶ関

Figures from the town's Japanese Wikipedia article.

Where it is

40.4292, 140.6139 — 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.