繁體中文

Yagen Valley

Aomori · 薬研温泉

Yagen Valley is a hot spring town in Aomori, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 47–72°C, hot. Officially the water is classed as simple spring. 3 inns take visitors here.

Getting there

From Tokyoabout 5 h
JR PassMost of the way
  1. Train to Shimokita Station (JR)
  2. Change for Ohata Station — a private line, not covered by the JR Pass

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 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.

More photographs

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

Things to see nearby

Lake UsoriLake · 8.9 km
Bodai-ji TempleTemple · 7.7 km
Mount OzukushiMountain · 10.9 km
Kamafuseyama Ski ResortSki area · 15.4 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 — Aomori

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

Osorezan OnsenAomori · 恐山温泉7.8 km southeast
Chloride spring+3
Shimofuro OnsenAomori · 下風呂温泉9.4 km northeast
Sulfur spring
Kuwahata OnsenAomori · 桑畑温泉10.3 km north
Chloride spring
Yunokawa OnsenAomori · 湯野川温泉11 km southwest
Simple spring
Mutsuyatate OnsenAomori · むつ矢立温泉13.1 km southeast
Chloride spring
Ohma Hot spaAomori · 大間温泉18.1 km northwest
Chloride spring

Similar water elsewhere

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

Anabara OnsenFukushima · 穴原温泉Also simple
Simple spring
Shuzenji OnsenShizuoka · 修善寺温泉Also simple
Simple spring
Gero OnsenGifu · 下呂温泉Also simple
Simple spring
Oigami OnsenGunma · 老神温泉Also simple
Simple spring
Unazuki OnsenToyama · 宇奈月温泉Also simple
Simple spring
Yuda OnsenYamaguchi · 湯田温泉Also simple
Simple spring

The numbers

Water temperature
47–72°C
Inns
3
Address in Japanese
青森県むつ市大畑町薬研

Figures from the town's Japanese Wikipedia article.

Where it is

41.3900, 141.0500 — open the map

Read more

English Wikipedia · Japanese Wikipedia

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