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Getōkōgen Onsen Villages

Iwate · 夏油高原温泉郷

Getōkōgen Onsen Villages is a hot spring town in Iwate, Japan. It measures pH 7.8–8.8 — mildly alkaline, the slippery kind. Officially the water is classed as simple spring.

Getting there

From Tokyoabout 3 h

CarNot needed

JR PassCovers the train

1. Train to Kitakami Station (Shinkansen)
2. Many inns send a car to the station — ask when you book

Access is cut off in winter. Check before planning a cold-season trip.

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

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.

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.

More on tattoos and onsen

Where to stay

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.

Similar water elsewhere

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

The numbers

pH

7.8–8.8 (mildly alkaline)

Figures from the town's Japanese Wikipedia article.

Read more

Japanese Wikipedia

Other towns in Iwate