Note: this post was re-posted from my old website, initially published in February 2017.
One January, my friend Annisa invited me to join her and a few others on a trip to Takayu Onsen in Fukushima. Normally, I’m not a huge fan of onsen, as I can barely last an hour in the hot, steamy water. But this time, I thought, Why not? It was a great chance to explore somewhere new.
Takayu Onsen is a small resort town known for its scattered hot springs, located about an hour by bus from Fukushima City. It’s one of the few tourist attractions in the area and is fairly easy to reach. After taking a train from Sendai to Fukushima, we simply hopped on a bus to Takayu Onsen—the bus terminal is conveniently located right outside the station’s west exit.
Before we knew it, we had arrived at the Takayu Onsen complex. However, we accidentally missed our stop at Tamago-yu, the ryokan (Japanese inn) we had planned to visit for a higaeri-onsen (day-trip spa). Thankfully, retracing our steps wasn’t a hassle—the snowy scenery that day was breathtaking. Along the way, we even stumbled upon a te-yu (hand spa), which was a nice little treat.
Arriving in Tamago-yu, we found out that day-trip spa is only available until mid-afternoon. The time limitation is understandable since the inn is primarily accommodating for overnight-staying guests. We then just went our way and entered the bath with joy.
Tamago-yu is famous for its beautiful open-air bath, which is located in front of a natural hill overlooking the inn. From the big window at the reception, guests could see the panorama of the outdoor bath. I first went to the indoor bath, to clean and acclimate myself before heading outside.
The indoor and outdoor baths are separated since they are located in different wings. I had to rush to the outdoor bath since it was indeed such a cold day. But boy was I treated to an awesome selection of open-air baths. There is the symbol of Tamago-yu, a small shack fitted with hot springs underneath.
There is also an open pool of hot water facing a cool facade of stones. Since I did not want to squeeze around au naturel with guys in the small shack (sorry!), I chose the open pool. It was majestic. The sight of snow all over the spot, the hot steam rising from the water, and the cool breeze blowing, all added up to the experience.
After soaking for less than an hour (I told you I can’t handle hot water for long!), I stepped out and tried the nearby ashi-yu (foot spa). It was the perfect way to cool down and relax after the almost scalding onsen.
I went back to the hotel lobby while waiting for my friends to finish their baths. While waiting I got my eyes on a very interesting piece of souvenir sold in the hotel shop: onsen tamago (hot spring egg). These half-boiled eggs are supposedly churned using the natural sulfuric onsen hot water and thus have a distinct flavor. I do love eating them for breakfast after getting home.
The sun had slowly shifted to sundown when we left the inn and headed back to the bus stop. One thing that I think is the downside of the inn is that they do not have a restaurant nearby, so for day-trippers like us, it is quite a problem. Such a shame, because after the hot bath, all we wanted was to munch on something tasty! They are missing such a business opportunity there.
That said, Takayu Onsen offers more than just Tamago-yu. Other notable ryokan include Adachiya, and right in front of it, there’s Attaka-no-yu, a well-maintained outdoor public bath. It was impressive to see how clean and inviting the public facility was, despite not being attached to a hotel.
Takayu Onsen is a wonderful escape, especially in winter, when the snow transforms the landscape into something magical. Even for someone like me—who can’t stay in hot water for too long—it was an unforgettable experience.
