Onsen
The onsen experience is like a concentrated form of Japanese culture. In addition to the hot springs themselves, traditional inns called ryokan offer the chance to enjoy the traditions of Japan first hand with finely prepared food, Japanese-style rooms, and hospitality.
Why not visit a ryokan for a true "Omotenashi" Japanese hospitality experience?
- Odo Onsen Hot Spring's main attraction is the radon bath. It can help ease rheumatism, neuralgia, high blood pressure, and other ailments. Many people come here seeking the hot spring's therapeutic effects. In summer, you can fish for sweetfish and red-spotted masu salmon in the stream or catch sweetfish with your hands in the weir. Shimazaki Park also has tennis courts. The local cuisine changes with the seasons. Mountain vegetables in spring, sweetfish in summer, matsutake mushrooms in autumn, and boar hot pot in winter.
- Along with Odo Onsen Hot Spring and Sasado Onsen Hot Spring, Sakakino Onsen Hot Spring is one of the Oku-Yahagi Onsen-go hot springs. The water is good for neuralgia and rheumatism. People come here mainly for recuperation. Nearby are a turtle farm, orchid garden, and the Oshiinomagai-butsu stone Buddha carved on a natural stone wall. Asahi’s local gifts include natural yam.
- Discovered in the Muromachi Period over 600 years ago, Sasado Onsen Hot Spring is Aichi Prefecture's oldest hot spring. Hot spring inns line the clean Yahagigawa River. The hot spring is good for neuralgia, skin diseases, arthralgia, and other ailments. It attracts casual bathers as well as people seeking therapeutic effects. With the natural scenery, the sounds of nature, and the warmth of the hot spring, you can feel totally refreshed through all your five senses. The local cuisine with river fish and mountain vegetables is another attraction.
- Nagura River runs through the center of the hot spring town. The river scenery is beautiful throughout the year. In summer, you can play in the river. In autumn, see the autumn leaves. The local cuisine uses a lot of seasonal alpine vegetables. Nearby is Oidaira Park famous for fall foliage, Zuiryuji temple famous for weeping cherry blossoms, and Mt. Jogayama noted for skunk cabbage. Enjoy abundant nature everywhere.
- Enjoy a variety of baths such as the outdoor bath surrounded by seasonal flowers and a wooden bath. The bedrock steam sauna has the aroma of medical herbs. There is also a flowery hot spring. The bathing room has wooden benches and art objects to relax you like in a forest. After bathing, dine at the Donguri-tei restaurant and try their specialties like wappa-han rice with toppings and healthy food with lots of vegetables. Enjoy the local cuisine made with Inabu’s produce.
- The sulphur spring water is good for beautiful skin. The large scenic bath has views of Tomoe River. In July, a weir on Tomoe River lets you catch sweetfish.
- Sanage Onsen is Aichi Prefecture's largest natural radon hot spring. The hot spring water rises up from 1,200 meters underground. Nicknamed "Medical Spring Water", it is also one of the few hot springs in Japan that you can drink. You can take in the radon spring water’s beneficial ingredients through the skin while bathing, through the lungs by breathing, and by drinking it. It is popular for its therapeutic effects. There are bathhouses where you can bathe without being a guest lodging at an inn. Since Sanage Onsen is in the middle of Aichi Kogen Quasi-National Park, there is also a Japanese garden. The evening illumination creates a beautiful garden scene.