Naruko Hot Spring Resort that refreshes your body and spirit with hot springs and nature

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Written by GOOD LUCK TRIP

Yu no Sato where the culture of “hot-spring cures” (Japanese-style hot spring recuperation) remains

The Naruko Hot Spring Resort in Miyagi prefecture in the Tohoku region is the hot spring area with the most varied types of hot springs in eastern Japan and has a history of over 1200 years.

There was once a cultural custom in Japan of “hot-spring cures” in which people stayed at a hot spring resort and bathed in the spring to readjust their mind and body.

This can be regarded as the origin of vacations for Japanese people who have coexisted with nature.

Few Japanese people today know about hot-spring cures in which humans that are a part of nature receive hot spring water that is a bounty of nature and nurture their spirit.

These days, there are many tourism-based hot springs in Japan, but very few hot spring areas offer hot-spring cures in which the true power of the hot spring is revealed.

Although longer stays are best for hot-spring cures, you can feel the excellence of real hot springs with even a one night stay. This is because there is an owner at the hot-spring cure hotel called a “Yumori” whose family has protected the hot spring over the generations and who strives daily to thoroughly convey the power of the hot spring to visitors.

Journey to see the unending nature

The Naruko Hot Spring Resort shows us a beautiful form that changes with the changing of the seasons.

Spring brings cherry blossoms, summer brings the green of the trees, the leaves change color in fall, and a snowy world takes over the landscape in winter. The rapidly changing appearance of nature is awe-inspiring. The season when most people visit the Naruko Hot Spring Resort is deep fall when Naruko Gorge becomes decorated in fall colors. Its beauty is known throughout Japan and visitors even come from overseas. At Naruko Gorge, you can witness the multicolored fall leaves along the sheer valley. People are often at a loss for words when they stand in front of the panoramic view of the beautiful fall leaves spreading before their very eyes. The Naruko Hot Spring Resort that is in the Tohoku region is also known for its great volume of snow. It has two ski resorts where you can also enjoy skiing and snowboarding. The beautiful snowy landscape that purifies your soul is a real pleasure for visitors from countries where snow does not fall.

Ryokan Onuma that promotes “hot-spring cures” (Japanese-style hot spring recuperation) to the world

Ryokan Onuma in the Naruko Hot Spring Resort is a traditional hot spring hotel that has been around for 100 years. People from nearby areas have come here from long-ago for “hot-spring cures” (hot spring recuperation) and have refreshed their body and spirit. A great feature of Ryokan Onuma is that you can enjoy eight distinctive baths despite the small size of the hotel. If you do not want to bathe with others, do not worry, because there are five baths that are available for private use. In particular, the private Mori no Yu open air bath in a tranquil isolated garden is very popular even in Japan for letting you become at one with nature while soaking in the hot spring. “Washing your soul” perfectly describes the comfort of this bath. Also, the baths at Ryokan Onuma are carefully managed by the hotel owner, who is called a “Yumori,” to ensure guests can fully utilize the power of the hot spring. It has a great reputation for offering not only relief from daily fatigue, but also for making women’s skin more beautiful. Ryokan Onuma also carefully prepares the meals it provides to guests. It offers a banquet with all sorts of Japanese dishes as well as healthy low-calorie meals. You can choose the meal that suits your physical condition or purpose.

How about joining a tour to feel real hot springs and nature?