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Japan's oldest "God's hot spring

Moist and smooth skin in the "hot water for beautiful skin" that has been springing for 1,300 years

Tamatsukuri Hot Spring is famous as one of the oldest hot springs in Japan, and in the "Izumo Province Fudoki" compiled in 733, it is said that "one soak in Tamatsukuri Hot Spring and you will become clean, and a second soak will cure all illnesses" and that it was called the "hot spring of the gods.

Tamatsukuri hot spring is said to be rich in beneficial properties, and is a sodium-calcium sulfate/chloride spring. Its mildly alkaline nature has a cleansing effect that removes dead skin cells and dirt, and a moisturizing effect that keeps the skin moist, making it like a natural skin lotion. The hot water of God that continues to spring forth from the spring is well known for its ability to heal people and moisturize their skin and minds.

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Symbol is Magatama

A hot spring town filled with "katadama," a symbol of power stones

Since ancient times, the Izumo region has produced "kagatama," or sacred beads, which are said to protect against misfortune and bring good luck. Tamatsukuri is said to be the origin of the name of the area, as it is said to have been a center of high-quality agate production and where the making of kagatama (ornamental beads) flourished.

In Tamatsukuri, where traditions and techniques have been passed down from generation to generation, there are many stores selling katadama, objects made of katadama, and spots with katadama motifs. Just walking around the hot spring town, which is filled with katadama, known as power stones, is sure to recharge your batteries.

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Himegami Plaza

Footbath time at the plaza where the goddess of the spa stands

There are three free footbaths scattered throughout Tamatsukuri Hot Spring. The area is crowded with tourists and locals alike, as they can casually enjoy the hot spring water. One of them is Himejin Hiroba, located in the center of the hot spring resort, where a bronze statue of the goddess Himejin resides. It is roofed, making it an attractive place to take a dip without worrying about the weather.

Towels for the footbath are available for sale at the plaza, making it a great place to stop by empty-handed. The plaza is also a convenient base from which to explore Tamatsukuri's hot spring resort area, as information boards and sightseeing pamphlets are available.

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After taking a footbath, take a rest on a bench in the plaza. A camera stand is placed in front of the Himejinjin, the symbol of the hot spring for beautiful skin, so how about taking a commemorative photo together as a memory of your trip?

Himegami Plaza

• 5 minutes drive from JR Tamatsukuri hot spring station
• 24 hours
• Free bathing, 100 yen towel for footbath

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Footbath by the river

Take a break from walking around town and relax in the footbath along the river

In addition to Himegami Plaza, there are two footbaths in Tamatsukuri Hot Spring along the Tamayu River. They are located near the Kotama Bridge and in front of the Tamatsukuri Onsen Y~yu, a Daytrip Destinations Property, and are perfect for taking a break during a stroll through the hot spring district or when you want to relieve foot fatigue.

There are hot and lukewarm footbaths, so you can find one that is just right for you. Soaking in the footbaths while gazing at the flowing Tamayu River with its murmuring streams will soothe your body and soul.

Each of the three footbaths has a different flavor, so it is fun to enjoy a tour of the footbaths while strolling around.

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Near the footbath near the Kotama Bridge, there is a small island in the river called "Shiawase no Ao-Meno" (blue agate of happiness) in the shape of a Kotama. The stone in the center is a rough blue agate, which is said to bring good luck when touched. Please try to find it.

Footbath by the river

• 5 minutes drive from JR Tamatsukuri hot spring station
• 24 hours (lights out at 0:00)
• Free bathing

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Yuyakushi hiroba (hot spring plaza)

Bottle the hot water for beautiful skin and take it home

For those who wish to try the richly effective hot spring water of Tamatsukuri at home, we recommend the "Tara-yu" tub bath at the Yuyakushi Square. Visitors can draw the spring water from the well in a large tub decorated with a slanted gem and take it home in a container.

You can bring your own container, but special "Bihada Onsen Bottles" are sold at the plaza. The cute labels and reasonable size are popular, and once bottled, natural lotion is ready to use. The bottles are popular not only for personal use, but also as small gifts unique to Tamatsukuri hot springs. The pumped spring water should be used within 5 days.

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At the nearby "Yua Akai Well" (a.k.a. Koi Rai Well), you can throw carp bait (100 yen) into the river, and if the carp come close to you, you will fall in love. At the vermilion-lacquered "Miya Bridge (Koi Kanoi Bridge)," love is said to come true if a picture taken from the bridge shows the torii gate of Tamasakuyu Shrine.

Yuyakushi Square

• 5 minutes drive from JR Tamatsukuri hot spring station
• 24 hours
• Free use, 200 yen for a bottle of hot spring water for beautiful skin

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Tamazukuri Yujinja (Tamazukuri hot spring shrine)

Make your own good luck charm at a power spot

This ancient shrine enshrines the god of jewelry making and the god of hot springs, who is said to have created the Yasakani no Magatama, one of the three sacred objects, and is revered as the guardian deity of Tamatsukuri. The "Wish Stone," which is reputed to make wishes come true, is located on the shrine grounds and attracts visitors from all over Japan.

When praying, first go to the shrine office to receive a "wish stone" made of a natural stone. After praying at the shrine, go to the wishing stone next to the main hall. After purifying the stone with water from the spring, touch the stone and pray. After the wish stone is cleansed with water from the spring, touch the stone and pray.

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The "Gomamori-ishi" (talisman stone) next to the wishing stone is also a power stone well known by those in the know. It is made of rough blue agate, the material used to make katadama, and there is a reassuring legend that anyone who touches the lustrous stone will be protected.

Tamazukuri Yujinja Shrine

• 508 Tamatsukuri, Tamayu-cho, Matsue City, Shimane MAP
• About 6 minutes by car from JR Tamatsukuri hot spring station
• Free to visit
  Shrine office 9:00-12:00, 13:00-17:00, Saturday, Sunday, national holidays 8:30-17:00
• No holidays
• Free to visit, 600 yen for a stone to make it come true.
• 0852-62-0006
• Free of charge

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Seigan-ji Temple (Seigan-ji Temple)

Pray for beautiful skin by applying makeup to the "Oshiroi Jizo

Seiganji Temple enshrines Hotei, one of the "Seven Gods of Good Luck in Izumo Province," and many people visit the temple to make the Seven Gods of Good Luck pilgrimage. Oshiroi Jizo, a deity for praying for beautiful skin, is enshrined at the temple, which has long been a place of strong faith for the local people. It is said that a monk who once had a birthmark on his face prayed to the Jizo by applying oshiroi (white powder) to it, and the birthmark disappeared completely. Nowadays, people visit the temple to pray for beautiful skin, physical problems, and healing of illnesses.

First, visit the main hall. If you wish to pay a prayer, you can do so at the "Oshiroi-fuda-sho" (oshiroi-fuda place). There are two types of oshiroi fuda, one for the face and the other for the body, and you paint the area you wish to clean or heal with colored pencils and deliver the fuda. After praying to Oshiroi Jizo, apply the oshiroi with a brush and pray.

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In addition to prayer cards, the Oshiroi Fudasho offers "Oshiroi Jizo-sama Good Luck Charms" containing oshiroi that have already been prayed for and "Oshiroi Jizo-sama Rice Crackers" with a picture of Jizo and other deities, both of which are popular as one-of-a-kind souvenirs.

Seigan-ji Temple

• 530 Tamatsukuri, Tamayu-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
• About 6 minutes by car from JR Tamatsukuri hot spring station
• Summer: 8:00-18:00, Winter: 17:00
• No holidays
• Oshiroi prayer cards (for face and body) 300 yen each
• 0852-62-0516
• Free of charge

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Coffee shop Yori So (Yori So)

Enjoy a blissful moment at a cafe where you can taste authentic coffee

In the middle of the hot spring resort area, a white building with a cute round sign is a photogenic café. The coffee, carefully dripped with carefully selected high quality beans, has an exceptional taste.

There is also a wide selection of lattes on the menu, including the aromatic "Rum Sake Latte" and the "Charcoal Latte" with edible bamboo charcoal. Other food items on the menu include café au lait soft serve topped with a gradient-shaped cookie and pita bread sandwiches made mainly from soybeans, making it hard to choose just one. There is an eat-in space, so you can relax in comfort, or take out and enjoy it at your favorite spot, such as a footbath. This is a spot you will want to stop by for a variety of occasions.

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Along with coffee, Iwami Beer, a craft beer brewed by Iwami Beer Brewery in Gotsu City, Shimane Prefecture, is also popular on the beverage menu. This refreshing and full-bodied beer, which incorporates locally produced ingredients, is served with smoked nuts and other snacks.

Coffee Shop Yori So

• 1213 Tamatsukuri, Tamayu-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
• 5 minutes drive from JR Tamatsukuri hot spring station
• 11:00-18:00 (subject to change, see Instagram)
• Closed irregularly (check Instagram)
• 0852-67-5885
• None

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Dusty Shokudo Tsunagane

Locally produced, locally consumed, happy meals that make your body happy.

The diner, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2026, offers a variety of homemade dishes using mainly locally grown vegetables. Recommended is the "daily set meal," which includes a main dish, a small bowl of cooked food, soup, and seven to eight other dishes.

Other popular dishes include curry with minced chicken, homemade syrup juices such as yuzu and ume, and syrup sodas. On some days, the restaurant offers special menus, such as a pickles bowl and pork miso soup, or a medicinal soup lunch, so be sure to check their Instagram and other social networking sites before you go out.

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The signature sweet is the "Tofu Donut," made of tofu, which is two-thirds of the ingredients. With its fluffy texture and light texture, it is easy to enjoy even after a meal. Various types are available, including plain, cinnamon sugar, and soybean flour, and takeout is also available.

Hot and Cold Restaurant Tsunagarune

• 1221-8 Tamatsukuri, Tamayu-cho, Matsue City, Shimane MAP
• 5 minutes drive from JR Tamatsukuri hot spring station
• 10:45-18:00 (subject to change, check SNS)
• Open irregularly (check SNS)
• 050-3555-1119
• Free (1 car)

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Yumachi Kiln

The more you use them, the more beautiful they become. The more you use them, the more beautiful they become.

The kiln was opened in 1922, following the tradition of "Fujina-yaki" pottery that has been in existence since the Edo period. The pottery was established in 1922, and while inheriting techniques learned from Muneyoshi Yanagi, who promoted the "folk art movement" that found beauty in everyday crafts, and English potter Bernard Leach, the pottery also incorporates new expressions in its diverse lineup of vessels.

Slipware," in which a pattern is drawn on the surface with a dropper filled with clay, is a technique directly inherited from Leach. All of the vessels, glazed with yellow glaze made from local stone and other glazes, are warm and inviting, and the comfort of hands and lips touching them makes you smile.
Among them, the kiln's masterpiece, "Egg Baker," can be cooked over an open flame, in the oven, or in a microwave oven, and is a gem that allows you to taste the original flavor of eggs.

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At Yumachigama, visitors can also enjoy the Experience of painting on teacups with nails to draw letters and pictures. The process takes about 30 minutes to one hour, and the bowls are shipped home at a later date. Making your own original bowls is a great way to remember your trip. For those who wish to experience this, please call and make a reservation before visiting the shop.

Yumachi Kiln

• 965 Yu-machi, Tamayu-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
• 1 min. walk from JR Tamatsukuri hot spring station
• 8:00-17:00, Sat.
• Open all year round (except New Year's holidays)
• Painting Experience 3,850 yen and up (reservation required)
• 0852-62-0726
• Free of charge

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Tamatsukuri Art Box

For a break from shopping for Tamatsukuri souvenirs and strolling around Tamatsukuri

This commercial complex is located in front of the "Kira Kira Bridge," a photo spot with illustrations of hot springs and gods, and on the first floor is the Tamatsukuri Art Box Store, a sister store of the cosmetic brand "Hime Labo," featuring cosmetics made with Tamatsukuri's hot spring water. The store also offers a wide variety of other products that make selecting souvenirs fun, including standard Shimane Prefecture souvenirs, products made from local ingredients, and Hime-Labo's original sweets and teas.

On the second floor, you will find the sundry goods stores "Minamin*" and "meguri." and the "mame café" overlooking the Tamayu River, so why not take your time and enjoy a leisurely stroll around?

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At Hime Labo Tamatsukuri Art Box Store, look out for the "Himekami Fortune-Telling Shrine (Ginger) Cookies. These cookies are made with ginger from Shimane Prefecture, and come in three shapes: hearts, gradient balls, and wishing stones. The fortune-telling element, which allows you to divine your fortune by the shape that comes out, is also a hot topic.

Tamatsukuri Art Box

• 1241 Tamatsukuri, Tamayu-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
• 5 minutes drive from JR Tamatsukuri hot spring station
• Hime Labo Tamatsukuri Art Box 9:00-18:00, other stores may open at other times.
• Thursdays
• 0852-67-5050
• None
• HimeLabo] https://www.instagram.com/hime.labo//
  Minamin*】 https://www.instagram.com/minamin_amigurumi
  Meguri.】 https://www.instagram.com/sukoshimukashi_meguri/
  mame café】 https://www.instagram.com/mamecafe.tamatsukuri

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Kami no Sagashi (Searching for God)

Let's go around the hot spring town and find the gods!

While strolling through the hot spring resort area, you may notice a large sign that reads, "Search for Gods," as well as many objects scattered along the Tamayu River. The motifs are based on familiar Izumo myths, such as Susano-no-mikoto's conquest of the Yamata serpent, the White Rabbit of Inaba, and the three sacred weapons, each vividly depicting a famous scene from the myths.

There are nine types of objects in total, and a guide describing the stories is also provided. It is a fun way to enjoy walking around the town, which is unique to this mythical place.

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Talking signboard

Introduce the sights of the hot spring resort town with a sense of humor.

Alongside the tourist attractions scattered throughout the hot spring resort area are white signs with illustrations and informative text. When you read them, you will find that they are full of familiar phrases and small stories that are understandable to those who know what they are talking about. The point is that the information contained in these tricks that make you laugh is designed to make walking around the town even more enjoyable.

Other unique signs can be found here and there in the hot spring resort area. The "somewhat nosy signs" give you information that you may not need to know, but once you find one, you may feel compelled to look for others. Enjoy your stroll through the hot spring town more by visiting the signboards.