Hirosaki, Aomori, Tsugaru (Aomori)
Local Guide
4 Day-Trip Hot Springs Within a 40-Minute Drive from Hirosaki: Discover Hidden Gems

Hirakawa City, adjacent to Hirosaki City, is a peaceful town dotted with numerous famous hot springs. From day-trip hot springs where you can enjoy table tennis and massages to secluded inns nestled in the quiet mountains, you can enjoy a hot spring tour unique to this area.

<Recommended day trip hot springs in Hirosaki

Enjoy the "hot water for beautiful skin" that feels soft on the skin

Various types of baths line the indoor baths.
Various types of baths line the indoor baths.

This popular hot spring property attracts many visitors from neighboring towns. The morning bath, available from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. for 350 yen, is bustling with locals. The water—100% free-flowing spring water—is an alkaline simple spring with a silky texture, known for its skin-beautifying effects.The indoor baths feature many enticing options, including a lukewarm bath at 39°C, a hot bath at 43°C, a spring-fed mist sauna, and the “Spring-Fed Lying Rock Bath,” where you can lie down on a bed of mineral stones gently warmed by the spring water.In addition, there are outdoor hot springs—including one featuring a bath made of Japanese cypress—and a semi-open-air bath; time flies by in an instant as you explore the various bathing areas.

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It leaves your skin moist and smooth. Visitors can also choose from a variety of plans to suit their enjoyment.

A hot spring Property where you can spend your time like in a theme park

Fire-viewing stilts and lanterns create a Japanese atmosphere.
Fire-viewing stilts and lanterns create a Japanese atmosphere.

Upon entering the facility, the first things that catch your eye are the large fire watchtower and the ping-pong table set up in front of the snack shop. This retro space, filled with a cheerful atmosphere, was designed to evoke the good old days when public bathhouses served as the town’s social hubs.It’s fun just thinking about all the ways to spend your time here: enjoying a beer after your bath, playing table tennis, browsing for souvenirs at the shop, taking a nap in the rest area, or getting a massage at the massage parlor. At the Dining Area, popular dishes include 100% buckwheat soba and the specialty “Hirakawa Mixed Offal,” which features generous portions of offal from a famous local butcher shop.

Tsugaru Onoe Hot Spring Fukuya
  • Address 35-2, Michinoshita, Shinya-cho, Hirakawa-shi, Aomori MAP
  • Direction 20 minutes drive from JR Hirosaki Station
    Approx. 6 min. walk from Kashiwa-no Koko-mae Station of Konan Railway
  • Hours of Operation 5:00-22:00
  • Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  • Admission Fee Adults: 530 yen (8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.)
    Morning Bath (5:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m.): 350 yen
  • TEL 0172-55-0200
  • Parking Free of charge
  • hot spring 40.60441922101001
  • Notes 140.56733838058142

Relax and forget about time in a secluded hot spring in the mountains

Seasonal scenery spreads out behind the white steam.
Seasonal scenery spreads out behind the white steam.

A one-house inn located in the mountains of Toobu-zawa. Despite the fact that cell phone service is not available in the mountains, hot spring lovers come from far and wide to enjoy the charm of this hot spring. The natural hot spring water, which is free-flowing from the source, has a very slight brownish color and a smooth texture. Above all, it boasts an abundant 500 liters of hot spring water per minute. The bathtub, made entirely of cypress, is filled with an endless flow of hot water, which spreads the warm water to every corner of the floor. The fresh mountain scenery and luxurious hot water can be easily enjoyed on a one-day trip.

Enjoy "todo sleeping" with all five senses

Lying on the floor and bathing in the hot water,
Lying on the floor and bathing in the hot water, "todo-nagomi" is popular.

One of the customary activities of regular visitors is to lie down on the floor of the bathtub and feel the hot water overflowing from the bathtub with their whole body. The name "Steller's sea lion" comes from the way they lie on the floor, looking like a sea lion, and many of them spend more than an hour in the bath, unable to get out of the water because it feels so good. Many people spend more than an hour in the baths, unable to get out of the baths because they feel so good.

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The amount of hot water is so great that it flows like a river. It is true that this makes you want to sleep!

Furutobe Hot Spring
  • Address 1-467 West Ikarigaseki-yama, Ikarigaseki, Hirakawa-shi, Aomori-ken MAP
  • Direction 15 min. by car from JR Tsugaru Yunosawa Station *Pick-up service available (reservation required)
  • Hours of Operation 9:00-20:30
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission Fee Adults 600 yen, elementary school students 200 yen, infants and toddlers free
  • TEL 0172-46-2533
  • Parking Free of charge

Repeaters keep coming back! A small famous hot spring only the size of a tatami mat

The red hot water in the open-air bath has a reputation for warming the body.
The red hot water in the open-air bath has a reputation for warming the body.

Ainori hot spring, located near the border with Akita Prefecture, is one of the best-known hot springs among those in the know. The clear natural hot spring that bubbles out of the ground turns reddish brown when exposed to the air, giving it the name "akayu. The bathtub is about the size of a tatami mat and fills up with two people, but the water is always fresh. The water has a strong iron aroma and is smooth to the touch. The water contains carbon dioxide, so you can feel small, fluffy bubbles on your skin. The sound of the spring water spurting out from the source echoes in the background, and a leisurely soak in the hot water will warm you from the core to the skin.

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The red hot water is filled with bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. The water heats up well and retains its warmth for a long time.

Enjoy the individuality of the three baths

Outdoor hot spring is a simple spring with a smooth texture.
Outdoor hot spring is a simple spring with a smooth texture.

Near the akayu is an outdoor hot spring with no hot spring water flowing from the source. This is a simple hot spring, different in quality from the akayu, and has a clear, dry feel. It feels a little lukewarm, but it is the perfect temperature to alternate with the akayu. The view of the surrounding forest is wonderful and relaxing for body and soul. The indoor hot spring has the same spring quality as the Outdoor hot spring, but the water is hotter than the Outdoor hot spring at 41°C. The three baths are drained and cleaned carefully every day, so you can enjoy fresh natural hot spring water at any time.

Hashu Road Inn Ainori
  • Address 185 Nishi-Ikarigase, Ikarigase, Hirakawa City, Aomori Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 5 minutes from the Ikarigaseki IC on the Tohoku Expressway.
    Approx. 15 min. from JR Ikarigaseki Station by car *Pick-up service available from Ikarigaseki Station (reservation required)
  • Business Hours 7:00 AM–8:00 PM
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission fee Adults 350 yen, elementary school students 100 yen, infants 100 yen
    Adults 350 yen, elementary school students and under 150 yen
  • TEL 0172-49-5005
  • Parking Free of charge

Take a hot spring bath at a roadside station during a road trip.

A family bath boasting a hiba (Japanese cypress) bathtub
A family bath boasting a hiba (Japanese cypress) bathtub

The hot spring property is located at Michi-no-Eki Ikarigaseki. As soon as it opens, it is crowded all day long with regular local customers as well as tourists who stop by for a rest. The pride of the facility is the large bathtub made of Aomori hiba (cypress). The bathtub is not only freshly fragrant, but also has a bay window that opens out into the open air, creating a feeling of freedom. The private baths, which can be used by up to six people, also have their own rest area where you can relax in comfort.

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Supporters

Both the washing area and bathtub are spacious and open. The hot spring water is thick and gentle on the skin.

Be sure to check out the famous "marumelo" soft-serve ice cream from Ikarigaseki!

On the left is wild yam soft-serve ice cream; on the right is quince (a type of karin) soft-serve ice cream
On the left is wild yam soft-serve ice cream; on the right is quince (a type of karin) soft-serve ice cream

In addition to the hot spring properties, the spacious grounds feature a farmers’ market, a shop selling local specialties, and the “Checkpoint Museum”—a reconstructed version of a checkpoint that once stood on the border with Akita Prefecture during the Edo period.The dining hall and shops are stocked with a wide variety of sweets and foods made from local specialties like apples and wild yams (jinenjo). In particular, the wild yam soft-serve ice cream—with its uniquely sticky and addictive texture—has become Iwakiseki’s signature product.

Roadside Station Ikarigaseki Tsugaru Sekinonosho
  • Address 13-1 Ikarigaseki Ikariishi, Hirakawa City, Aomori Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 3 min. walk from JR Ikarigaseki Station
  • Business hours 10:00 - 20:00
  • Regular holidays New Year's Eve (Dec. 31, Jan. 1)
  • Admission Fee Adults 400 yen, Children 100 yen
    *Private Bath: 1,500 yen per hour (up to 6 people; 500 yen for each 30-minute extension)
  • TEL 0172-46-9355
  • Parking Free of charge

MAP

<Recommended day trip hot springs in Hirosaki
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The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.