Osaki Hanamaki

Hanamaki Onsen is a well-regarded hot spring resort area in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, in the Tohoku region of northern Japan, deeply associated with the beloved Japanese poet and storyteller Kenji Miyazawa, who was born in Hanamaki and drew inspiration from the landscapes of his hometown. The alkaline bicarbonate thermal waters of the area's numerous springs are prized for their gentle skin-softening properties and their deep warming effect, making them particularly welcome in the cold winters of the Tohoku highlands. The resort area offers a range of ryokan inns and public bathing facilities set among the forested hills of the Kitakami River valley, with the high peaks of the Ou Mountains visible to the west. Hanamaki Onsen combines the restorative pleasures of fine Tohoku hot springs with the cultural heritage of one of Japan's most cherished literary landscapes.