Kurikoma Onsen

Kurikoma Onsen is a group of mountain hot spring resorts on the slopes of Mount Kurikoma, a stratovolcano straddling the border of Miyagi, Akita, and Iwate Prefectures in the Tohoku region of northern Japan. The sulfurous volcanic waters of the Kurikoma onsen system are among the most distinctively powerful and atmospheric in the Tohoku region, with vivid yellow-white sulfur deposits, steaming mountain vents, and the raw volcanic character of the springs creating a bathing experience of raw elemental intensity. The area was severely affected by the 2008 Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku earthquake but has largely recovered, and the traditional ryokan inns perched on the mountain slopes continue to provide some of Tohoku's most authentically wild onsen experiences. Mount Kurikoma's volcanic landscape, with its beech forests, alpine flowers, and superb hiking trails, makes Kurikoma Onsen a premier destination for those seeking to combine serious mountain hot spring culture with the extraordinary natural environment of the Tohoku volcanic highlands.