Shikama Hirasawa Onsen; Kappa no Yu
Shikama, Miyagi, Japan
- Location
- Shikama, Miyagi, Japan
- Water type
- sodium chloride
- Temperature
- 41 °C
- pH
- 7.3
Water profile
Thermicity
Sedative
LowHigh
Relaxing — deep, immediate muscle release.
Mineralisation
Restorative
LowHigh
Loaded with major ions — the essential minerals (Ca, Mg).
Buoyancy
Effortless float
LowHigh
Dense, salty water — you float without effort.
SodiumChloruresBrome
Shikama Hirasawa Onsen / Kappa no Yu, in Shikama, Miyagi Prefecture, taps a sodium-chloride spring at 41°C. An indoor bath, an outdoor rotenburo, and a sauna are available.
Insider tip — Kappa no Yu celebrates the kappa water sprite of Japanese folklore, the mischievous reptilian yokai said to inhabit cold mountain rivers and lakes. Shikama-cho in northern Miyagi is a rural community in the Kitakami River watershed where traditional kappa legends survive in local oral culture, and the cold clear streams of the Ou Mountain foothills are precisely the habitat these creatures are said to lurk — a reminder that Japanese folk ecology is geography.
Nearby
Frequently asked questions
How hot is the water?
The water runs quite hot here, around 41 °C — a sedative water that brings immediate muscle release.
What type of water is found here?
This spot features sodium chloride water.
What is the best season to visit?
The most favourable period for this spot is: Toute l'année.