Hachimori Isaribi Onsen Hatahata-kan

Hachimori Isaribi Onsen Hatahata-kan is a hot spring facility in Happomachi, Yamamoto County, Akita Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast of northern Honshu, operated by a third-sector company under the name Hatahata-kan, named after the hatahata, the sandfish that is the iconic culinary symbol of Akita Prefecture. The facility underwent a major renovation in July 2007 to add lodging capabilities, and in 2006 the adjacent retail facility Buriko opened for the sale of local marine and agricultural products, making the complex a comprehensive rural tourism destination combining thermal bathing with regional food culture on the Sea of Japan coast. Hatahata is a prized seasonal fish that appears in Akita's coastal waters in winter and features prominently in local cuisine and traditional culture, making the naming of this hot spring after it a celebration of the deep connection between Akita's people and the sea that has sustained them for generations.