Furutobe Onsen

Furutobe Onsen is a hot spring in Hirakawa City, Aomori Prefecture, in the interior of the Tsugaru Peninsula zone of northern Honshu, whose bicarbonate and simple mineral waters provide gentle thermal bathing to residents and visitors of this apple-growing agricultural city at the foot of the Ou Mountains that form the backbone of northern Honshu. Aomori Prefecture is Japan's leading apple producing region, and the scenic agricultural landscapes of the Hirakawa area with their orchards, rivers, and mountain backdrops provide a pleasant natural setting for the moderate thermal bathing offered by the Furutobe spring. The bicarbonate character of the waters is part of a long Japanese bathing tradition associated with well-being, while the simple mineral quality makes the spring accessible and soothing for bathers of all constitutions seeking the restorative pleasures of the Tohoku hot spring tradition.