Oyu Onsen

Akita, Akita, Japan

Location: Akita, Akita, Japan
Water type: thermal
Temperature: 41 °C
pH: 7.3

Water profile

Thermicity

Sedative

41 °C

LowHigh

Relaxing — deep, immediate muscle release.

Mineralisation

Balancing

LowHigh

Rich in trace elements — gentle on the skin.

Buoyancy

Standard buoyancy

LowHigh

Soft water — natural, classic buoyancy.

BicarbonatesCalcium

Oyu Onsen in Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture, also known as Oku-Kozankyo Oyu or Yuzawa Oyu to distinguish it from other springs sharing the common Oyu name, is a hot spring situated in the Ozu valley of the Akita highland interior whose simple mineral waters have served the mountain community of southern Akita since ancient times. Yuzawa City in the Ou Mountains of southern Akita is known for the Inukko Festival, a winter celebration featuring dogs and dog figures sculpted in snow, and for the exceptional rice cultivation of the Yokote Basin whose premium Akita Komachi rice is among Japan's most prized agricultural products. The Oyu Onsen provides restorative simple mineral bathing to the rural community and visitors of the southern Akita mountain zone, where the volcanic activity of the Ou Mountain range generates numerous thermal spring sources distributed across the highland valleys of this thermally active corner of the Tohoku region.

Insider tip — Oyu Onsen sits in the Kazuno district of Akita Prefecture, drawing mild simple thermal water from the volcanic substrata of northern Tohoku. The spring water is smooth and colorless with gentle alkaline properties that leave skin clean without irritation. Nearby Oyu Stone Circle, a 4,000-year-old Jomon-period megalithic site, adds archaeological depth to a visit, making this a rare combination of prehistoric heritage and thermal relaxation. Local Akita cedar lumber, used throughout the bathhouse construction, perfumes the changing rooms with a distinctive forest scent.

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