A Must-Visit Onsen Experience at Tsurunoyu

On the fourth day of using the JR East 5-day pass, I traveled to Tsurunoyu Onsen, a member of the Japan Secret Hot Spring Association. Located in Nyuto Onsen Village, Tsurunoyu is very famous and reservations are hard to come by. I managed to secure a spot by calling the front desk and asking for available dates. It was truly amazing and definitely ranks in my top three onsen experiences. The women's outdoor bath and the mixed-gender outdoor bath are both spacious, and the milky white water makes mixed bathing comfortable. There's nothing more enjoyable than soaking in a hot spring while snowflakes fall around you. The only downside is that the wind and snow can sometimes be too strong, freezing the towel on your head or making your face sting. At night, the atmosphere is enhanced by candle-lit snow lanterns. Regarding the journey, the JR bus takes you from Sukayu back to Shin-Aomori, then to Morioka, and finally to Tazawako via the Shinkansen. From there, a bus goes to Nyuto Onsen Village, which is the only part of the trip not covered by the pass. You can use PayPay but not Suica. Midway, at a certain station (which the hotel will inform you about), you switch to a bus that takes you to Tsurunoyu. Do not take the bus to the Tsurunoyu entrance station, as it's a 40-minute walk from there to the onsen. No wonder it's considered a secret hot spring; it's quite inaccessible. Dinner features a simple yet hearty yam hot pot. The price for one night with two meals is around 10,000 yen per person, offering great value. The staff are locals, and the elderly gentlemen are very friendly and humorous. On the return trip, they even stopped at a spot with a great view of Lake Tazawa for photos. I would definitely visit this onsen again if I have the chance!