Tsuru No Yu Onsen is one of the eight onsen villages known as “Nyuto Onsenkyo” scattered around the foot of Mt Nyuto in Towada-Hachimantai National Park in the Akita Prefecture. It is a Hitou (秘湯) or Secret/Secluded Hot Spring and is part of Japan Association of Secluded Hot Spring Inns.
Tsurunoyu meaning Crane Hot Spring got its name from a local hunter who found an injured crane healing its wound with hot water from the hot springs. It is the oldest hot spring inn in town with records dating all the way back to the Genroku era (1688-1704).
While planning for our trip to Japan, I thought it would be a fun and unique experience to try out a mixed gender onsen together with Joyce. Then I remembered seeing Tsurunoyu onsen on Sharla in Japan’s Youtube channel a while back and thought it might be a place worth visiting.
After a bit of googling, it found out that Tsuru No Yu had a mixed gender onsen, not only that, it is a Ryokan (a traditional Japanese Inn) with traditional looking Japanese rooms with an Irori in it (a traditional Japanese style fireplace).
After that I made a call to the onsen using my limited amount of Japanese and google translate to first find out if there would still be snow during our travel dates followed by another call to make a booking for the traditional style room called a Hon Jin (本陳). As luck would have it, there would still be snow left even though it would be spring when we travel there.
Click Link Below to Watch Video in 60FPS (Clearer Video but might make you more dizzy as camera shakes are more noticeable)
**** Locations ****
Tsuru no Yu Onsen
+81 187-46-2139
Alpa Komakusa
Tazawako Station
**** Useful Information ****
Tsurunoyu’s Website
Hyperdia for Train Schedule and Detalied Fare Search (including reserved seat price)
You can use Google Maps as well for Train Schedules and Fares but no information for reserved seat fare.
**** Chapters ****
0:00 – Intro / Highlights
1:58 – Day 1 – Start of Vlog
3:48 – Eating Japanese Bento on Shinkansen
9:14 – Arrival at Tazawako Station
11:59 – Shuttle Transfer at Arupa Komakusa Bus Stop
12:24 – Arriving at Tsuru No Yu Onsen Ryokan
12:50 – Room Tour
17:06 – Irori (Japanese Style Indoor Fire Place)
17:47 – Ryokan Price Per Night
19:04 – Afternoon Snacks from 7 Eleven Konbini
20:05 – Afternoon Walk around Ryokan
32:37 – Cooking Fish over Indoor Fire Place!
34:25 – Ryokan Tour
34:53 – Mixed Onsen Quick Tour
36:14 – Cute Husky Showing How to Use an Onsen
36:31 – Mini Shop & Reception Tour
42:26 – Night Time Room Look
44:00 – What We Ate for Dinner
44:41 – Japanese Mountain Yam Hot Pot
45:49 – Closeup Look at Dinner
48:09 – Day 2 – Quick Morning Walk
49:58 – Day 2 – Breakfast
50:33 – Day 2 – Breakfast Close Up Look
51:47 – Day 2 – Morning Walk around Mountain Area
55:19 – Day 2 – Buying Lunch and Local Beer
55:56 – Day 2 – Lunch Close Up Look
56:45 – Day 2 – Afternoon Snack from Family Mart Konbini
57:13 – Day 2 – Afternoon Walk around Back Side of Room
58:15 – Day 2 – Digger and Bulldozer Clearing Snow Off
1:00:58 – Day 2 – Beautiful Mini Grass Roof Hut
1:02:56 – Day 2 – Kerosene Lamp Close Up Look
1:04:36 – Day 2 – Dinner Time
1:08:42 – Day 2 – Cooking Kiritanpo over Indoor Fire
1:09:00 – Day 2 – Japanese Hot Pot on Indoor Fireplace
1:09:39 – Day 2 – Ice Cream for Dessert
1:09:56 – Day 3 – After Midnight Dip in Mixed Gender Onsen
1:14:01 – Day 3 – Early Morning Dip in Mixed Gender Onsen
1:15:37 – Day 3 – Breakfast
1:16:51 – Day 3 – Playing with Big Icicle
1:18:04 – Day 3 – We Walked Deeper Into The Snowy Mountains
1:25:28 – Day 3 – Photo Slideshow
1:28:34 – Day 3 – Lunch at Arupa Komakusa Stop
1:31:01 – Day 3 – What To Do with Large Luggage When Travelling to Remote Place
1:31:25 – Day 3 – Back at Tazawako Station for Next Destination
1:32:16 – Day 3 – Cute Akita Dog Souvenirs
1:32:59 – Day 3 – Akita Komachi Shinkasen Arrival
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