Tendai No Yu

We went as a family of five in October 2025, on a day when children could enter free. This is a well-known Joboji hot spring, named by the famous poet Jakucho Setouchi. The spring is known as Iwashobo Water and comes from sacred Mount Inaniwa. It’s said to gently remove dead skin, and the refreshed feeling after bathing was exceptional. A cold bath and an outdoor relaxation area were added in 2024, making it easy to unwind after the spacious main bath and sauna. You can collect the famous spring water on the grounds, so bring an empty bottle. It’s a lovely place to enjoy Ninohe’s nature and culture. An open-air bath where you could look up at a starry sky would make it perfect, perhaps something to look forward to in the future.

The facilities are clean and seem well cared for, with a park golf course on site. The water is clear and refreshing, and the bathroom feels open thanks to large windows on two sides. There’s a main tub and a "tron sauna." Most bathers seem to be locals. The hot spring isn’t especially large, but it’s probably enough. Shampoo and body soap are provided, along with free lockers for valuables. Entry costs 500 yen.

I stayed here for a relative’s funeral. The accommodation is in a very quiet spot on a gentle hillside, but there was no public transport, so getting there was inconvenient and I needed my own car.

2025: We stopped at Tendai no Yu on the way home after camping at Inaniwa Kogen, to wash off a lot of sweat. It’s a local hot spring at the entrance to the mountains, and it was very clean and well-cleaned. The unusual, appealing products for sale in the lobby were a highlight. You can go outside from the large bath, but the view of the natural scenery is blocked by a fence, which was disappointing. In 2023, I noted that the spring water could be drunk and was drawn from the mountains. It was very clean, with shampoo and other amenities provided. You can bathe if you bring a towel, or buy one there for 150 yen. I’ll use it on my way back from camping.