Recommended onsen in Fukushima

Nekonaki Onsen rises beside the Kitasu River in Ishikawa, central Fukushima. Legend says that when the Heian-era poet Izumi Shikibu left for the capital, her cat cried for her until it fell ill, then recovered by bathing here, giving the spring its name, "crying cat." The Ishikawa area is dotted with radioactive springs, and Izutsuya Onsen No. 2, pumped from the ground at 18.4°C, is a cold mineral spring. Its total mineral content is a light 128.2 mg/kg, yet carbonate ions reach 36.1 mg, giving it a strongly alkaline pH of 10.1.

The Yuhanazawa No.3, No.5 and No.6 Combined Source gathers three springs welling up in the Yuhanazawa district of Takayu Onsen, a spa said to have opened in the Keicho era and once counted among the "Three Takayu of Oshu" alongside Zao and Shirabu. Tart at pH 2.6 and scented with powdery sulfur, its water gushes from the spouts in a blizzard of white mineral flakes, steeping the tubs in a milky blue. It suits travelers seeking a genuine mountain sulfur soak.

Makukawa No.1 Source gushes naturally deep in the folds of the Azuma mountain range, beside the Makukawa stream at around 1,300 meters. Emerging at 54.2°C, the clear water mellows as it travels through the pipes, and its 154 mg/kg of metasilicic acid lends a gentle, moisturizing touch. It suits travelers who wish to unwind slowly in mountain silence.

The Nuruyu source has been known since the Kyoho era (1716-1735), welling up at about 920 m on the eastern foot of Mt. Azuma-Kofuji. This acidic sulfate water carries iron and aluminum, emerging colorless and turning yellowish-white after a day. Though only 31.8°C, it lets warmth linger slowly in the body, leaving skin cool and smooth. It suits summer bathers and anyone who loves long, unhurried soaks in a water traditionally prized for the eyes.