Best onsen for Nerve & Joint Pain in Niigata

Murasugi Onsen is said to have been found in 1335, when Araki Masataka, a retainer of the Ashikaga clan fleeing war, dreamed of the Healing Buddha seven nights in a row, giving the spa some 700 years of history. Yakushinoyu No. 3 Well carries that name, gushing from a drilled well in Murasugi and supplying the inns of the spa town. Known since the Taisho era for its rich radon, the clear, mild water seems ordinary, yet soaking and breathing its steam lets a gentle warmth spread from within, suiting anyone seeking an unhurried toji stay among quiet cedar groves.

Tochiomata Onsen, in the mountains of Uonuma, is the oldest healing retreat of the Yunotani hot spring area; said to have been found some 1,200 years ago, it is known for the saying "bathe for a week and you won't catch a cold for a year." Tochiomata No. 1 rises naturally from granite ground at around 35°C and flows, unheated and undiluted, into the three shared "sacred spring" baths, Shita-no-Yu, Ue-no-Yu and Oku-no-Yu. Shita-no-Yu sits directly above the source, and the old custom of soaking quietly for one to two hours lives on.

Deyu Onsen, said to have been opened by Kobo Daishi some 1,200 years ago, is regarded as Niigata's oldest spa and forms the Gozu hot spring area with Murasugi and Imaita. Seiko-kan has over 300 years of history, and its three-story wooden building from 1928 is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property. The low-temperature spring of about 30°C flows naturally in modest volume, so the inn heats it with a boiler and feeds it in from the tub floor, free-flowing without recirculation or chlorine, and covers the tubs with lids to keep the precious water warm.

Murasugi Onsen is said to have been found in 1335, when Araki Masataka, a retainer of the Ashikaga clan fleeing war, dreamed of the Healing Buddha seven nights in a row, giving the spa some 700 years of history. Yakushinoyu No. 3 Well carries that name, gushing from a drilled well in Murasugi and supplying the inns of the spa town. Known since the Taisho era for its rich radon, the clear, mild water seems ordinary, yet soaking and breathing its steam lets a gentle warmth spread from within, suiting anyone seeking an unhurried toji stay among quiet cedar groves.

In 1954, mineral flowers were found blooming on the banks of the Agano River, and a well was dug to open this comparatively young spa; the area's name was even changed to "Sakihana," meaning blooming flowers. Colorless when drawn, the water turns a clear yellow-green in the bath, leaving white mineral flakes on spouts and rails. A toasted, almost smoky sulfur aroma and a slick, weakly alkaline feel make it a favorite for sulfur-spring lovers.