Miyagi Osaki City
An inn where you can enjoy free-flowing natural hot springs all to yourself in four free private baths
"Naruko Onsen Yumoto Kissho" is a hot spring ryokan in Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture. Perched on a hill in Naruko Onsen, one of the three great hot springs of Oshu, it fills everything from the large public baths to the open-air baths and private baths with free-flowing spring water, taking full advantage of its abundant supply. The alkaline water is a skin-beautifying hot spring that gently removes impurities, and its color and texture change from a pale amber to milky white and clear from day to day, offering a once-in-a-lifetime bathing experience. Inside, there are a variety of baths, including a reclining bath and a pot bath, and in the open-air bath beyond the corridor, Naruko's four seasons—fresh greenery, autumn leaves, and snowy scenery—are reflected on the surface of the water. All four private baths, each with its own distinct atmosphere, are free to use and do not require reservations. Thoughtful hospitality is also part of the experience, with ice pops after bathing and late-night soba.

The large public baths, provided separately for men and women, consist of an indoor bath and an open-air bath. The water is soft and silky, an alkaline skin-beautifying hot spring that gently envelops the skin. There are a variety of baths throughout, including a reclining bath where you can lie back and relax, and a soothing pot bath where you can soak up to your shoulders. In the open-air bath beyond the corridor, the atmosphere changes completely, and fresh greenery, autumn leaves, and snowy scenery blend into the steam. On some days, hot spring blossoms drift through the water, and even the color of the water changes expression, making each bath a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

There are four rooms, each with a different atmosphere, made of cypress, brick, tile, and stone, and all are free to use as private baths. No reservation is needed, and if one is available, you can enjoy the water as many times as you like. Once you close the door, the only sound you hear is the water flowing from the spout. You can sink in up to your shoulders without worrying about being seen, and the quiet time spent with someone important to you offers a deep sense of comfort that is different from the large public baths.

One of the detached rooms facing the Japanese garden has an open-air bath with free-flowing spring water. As you sink into the bath overlooking the garden, the sky opens above you, and the wind carrying the scent of the trees brushes away the steam. There is the luxury of being able to enter the bath as many times as you like, whenever you feel like it, without worrying about anyone else. The special room and the other detached room are equipped with indoor hot spring baths, allowing you to enjoy the water to your heart's content while gazing out at the garden scenery.
Availability and rates are shown on each booking site.
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If you have tattoos or body art, you may not use the large public baths. You may use the hot springs in the free private baths or the baths in your guest room.

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Most of what we surveyed never made it onto this site. This is a further cut from what did — places the editor bathed in himself, and places chosen through our own reporting.