Tsuru no Yu Onsen

Rustic thatched-roof hot spring inn in Nyuto Onsen, famous for its milky white waters.

Tsuru no Yu is the oldest and most famous of the Nyuto Onsen hot spring inns in Akita Prefecture, with origins dating back to the 17th century when it served as a bathing retreat for the lords of Akita domain. Its iconic milky white outdoor rotenburo, surrounded by snow-covered beech forests in winter, is one of Japan's most photographed onsen scenes. The rustic thatched-roof buildings preserve the ambiance of a mountain hot spring from centuries past.