There are many hot springs in Miyagi prefecture but the following are the top 5 hot springs. There’s Akiu Hot Springs, Naruko Hot Springs, Matsushima Hot Springs, Togatta Hot Springs, and Sakunami Hot Springs.
Matsushima Hot Springs is the most convenient as you can get there by just riding the train for 30 min. from Sendai city. It’s also a famous sightseeing area, so you can do both while you’re there.
Akiu Hot Springs
Akiu Onsen is located close to Sendai, only about 2.5 hours by Shinkansen from Tokyo. It is known as one of the 3 best hot springs in the Oshu region along with Naruko Onsen also in Miyagi Prefecture and Iizaka Onsen in Fukushima Prefecture. It is also one of the 3 best hot springs of the country.
Address | Yumoto, Akiu-machi, Taihaku-ku, Sendai-shi |
Access | 50 minutes by bus from Sendai Station |
Website | http://akiuonsenkumiai.com/en/index.html |
Matsushima Hot Springs
Matsushima Onsen is only 30 min. away from Sendai city. It is a historical area with many sightseeing spots to see. There is a beautiful view of Matsushima Bay and its islands from the open air baths of the hotels, and you can try the delicious fresh seafood caught locally.
Address | Matsushima-machi, Miyagi-gun |
Access | JR Tohoku Main line from Sendai station to Matsushima station (30 min) |
Website | http://www.matsushima-onsen.com/foreign_language.pdf |
Togatta Hot Springs
Togatta Onsen is a hot springs with over 400 years of history located in Zao. The temperature of the water at the source is 70 degrees Celsius so it’s very hot. There is a “scalding bath” at one of the public bath houses, Kami no Yu, where the temperature is even above that. And there’s also a foot bath you can enjoy outside.
Address | Togattaonsen, Zao-machi |
Access | 50 minutes by Miyagi Kotsu bus from JR Shiroishi-Zao Station to Togatta Onsen bus stop |
Website | http://en.tohokukanko.jp/miyagi/togatta-spa/ |
Sakunami Hot Springs
This hot springs was said to be a secret hot springs of the lords of the Sendai province long ago. After being opened to the public, it has been loved by many people. There are different types of baths at each hotel that you can enjoy such as open air baths, baths made of rocks, or standing baths.
Address | Sakunami, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi. |
Access | 70 minutes by Sendai Shiei bus from JR Sendai Station. |
Website | http://www.sakunami-spa.com/ (Japanese only) |