Akiu hot spring resort [秋保温泉]
Akiu hot spring resort
Photo by Miyagi Prefecture
Bath in Akiu onsen
Photo by Miyagi Prefecture
Akiu Onsen is a hot spring resort located about 15 km west of Sendai station.
It is in the valley formed by Natori River.
It is close to the center of Sendai city, then many people visit here for stay-over or single-day bathing.
In the 6th century, Emperor Kinmei bathed here for hot spring cure, then Akiu hot spring had used the bath for imperial family.
After Date Masamune built Sendai city in the early 17th century, he set up the bathroom in this area for his clan.
Around the same time, he allowed to open inns here for travelers.
Since that this hot spring area became one of most popular resorts in Tohoku Region.
Along Natori River, there are a dozen of hotels and ryokans.
And there are the following scenic spots around this Onsen resort.
Rairaikyo gorge (磊々峡)
Rairaikyo Gorge
Photo by Sendai Tourism, Convention
and International Association
Rairaikyo Gorge
Photo by Sendai Tourism, Convention
and International Association
Rairaikyo is a gorge formed by Natori River, and is nearly in the center of this hot spring resort area.
The gorge is about 1 km long, and more than 20 meters deep.
There is a walking trail about 700 meters long along this gorge, then we can see various strangely shaped rocks, rapid stream of the river and some waterfalls.
Akiu Waterfall (秋保大滝)
Akiu Waterfall
Photo by Miyagi Prefecture
Akiu Waterfall
Photo by Miyagi Prefecture
Akiu Waterfall ("Akiu Ootaki" in Japanese) is a waterfall located about 12 km west-northwest of hot spring resort town and is upstream of Natori River.
It is 55 meters high and 6 meters wide.
Much water fall down swiftly.
It is sometimes listed as one of the three major waterfalls in Japan.
(Others are Nachi Waterfall in Wakayama Prefecture and Kegon Waterfall near Nikko.)
There is a walking trail, so we can go near the waterfall basin.
Futakuchi gorge (二口渓谷)
Akiu Futakuchi Kyokoku
Photo by Sendai Tourism, Convention
and International Association
Akiu Banjiiwa
Photo by Sendai Tourism, Convention
and International Association
Futakuchi gorge is a gorge near headstream of Natori River, and is located about 7 km west of Akiu Waterfall.
There are some waterfalls along the river.
Most popular spot is Omotebanji cliff (表磐司) rock.
It is a huge vertical rock wall and it is 3 km long and more over 150 meters high.
There is Futakuchi hot spring at the entrance of this gorge, and Omotebanji is about 3.5 km from there.
How to get here
From Sendai station to Akiu-onsen, it takes about 54 minutes by route bus.
A few buses of them go to Akiu Waterfall.
It takes 20 minutes from the hot spring resort.
From Akiu hot spring resort through Akiu Waterfall to Futakuchi hot spring, other route bus runs once or twice a day.
It takes 31 minutes.
