TSURUNOYU
Nyuto Mountain’s oldest and most popular onsen, Tsurunoyu was established in the 1600s, during the Edo Period, when it housed many elite government officials and members of royalty on their travels.
The onsen continues to hold its iconic title and offers guests a rustic and authentic stay with an irori, or sunken fireplace, to cook with and to heat up each room.
Tsurunoyu, which translates as “crane onsen,” takes its name from the legend of a badly injured crane that soaked itself in the hot spring bath and was healed in its mineral-rich waters.
In traditional Japanese folklore, cranes were believed to live for thousands of years; they are still linked with good fortune and longevity today, and they are the symbol of this celebrated ryokan.
Four baths, each with a unique feel and mineral composition, are featured at the ryokan, including one of the only onsens in the world where you can bathe in the actual hot spring source.
Typically, the hot spring source is transferred to a bath where the temperature is controlled; however, the bath at Tsurunoyu is 100% controlled by the forces of nature, allowing guests to feel a true connection with the earth.