Overview
Furumachi Onsen is a hot spring in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture, counted among the Shiobara Eleven Springs of the Shiobara hot-spring district that dot the gorge. Rising in the mountains of the old Shimotsuke province, its waters have welcomed cure-seekers and travelers since long ago as one of the central areas of Shiobara. Wrapped in the clear flow of the Hoki River and deep forest, it is a calm spa village suited to enjoying not only the baths but also the surrounding nature and gorge scenery.
Highlights
- ●A storied bath, one of the Shiobara Eleven Springs
- ●A gorge-side setting wrapped in the clear Hoki River and deep forest
- ●A base for spring-hopping as one of Shiobara's central areas
- ●Gorge scenery that changes with the seasons, led by autumn foliage
History
Furumachi Onsen is known as one part of the Shiobara Eleven Springs that make up the Shiobara hot-spring district, its waters having welled up in the mountains of old Shimotsuke province for many centuries. The Shiobara springs grew as a string of baths lined along the gorge, and Furumachi is regarded as one of the central areas among them. For the water quality of each source and the detailed origins of when the springs opened, checking the official information is recommended, but the appeal of this hot spring lives within the wider tapestry of eleven springs that is the Shiobara district.
Access
The spring is in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture, near 36.97 degrees north and 139.82 degrees east, along the Shiobara gorge. By car, the usual route is from the Nishinasuno-Shiobara interchange on the Tohoku Expressway along National Route 400 toward Shiobara. By public transport, a bus from JR Nasushiobara or Nishinasuno stations toward the Shiobara hot-spring district is convenient. As this is mountain country where road conditions and service frequency can vary by season, checking the official information before visiting is recommended.
Best season
The Shiobara area is famous for gorge foliage, so autumn, when the trees blaze into color, is an especially recommended season. Summer draws visitors seeking the cool of forest and river, while winter offers the mood of soaking amid snow, each with its own charm. Early summer with its dazzling fresh green is pleasant too; the joy of Shiobara, including Furumachi, is being able to savor both the gorge and the baths through all four seasons.
Map
36.9718, 139.8206 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Head to the Shiobara district via Route 400 from Nishinasuno-Shiobara IC
- 2Arrive at Furumachi Onsen and take in the air of the gorge-side spa village
- 3Stroll the riverside paths and sights along the Hoki River
- 4Round off the day by enjoying the Shiobara Eleven Springs bath-hopping
Did you know?
💡 The Shiobara hot-spring district is a cluster of springs collectively called the Shiobara Eleven Springs, and Furumachi Onsen is counted as one of them. This distinctive arrangement of many baths strung along the gorge gives rise to the pleasure of spring-hopping, and meeting the different characters of the waters on a single trip is a charm unique to Shiobara.
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