About Sakunami Hot-Springs
In 721, when the monk Gyoki was traveling in Oshu, he was lured by the cries of Buddhist priests and descended a deep forest slope to discover hot water springing from the bottom of the Hirose River, which he took as guidance from the Buddha and widely taught people its efficacy and how to bathe in it. Later, in 1796, Lord Date Narimura, the feudal lord of the domain, gave permission to build the foundation of the hot spring resort, and the famous hot spring is still popular among many people as a “hot spring for making beautiful women.
How to get there
(1)5 minutes by car from Sakunami Station on the JR Senzan Line
(2)70 minutes by bus from JR Sendai Station West Exit Bus Pool (Sendai City Bus bound for Sakunami Onsen, a short walk from Sakunami Onsen Motoyu)
(3)30 minutes by car from Sendai Miyagi IC of Tohoku Expressway
Tips
I stayed at Iwamatsu Ryokan the other day with my friend and my friend’s mother. The baths were wonderful, especially the open-air baths that you have to walk down many stairs to get to! My friend’s mother was very pleased with the baths, although the walk to the open-air baths was a bit difficult,
I have stayed at other Sakunami Onsen inns, but all of them had large open-air baths along the river.