Sendai Akiu Hot Spring HOTEL SAKAN’s claim to fame is as the bath palace of Date Masamune, the Sendai feudal lord. With the concept of “service from the heart that touches the core of yours”, it’s a hotel with unparalleled service.

You can reach it from JR Sendai Station via a 50-minute bus ride, and the hotel also provides a free shuttle bus (reservation required) from JR Sendai Station.

Including reservation-only baths, there are a total of five hot springs available. As we leave the corridor surrounded by an abundance of nature, we head towards one of the hot springs, the “Natori-no-Miyu.”

Inside the bathing area, the latticework lets in natural sunlight, so that despite being an indoor bath, it has an open-air atmosphere.

The latticework was formerly used to protect Date Masamune from potential enemies outside when taking his bath.

On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the ladies’ baths have rose petals included in the waters.

Guest rooms are available in Japanese and Western styles. There’s a wide variety available, including some with attached open-air baths. Amongst these, there are rooms with their own rooftop gardens and terraces and even a high-grade room with its own viewing path made of cypress!

For guest rooms that come with beds, besides the business type rooms, they are furnished with 120-centimeter-long twin beds, so that you can rest and relax completely.

The homepage is also available in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Thai. Reservations can be made via the home page.

Sendai Akiu Onsen Hotel Zuiho is an onsen hotel built to overlook the river flowing at one of Akiu Onsen’s famous sightseeing spots, Rairaikyō Gorge.

From the coffee lounge in the lobby, which faces a lush green bamboo forest, to the waterfall feature with koi fish in front of the bathhouse, this is one hotel with many sights to see. This place is recommended for those looking for a luxurious atmosphere during their stay.

A wide variety of guest rooms are available, ranging from simple and elegant designs, to sprawling Japanese-style rooms and Western-style rooms furnished with Simmons beds, and hybrid Japanese and Western rooms.

There are also rooms which oversee Rairaikyō Gorge directly, and other rooms which overlook the streets of Akiu, and the choice of rooms available is another draw of this place.

It takes 45 minutes to get there by bus from JR Sendai Station. There is a free shuttle bus service (reservations required) that runs from the east exit of JR Sendai Station too.

If you want to talk about the main draw of Hotel Zuiho, it’s the food. From Japanese to Western to Chinese, specialty chefs for each type come together to create a menu with over 80 dishes, served in a buffet style.

From plump crabs to one of Sendai’s specialty dishes, gyutan (beef tongue), to fresh sushi from off the Sanriku coast of Miyagi Prefecture, the resplendent menu caters to those who are uneasy with eating Japanese food as well. Savor the delicious dishes that the chefs prepare right before your eyes.

The restaurant where you have your meals has a bar inside as well. Besides an all you can drink course, the hotel’s original Mugijōchū, a type of Japanese alcohol, is available as well, making it a great place for those who appreciate fine drink.

There are two large baths available that are alternated between ladies and gentlemen. Six types of open-air baths are available, and you can gaze out into a Japanese garden while enjoying your soak.

One of the strong points of this hotel is that there are staff available who can speak both English and Chinese.

Kagaribi-no-Yu Ryokusuitei has a highly acclaimed Japanese garden and an open-air bath. It’s 50 minutes by bus from JR Sendai Station.

There is a free shuttle bus service (reservations required) that runs from the east exit of JR Sendai Station too. As a shuttle bus for guests on day trips is available, feel free to visit the place at your leisure.

Let’s stroll through the garden after checking in. From cherry blossoms in spring and Nikkō Kisuge lilies in summer, to Momiji (Japanese maple) in autumn and snowscapes in winter, you can enjoy beautiful views of all four seasons here. The light-up at night turns the space into an almost fantastical world. You can view it from the lobby too.

The open-air bath, the “Kagaribi-no-Yu”, is made of a dynamic setup of stones. Though it looks stunning even during the day, going at night is highly recommended. With the moonlight shining down on the bath lit by torches, the elegant space seems to expand in size.

The fires are lit from sundown until midnight. In the open-air bath that changes character throughout the day, you can relax both your body and soul.

The guest rooms range from modern suites to guestrooms with their own attached open-air baths, high-grade Japanese and hybrid Western and Japanese rooms, and standard Japanese rooms, allowing you to pick rooms according to your budget.

The homepage is available in English, Korean, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, and Thai, and internet bookings are available too.

Akiu Onsen Hananoyu is a hotel with the concept of nature and beauty, and good health and good food. This onsen hotel is popular for its open-air baths where you can feel the nature of Akiu Onsen, and their food which makes used of specially arranged deliveries of organic produce.

It’s 50 minutes by bus from JR Sendai Station. There is a free shuttle bus service (reservations required) that runs from the east exit of JR Sendai Station too.

One draw of Akiu Onsen Hananoyu is its private hot spring source. The spring waters penetrate your skin deeply and are available in abundance.

With such wonderful properties, it’s also called “Kami-no-Yu”, or “hot springs of the gods”. If you find it embarrassing to enter the bath with others, you can choose a room with its own private hot tub too.

In March 2020, the guest room with its own jacuzzi bath was renewed. As it’s on the top floor, it doesn’t use waters from the hot springs, but the location is excellent for enjoying a good soak.

On top of that, there are guest rooms with their own open-air baths, which draw their waters directly from the hot springs source. For those who are hesitant about trying out public onsen, this is one guest room where you can enjoy them to your heart’s content.

Oshu Akiu Onsen Rantei is a hot springs hotel standing tall, overlooking the vast nature that surrounds it. With grounds stretching over 33,000 square meters, you can see flora and fauna throughout the seasons in its garden, along with its rooftop pool (only available in summer), and with its barbecue plan, you can enjoy activities on its sprawling grounds.

It takes 40 minutes to reach there by bus from JR Sendai Station. A free shuttle bus service (reservations required) from JR Sendai Station is available too.

As an accommodation option geared towards families, there’s a kids’ space with coloring books and toys lined up, as well as baby amenities and family plans for those with infants. Yukata for children are available as well, allowing them to enjoy the atmosphere of an onsen too.

The bathing areas are the first in the prefecture to make use of tatami mats. As the mats are not as slippery, it’s safer for children and the elderly too. Soak your skin in the gentle waters of the baths, and warm up your body from the heart.

Japanese, hybrid, and Western-style guestrooms are available. For guestrooms facing the mountains, you can see idyllic mountain scenery from your room. The guest rooms also come with original woven bags, making it more convenient to move around when going to the baths or during meal times.

To accommodate foreign visitors, the front desk has tourist information and maps on nearby scenic spots in English as well. If you’re here to sightsee, do help yourself to the maps.

Akiu Onsen has numerous onsen with their own unique character. Please stay at the onsen of your liking, and have a wonderful holiday.

Text by: ShoePress
Information accurate as of September 2020.