Akiu-onsen Hot Spring is located in the west part of Miyagi, on the bank of the Natori-gawa River.
Akiu-onsen Hot Spring is located in the west part
of Miyagi, on the bank of the Natori-gawa River,
which flows from Sendai Bay into the Pacific
Ocean. It is an old hot spring whose origin dates
back to the 6th century. Though Akiu is near the
center of Sendai, over 90 percent of the town
consists of mountain and forests. There are modern
hotels in the middle of the greenery, giving it a
quiet appearance.
Along the Natori-
gawa River, there are many beautiful spots, from
Rairai-kyo Gorge with its mysterious, eye-catching
crags, to Akiu-Otaki Falls and Futakuchi Valley.
Rairai-kyo Gorge is near the entrance of Akiu-
onsen Hot Spring, and is beautiful in the green of
spring and when the leaves are tinted by autumn.
However in winter, when snow piles up on the five
waterfalls and rocks, the scene is like an India
ink painting. Akiu-Otaki Falls is 55 meters high.
Walk down the walkway to its basin and look up, to
appreciate its vast scale. The great sound of
falling water and the spray have become symbols of
Akiu-onsen Hot Spring.
If you walk 15
minutes from the Akiu-onsen-Yumoto bus stop, you
will come to the vast natural forests of
Tenshukaku-Shizen-koen Park, a nature park where
you can visit the mountain streams. This is a
place where the townspeople relax, at modern
facilities like Shinrin Sports-koen Park and the
golf course.
