Located on the southern slope of Chausu-dake, Nasu-Yumoto is the center of the Nasu hot spring area. This gives the destination a clear focus: hot spring tradition, distinctive cultural sites, and a strong connection to the landscape. The town has modern hotels alongside traditional inns for hot spring visitors. When planning your stay, you can start by asking whether you’re most interested in the hot spring area, a gentle walk, or the stories associated with individual places.

Connections to the mountains and valley

At the foot of Chausu-dake, in the valley above the Nasu-Yumoto hot spring area, there is an area with sulfur gas and scattered rocks of various sizes. The mountain, valley, and hot spring area offer a different perspective on the landscape from Nasu-Yumoto’s architectural history and local traditions. This can help you distinguish between the landscape and specific cultural sites as you find your way around.

Sesshoseki: Walking path and local stories

One clear landmark in the hot spring district is Sesshoseki. It lies 200 meters north of the main building of Nasu Onsen Shrine, beyond the parking lot by the Yukawa River. A wooden boardwalk around Sesshoseki leads to the sights of Nasu Onsen Shrine and Sentaijizō, making it suitable for a gentle walk. The path connects Sesshoseki with two named destinations and offers a straightforward walking option for your plans.

You can also learn about Sesshoseki through its stories. The site is associated with the legend of a nine-tailed fox with a white face and golden fur. Matsuo Bashō visited Sesshoseki and left the haiku “Ishi no ka ya natsu kusa akaku tsuyu atsushi.” The legend and Bashō’s visit offer two distinct cultural perspectives: a story associated with the site and a literary connection. Alongside the walking path, cultural history is another focus for your visit.

Shika no Yu: Architectural history and bathing tradition

Shika no Yu is also in Nasu-Yumoto and offers another perspective on bathing tradition. The present-day bathhouse has a bathing building from the Meiji period and an entrance area from the Taishō period. The buildings from these two different eras make the architectural history easy to see.

Traditional scenes of yu-momi (stirring the bathwater) and timed bathing can still be seen in Shika no Yu’s wooden communal bath. The architecture and bathing tradition give you two ways to experience the site: its historic structures and the bathing practices that remain visible today. The story behind its name also goes back a long way: in the early 7th century, a hunter is said to have discovered the spring while pursuing a deer; according to the story, Shika no Yu got its name from this event.

Hotels and traditional inns

Nasu-Yumoto’s accommodation options include modern hotels alongside traditional inns for hot spring visitors. This provides a clear local context for your hotel search: you’ll be staying in the center of a hot spring area with its own cultural sites and bathing traditions.

Discover more destinations: Ōtawara, Nikkō, Yaita, Sano, Utsunomiya, Mashiko, Ashikaga, Kanuma

For the full travel overview: Tochigi Prefecture.