Sagi-no-yu Onsen
Sagi-no-yu Onsen is a natural hot spring (onsen) located on the Iinashi River in the city of Yasugi. According to legend, the onsen was discovered in the eighth century when an egret (sagi) was observed bathing there to heal an injured leg. During the Warring States period (1467–1615), it was used by successive warlords of nearby Gassan Toda Castle as a palace bath. A terrible flood in 1666 destroyed the hot spring and many settlements along the Iinashi river, and the onsen was forgotten. About 100 years ago, the source of the onsen was rediscovered and made the central feature of a traditional-style ryokan inn. The entrance wing of the inn is a converted 130-year-old farmhouse that once stood near Izumo Taisha. It was carefully dismantled, brought to the present site, and reconstructed. Over the years, several other inns have opened nearby, forming a small hot-spring community that lies within walking distance of the world-famous Adachi Art Museum.