Teradomari Onsen
Coastal and Mountain Hot Springs
Many visitors pass through Teradomari to shop and eat fresh seafood on the famous Teradomari Fish Market Street, visit historic temples, or enjoy the yellow tsuwabuki (Japanese silverleaf) that bloom in autumn, but that is not all this seaside town offers. Natural hot springs (onsen) are another highlight of the area, and visitors can enjoy them at three different locations. Each hot spring has distinct characteristics and purported health benefits, and each facility serves its own menu of fresh seafood. They also offer impressive views of the surrounding landscape, including brilliant sunsets over the Sea of Japan.
Tsuwabuki Onsen Sumiyoshi-ya and Totonou Art Spa
The Sumiyoshi-ya hot-spring inn traces its history to the late seventeenth century, when Teradomari was a bustling fishing and trade port. The inn has 30 rooms, an izakaya restaurant, and an intimate bar and lounge area, and the meals showcase fresh seafood sourced from the nearby Teradomari Fish Market. Thanks to the seaside location, guests can take in a panorama of the Teradomari Port and the Sea of Japan while soaking in a cypress-wood open-air bath (rotenburo). The spacious baths are fed by a hot sodium-hydrogen carbonate spring and a cool chloride spring. The waters are believed to promote smooth skin as well as provide relief from fatigue, rheumatism, neuralgia, and other conditions.
Sumiyoshi-ya also manages a Finnish-style sauna called Totonou Art, which can be reserved for two hours at a rate of ¥5,000 per person. It is connected to the main building by a long corridor, so there is no need to put on street clothes or leave the facility. Because the sauna is private, both mixed bathing and tattoos are allowed.
Teradomari Onsen Hokushinkan
Guests who soak in the baths at this hot spring inn are treated to views of the verdant mountain forests. Despite the rustic surroundings, the inn is conveniently located less than a 10-minute drive away from the central sightseeing area. With only 9 rooms, Hokushinkan is relatively small, but guests can choose between baths from two different natural springs: a strong sodium chloride hot spring and a bicarbonate chloride cold-mineral spring.
The hot-spring water emerges from roughly 1,000 meters underground at approximately 37 degrees Celsius. The color of the water is brownish red. Chloride hot springs are believed to speed the healing of wounds, improve circulation, moisturize dry skin, and heighten resistance to cold. The cold-spring water, which is a chilly 14 degrees Celsius, rises behind the hotel from a shallow font 2 meters below ground. It contains more than 10 types of ions and is said to leave skin feeling moisturized and smooth.
Cape Teradomari Hotel Asuka
The Hotel Asuka prides itself on its wide array of fresh seafood, which guests can enjoy in its course dinners or breakfast buffet. With 37 rooms, Hotel Asuka is one of the larger accommodations in the area; it also has a restaurant, a lounge, a banquet hall, and a massage room. There are two bathing areas, Yamahiko and Umihiko, which are designated for either female or male bathers on a daily rotating schedule. Umihiko looks out on the Sea of Japan, with Sado Island visible in the distance on clear days. Yamahiko offers a view that encompasses both the sea and Mt. Yahiko to the north. Both Umihiko and Yamahiko feature one-person ceramic baths and an attached sauna in addition to a large bath. The water comes from a sodium and calcium chloride spring. Soaking in such waters is believed to improve circulation, moisturize dry skin, and heighten resistance to cold.
Both bathing areas are open to visitors who are not staying at the hotel. The entrance fee is ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for children, and bath towel rentals are available. Please note that guests with tattoos are asked to refrain from entering the bathing area.
